Shooting Star [Never Let You Go, Again Book 2]

26: Black Star and White Flash

"Xiyuan?"

"Sizhui!" Nie Xiyuan jumped down from his sword and landed outside the Cloud Recesses gates.

"Let him in," Sizhui waved to the guards, who moved aside to let the Nie Deputy General in. "Xiyuan, what are you doing here?"

Xiyuan was panting as he walked with Sizhui towards his room. "We need to talk. I called–"

"A-Ling!" Sizhui shouted as he saw Jin Ling shooting towards them. Without Sizhui's permission, the guards let him in: they had long ago been given clear orders from their Sect Leader to let Sect Leader Jin inside anytime.

"Sizhui!" Jin Ling waved as he ran to catch up with the two. "Xiyuan, here I am!"

"Good." Turning to Sizhui, Xiyuan explained, "I sent for him on the way here. Could you guys send a message to Liwei, too?"

Lan Sizhui nodded and instructed a disciple nearby to send a letter to Lotus Pier's Head Disciple requesting his presence. "Now, what is it Xiyuan? Why did you come? Why's A-Ling here? And Liwei?"

"I received news from our Undercover Squadron Leader."

"Shouldn't you be informing Sect Leader Nie and General Nie first?" Sizhui asked.

"Yes, a message was sent to them. I came here to inform you guys. Come, let's go to your place first. Settle down and talk. Liwei better get here soon," Nie Xiyuan mumbled as he walked into Sizhui's room.

**********

"A-Cheng! A-Cheng, guess what!"

"Ah, there you are! I was wondering what happened."

"Are we late?" Wei Wuxian looked at Jiang Cheng with wonder. "I never said we'll come at any specific hour!"

"Yes," Jiang Cheng nodded. "But you're usually here by noon, I was wondering whether you'd be here even by dusk."

"Baozhai's better?"

"Way better! Last two nights, no troubles at all. She's improving fast," Jiang Cheng explained after a nod to Lan Wangji. Guiding them to the patient's room, he kept talking, "Been asking after you. Keeps thanking you, saying she feels a million times better."

"See? I'm a good brother!"

"Hmph," Jiang Cheng moped and walked on. "Oh, one more thing." He stopped before the door. "She's asleep. Been having mood swings so Yunxi gave some medicine to help, saying she's likely to give birth in a few weeks."

"Oh dear, asleep? Then forget it." He dragged Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan away from the room. "We'll meet her later. She needs a good rest. I wonder if Xuanji and Baozhai will give birth together," he beamed. "Now, come on, I've something to show you."

**********

Once they were inside the Sect Leader's hall, they seated themselves around the table while a female disciple brought in tea and osmanthus cakes. Once that was done, she was sent away by Jiang Cheng and the door was shut. Nibbling on the sweet cake, Lan Wangji listened to Wei Wuxian describe his newest invention.

"Heixing?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Yes! Heixing. Black Star."

"Not bad. So what is this Heixing?"

Wei Wuxian grinned and held up his hand. On the fourth finger was a glimmering gold, white and red wedding ring while on the third was an obsidian ring, a strip of silver engraved along its central circumference. Two completely different levels of beauty. "Heixing's your black ring? The one from the LongzhenLiu clan?"