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

27: As Close As A Brother

Paradise Manor*¹ was pin-drop silent. Well, it always was silent. The residence of the Ghost King rarely had guests so no matter how large and fantastic it looked, it was left for Hua Cheng, his husband and his assistant. The dancing girls from long ago were not so frequently called on now that Hua Cheng had someone of his very own to see. Xie Lian had roamed around the armoury before running out to find his husband. "San Lang, where on earth are you?"

"En? Right here," Hua Cheng called.

Xie Lian followed his voice to the bedroom. "What are you doing? I've been looking for you for quite some time now."

"Gege went out?"

"Yes, went to the market for a while. Look!" He held up a box of dumplings. Hua Cheng nodded and made space for Xie Lian to sit, moving the countless books around him away.

"San Lang, what's all this for?" Xie Lian asked as he sat down on Hua Cheng's lap, unfolding the box of dumplings as he waved one hand over the books surrounding them.

"I've been trying to find something..."

"What is it? I could help!" Xie Lian beamed.

Hua Cheng nodded and in a low voice, mumbled the situation.

"Ah?... Uhuh... Oh so then... Mhm... Wait, what!" Xie Lian gasped when Hua Cheng finished. "But... Isn't there anything we can do?" Keeping the box aside, he turned fully to look at his husband, eyes pleading. "Wei Wuxian is a really good friend. As close as a brother."

"I know. And so are they both to me. Which is why I'm trying to find something..."

"You won't find it here! What we need to find is something related to immortals!"

"No, Lan Wangji wants me to help find a way to support Wei Wuxian to get rid of it first."

"Seriously? He's too much like you," Xie Lian sulked.

Hua Cheng smiled gently and ran his fingers through Xie Lian's hair. "He is, isn't he? At least I'm not a Mr Glacier?"

"That... No, not as cold. So he wants a way to help Wei Wuxian? As in, help him while the thing is being absorbed? Fine, I think I can find that. And I'll also find a way to help Lan Wangji," Xie Lian nodded resolutely.

Hua Cheng smiled to see his husband so determined, but wondered aloud, "You'll find out? How?"

Xie Lian tapped his dearest's forehead. "Did you forget? I've got a friend in the Heavenly Realm who knows it all! And she's got all the documents in the world!"

"Ling Wen*²!"

"Exactly!"

"Great!" Hua Cheng clapped in glee. "If we can help them, that's great."

Xie Lian nodded along with him before picking up his dumplings again.

**********

"Xiyuan, what's going on?" Liwei asked as he marched into Sizhui's room.

"Liwei, come sit," Sizhui indicated the mat on the unoccupied fourth edge of the table. "Xiyuan was just telling us the news from Qinghe's scouting troops."

"Scouts? What now?" Liwei turned to Xiyuan.

"I told these two, I'll repeat to you. So this team of squads circling Longzhen had received message from the more interior Longzhen spies that the Liu Clan is training its troops. Been doing it for a few months as far as they've understood from the soldiers' skills."

"WHAT!"

"Sh, Liwei, no shouting here!" Jin Ling knocked Jiang Liwei's head.

Liwei apologised to Sizhui before continuing, "Xiyuan, you mean to say those Liu rascals are at it again?"