[[忘羡 | WangXian 3]] : Our Flesh And Bones

[66.] The Library Room.

Miao Lu was expecting the knock on the door all morning – she knew well who it would be.

The Masters had barely come out of their bedroom in the last couple of days, ever since her Young Master's departure, and she felt miserable and lonely. True, servants were coming and going, bringing her meals and tea and potions that supposedly would help her health, and Bai Li was constantly keeping an eye on her – she felt it. 

But she was missing her Master, his smile, his voice even. She realized that in the last two days she hardly ever heard noises from the master bedroom and wondered if Wei Qianbei was ill, worrying for him. The housekeeper's answers were vague and meant nothing. Until, this morning, she suddenly announced that she would be changing chambers. Away from the master bedroom.

She felt sad. 

The only good thing, from her point of view, in all that adventure, was her Master Wei, and now she was going to be away from him too. His power and strength fascinated her, the legends about him. Or perhaps it was the fact that he was also quite vulnerable at times. Hanguang-Jun was not someone whom she could relate to; he was distant and abstract, almost inhuman, too beautiful, too perfect to be true, too cold. 

But Wei Qianbei had always been good to her. 

And now... 

She placed her hand on her belly. Was it really true that it was his baby? She smiled to herself. She was happy to even dream about it.

- Good morning, Mistress! – Wei Ying grinned, tilting his head to the side. – I am afraid I am a bit late. But we can still spend an hour or two in the Library, as you requested?

- Good morning, Master! Wei Qianbei! Please, I am so grateful that you agreed to it. – she bowed.

She noticed that he was very warmly dressed and wondered why – the day was too warm for winter, but she said nothing. Wei Ying led the way and waved to the servants to let them in the Library. She gasped when they entered.

- I bet you haven't seen so many books before, eh, Miao Lu? – he grinned.

- Never, Master... -  she whispered, awe-struck.

- Uh, if you ask me, this is the most boring room in the mansion, but Hanguang-Jun loves it here. He usually spends hours reading, but the last month has been... different. – he smiled, welcoming her in.

She followed, gaping at the multiple shelves of scrolls and parchments and books. She wondered how to start, where to start.

- Winter does not agree with me, Mistress, so you have about an hour to find whatever you need, and maybe another hour for reading. No fire is allowed in this room, obviously, so it is constantly cold. So, I prefer we leave as soon as possible. Hanguang-Jun will be waiting me for lunch in 2 hours, so there. – he scoffed.

She bowed.

- Thank you, Master. I think an hour will be more than enough. – she said quietly.

- Marvelous! Enjoy yourself! – he mocked, leaving her alone and moving to another section in the room to check on protection spells.

The young woman went searching for any books with information on resentful energy. She could not possibly talk to Hanguang-Jun or Wei Qianbei about it. Last night she was lying awake, thinking – if it was Master Wei's baby indeed, this meant that during that awful night before Wei Qianbei's birthday she had already been pregnant. She really shouldn't have stayed...

She desperately wanted to learn more about it all, as she had been feeling very peculiarly lately. She was expecting morning sickness and generally feeling under the weather, but no such things happened. Instead, her senses were getting sharper with time. She knew what was being cooked for dinner hours in advance. 

She could hear he Master Wei's cries of pleasure in the night, his laugher, or his sobs. She could not sleep – the world was acutely clear, more visible and tangible, and her brain was on overdrive, not able to rest. Was this how immortals felt all the time? How did they manage at all? 

She sighed. 

Cultivators. Training. Of course.

**

Wei Wuxian was browsing through parchments distractedly. His attention was more focused on any sound coming from Miao Lu. He tried to find an appropriate angle between the shelves, such that, remaining hidden, he could observe her. He never doubted she would harm any of Lan Zhan's precious parchments, but he was half expecting problems, any time, any day now.

Boring. She seemed engulfed in reading, sighing a little from time to time. He vaguely wondered who might have taught her reading, but then he thought that he did not care.

Strange. He had felt really invigorated after their intimacy run that morning; actually, both him and Lan Wangji. Now he was feeling tired and weak. He wondered whether he'd be able to really hold on for 2 hours. Was it the lack of rest? He had had good breakfast... He frowned and took a seat in a window niche, pretending to read, but closing his eyes and pondering on it.

**

Lan Wangji worried, something was wrong, he felt it. He was sure Wei Wuxian was too cold in the Library Room, but he had no news for the last couple of hours. Was he just being overly anxious, worrying for trifles? 

Or maybe...

He left the training to one of the Elders, and hurried away. He checked the bedroom first – he secretly hoped that Wei Ying would be there, sitting by the fire. He bit his lip, the room was empty, and perfectly cleaned up. Bai Li had kept the fire going too. So he rushed to the Library Room, barging in without thinking.

- Miao Lu, where is your Master? – he asked breathlessly.

She looked up, surprised, and bowed respectfully.

- I think he is somewhere in the back, Master. He said he wanted to check something out. I haven't seen him in the last hour.

- Wei Ying! – he yelled, too worried now, rushing towards the back of the room.

He found him, asleep, or rather passed out, relaxed in a window niche – the parchment he had been reading had dropped to the floor. Lan Wangji fell to his knees next to him, caressing his face tenderly – he was very cold to the touch.

- Wei Ying... Wake up, my love... Please, wake up... -  he murmured, shaking him gently, hoping he was just asleep.

Miao Lu had approached and was watching them, afraid for her Master.

- Lan Zhan...  -  Wei Ying said weakly. – I...  I am so cold, my heart...

Lan Wangji helped him up, but he could barely stand on his feet. Without any comment, he took him in his arms and carried him out of the room.

- Miao Lu, please, join us for dinner. You can use the Library again tomorrow. –  he snapped at her.

She bowed and understood that she had to leave. And go to her new chamber, away from them.