Dark Knight | WangXian Novel

9: Sect Ties

Cangse Sanren sat atop the donkey, laughter pealing in the air above the rustle of the forest around them.

Wei Changze cracked a string of jokes, ceaseless, delighted to make his darling wife happy. Occasionally, he would hear a cooing giggle from above his head and he would pat the little legs that hooked around his shoulders and twirl around, dancing merrily.

When his father danced, Wei Wuxian squealed. Shrieking with giggles of glee, he clapped his father's cheeks as the latter spun around. "Baba, Baba, BABA!"

"Yes, XianXian?"

"Baba! Boo!"

"Oh, right, then let's do Boo," Wei Changze chuckled.

"What's Boo? A new game of yours?" Cangse laughed.

"Watch," Changze winked. He gripped his son's legs to grab his attention, then raspberry-blew his mouth.

Cheeky and gleeful, Wei Wuxian immediately followed, seated atop his father's shoulders. He turned his head in his mother's direction to proudly show her he could do it just as well.

"Yay! My Ying-Er's amazing!"

"Who's the best boy?" Wei Changze laughed and tousled his hair. "XianXian's the best boy!"

Laughter, giggles and smiles rang in his head, filling up his mind, soul and heart.

Just as suddenly as it had come, the scene faded...

From lush greenery, into purple. 

**********

"XianXian? XianXian!"

"Shijie! SAVE MEEEEE!"

"Aish, I'm trying to, tell me where you are!"

"U– U– Up here!" Wei Wuxian's voice quivered as he waved from a treetop.

"How did you get up there!?" Jiang Yanli gawked at him.

"I can't get down! And..."

"Woof! Woof!"

"Aaaaaaaargh!"

"Shoo, go away!" Jiang Yanli tried chasing the dog off, but it wouldn't listen. Obstinately, it stayed at the bottom of the tree, barking at Wei Wuxian. "A-Xian, it's a stray dog. Maybe you brought some food with you, that's why it's barking! Drop it down, I'll send it off!"

"Can't drop, it's a dumpling!"

"Aish, what's all this fuss for?" A cold voice, though younger than Wei Wuxian's, laughed as the owner strode into the clearing. "Oh hello!"

"A-Cheng, that's a stray dog, don't–"

"A-Jie, hush!" Jiang Wanyin, still an eight-year-old, bent down and scratched the dog behind its ears. "What are you doing here?"

"That thing chased after me! 'Coz I've got a dumpling with me..."

"I was asking the dog!" Jiang Cheng laughed. He took out a roll of bread from his sleeve. "Now take this and go. Run along!"

The pooch stared at the bun and wagged its tail, quickly licked Jiang Cheng's scratching hand, snatched the bread in its teeth and ran off into the distance.

"See? That's how you deal with dogs," Jiang Cheng grinned smugly, dusting his hands. "Now get down, silly!"

"I... It's too high..." Nine-year-old Wei Ying was trembling.