Collide and Cry

Part 32

It was not long after that Lan Zhan had come for him, leaving Wei Ying to stare at him, dread slowly curling in his stomach. There would be no more putting it off. He would need to give his testimony. He knew that they could not leave right after either, given that XiChen and Lan Zhan still needed to give theirs. For now, though he would take pleasure in the fact that Lan Wangji would be with him, perhaps not staring straight at him the entire time, but he would be with him, in some format. He would keep himself from freaking out, knowing that he had managed to prepare for this, it was definitely a good thing. He was quite thankful that he had been able to wander about the market with Huaisang, it had given him all the time that he needed to calm himself down. He had made himself a promise. This time, he would not allow the Jiangs to take him. Nobody would, unless it was the Lans. Wei Ying could not help but feel like he would not really mind too much if the Lans had decided that they wanted to take him back to the Cloud Recesses, he just doubted that it would happen.

Outside of the Lans, outside of Lan Zhan, he would not let anyone get to him. Not this time. He had the advantage this time, and he would cling onto it with the tightest grip that he could get. He would not allow them to get to him this time. He would rather...He needed to calm down, as he scanned the area, pulling himself into Lan Zhan, wrapping his arm around the other's. Lan Zhan did not even glance at him, obviously quite used to these random jolts of affection that he had put him through. To see Lan Zhan not only get used to it, but not question it, it warmed him and he bounced up and down a bit, overly excited. He glanced backwards towards XiChen, and SiZhui and JingYi.

Wei Ying had requested that they bring the two Lan boys. He knew that they would bring him comfort, along with Lan Wangji, and the three combined would keep him level. Lan Zhan alone could do that, but Wei Ying was worried. He had also requested that he bring ChenQing, which Lan Zhan had agreed to, after steep arguments with XiChen and Lan Qiren, mostly the latter than the former. Nobody really knew what sort of cultivation that Wei Ying used, and, barring Lan Wangji, Lan SiZhui, and Lan JingYi, none had seen it either.

Wei Ying did not really know the details of the conversation that Lan Wangji had apparently had with Lan Qiren and Lan XiChen. He did not really ask for the details either. The fact that he was still in the Cloud Recesses despite it, clearly meant that Lan Zhan had managed to convince them, and Wei Ying did not really particularly care for how it had been done, just glad that he did not have to risk being found by the Jiangs and forced back. Assuming all went well, he would not have to do it at all after this. He still hoped that the Lans would let him stay, but he would not have to, he would not have to really worry about them finding him, which was something that comforted him quite a bit. Not that he could not take them on if he needed to, that was the reason they had kept that dog at the entrance after all, for all that his fear was insane and stupid it was still very much real.

Having SiZhui and JingYi were more for precautions in case he took control. He knew that the three of them together would be able to pull him back from wherever dark place he went to when his emotions overwhelmed him too much to control them properly. He normally would not even bring ChenQing, but he did not like the feeling of vulnerability that he had without it. Not that he really needed it in any way whatsoever, but at the same time, he refused to put himself in a situation where he was more vulnerable then he really needed to be. Lan Zhan understood, and had fought to allow him to bring it, causing the others to agree eventually. He did not know what he said, he did not want to know either.

Wei Ying walked into the room casting his eye around everyone that was there, settling on Madam Yu, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, and Jiang Fengmian who were knelt in the front, bound tightly. He inhaled sharply, but did not loose himself. He stared at each of them apathetically as him and Lan Wangji moved to the front. Moving forwards, Lan Zhan grabbed his sleeve, tightly but he stared him down, for once not backing down. Lan Zhan nodded once, releasing him and Wei Ying moved forwards to Jiang Yanli, pulling her up and untying her, before moving her to Jin ZiXuan. The Jin rushed forwards and encapsulating her in a hug.

"She has done nothing to justify this." He said simply. "The others, however..." His gaze following the other three who remained. "Deserve far worse a judgement." He moved forwards, taking his place once more besides Lan Wangji. Swallowing down his nervousness, he diligently answered the questions which were thrown at him. Had he not prepared for this quite extensively, he doubted that he would have been as good at it as he was, but as it were, he pushed down his nervous feelings, and answered with clear and precise sentences. He kept his fingers clutching Lan Wangji every time he began to stray into uncomfortable territory but pushed through all the same. He was determined, and somehow, Lan Wangji being close to him, it helped him clear the worry and anxiety in his mind.

That was of course, until the Jins had to just say something.