Red Rose [Never Let You Go, Again Book 3]

36: Tragic Smile

Having kept Lan Xichen safely at Cloud Recesses in the hands of Elder Lan Qiang and Doctor Wen Ning, Jiang Cheng hurried back to the hills where Lan Wangji and the rest were still running through. "Hello, guys, any progress?"

"No," Chen Xuanji shook her head, panting as they stopped for a moment to take a breath. "We better go the rest by sword should we run out of energy."

"Well, travelling by sword takes up energy too..." Sizhui frowned.

"Doesn't matter, at least we'll be faster. We can power ourselves up when we reach the place before going into battle," Jiang Cheng nodded.

"When we do get there, what do we do?" Chen Xuanji looked at the boys.

"We can send notice to Nie Shushu. He's Chief Cultivator, he can gather the clans and sects and troops and come to the location we send. We'll go in only when everyone's there, so as to not alert the Lius into teleporting away again," Jin Ling proposed.

"Excellent, Sect Leader Jin," Chen Xuanji smacked his back.

He smiled at her with a nod. "Ey, Jiujiu, where's the Lan headband tied to your hair?"

Jiang Cheng sulked and shook his head. "With A-Huan. I don't know what's gotten into him. He asked me to give it back. Roughly."

"Ah?" Jin Ling gawked. "Did he say anything?"

"No. Was comfortable with Lan Qiang but acted like he hated me. I..." Jiang Cheng buried his face in his palms, fingers digging into his hair. "I don't know... I've never been this helpless all my life... He's acting like I'm a stranger who raped him. And then I had to leave him there... and A-Xian's still missing... Tch, what the hell is up with my pitiful life?"

Jin Ling sighed and sat beside him, hugging him warmly. Unexpectedly, Jiang Cheng burrowed his chin into Jin Ling's shoulder, letting the golden robes absorb his tears before the others saw. Only Jin Ling could sense the wetness so he patted his uncle's back to calm him down.

Jiang Cheng sniffed and sat upright again. "How much further?"

"Not too much, I hope, we don't know," Jin Ling shook his head. "Fairy's a bit tired so we stopped to rest. But I think we can go, Fairy?"

"WOOF!"

"Then let's go," Jiang Cheng nodded and they set off again. 

**********

Clatter! Clatter! Click! Creak!

The metal door to the cell rattled open.

"Hello, hello," Nie Jiuyue smirked as he walked in with Liu Zhongli.

"Hm, hello," Wei Wuxian groaned. "Both here? Where are the beloved Madam Nie and Madam Liu?"

"His wife," young Zhongli pointed to Jiuyue, "didn't want to come. I mean, she is your sister, wouldn't be able to bear it. As for Madam Liu... Huli-jiejie's busy taking care of the rest of the people and preparing for a possible battle," he explained, nonchalantly pulling out his dagger from his belt.

"Oh, Madam Liu's truly Madam Liu. Guess she forgot her roots so soon, eh?"

Liu Zhongliang shrugged. "I don't know about that. What I do know," he leered. "Is someone better brace himself for impact!"

"Aish, aren't you fed up with punching me? Look, I'm blue all over! Happy now?"

"But who said I'm punching you? One, it's not a punch this time. Two, it's not me." He handed the dagger to an older disciple beside them. "This is our Healer, Doctor Liu. Three, no more useless torture. We're going to end this."