You've Changed | Wangxian |

Chapter 41

3rd Person POV

Oh my gosh! It moved! Wei Ying was gobsmacked. The novelty feeling spread a warm feeling through him, forcing him to realise the significance of these events. His baby was an actual living, moving being! Lan Zhan was just as shocked and seemed to be malfunctioning over what to do. In his ideal world, he would have already wrapped Wei Ying in bubble wrap and carefully escorted him to bed where he would stay for the next four-ish months - but that was unrealistic. So instead, they sat and revelled in the new development. 

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Time Skip

(Please don't hate me I suck at writing these touching moments in detail. The idea is that about two months have passed since the last extract and Lan Zhan has been intermittently spreading between Gusu and Yiling.)

Life for Lan Zhan was just starting to look up: things were going well in the Lan Clan and Wei Ying was also doing well. Although, he had struggled to see Wei Ying as much as he would have liked, he could see that his efforts were appreciated and he was juggling some sort of balance. 

It had been about two days since he had last been to the Burial Mounds and unfortunately, due to his important position as a teacher for Lan disciples, he would be unable to return for up to 3 weeks. It wasn't ideal but it was better than nothing. As long as he was free in around 8 weeks, he couldn't really complain.

Each day that passed was lonely in the icy cloud recesses: the jingshi felt bare, the sect felt too quiet and the community atmosphere so apparent in Yiling was non-existent. The only thing that could break the solemn isolation was at night when he would walk round to the children's wing and watch as they played. He would imagine himself and his husband looking after their very own; play out niche little scenarios in his head. It really was a waste being away from his love so much.

His days were monitored by the harsh gaze of his Uncle Qiren and between the mundane chores, he almost didn't have the ability to acknowledge the passing of time. Life was too boring and monotonous without the sweet contrast of Wei Ying to ease his through.

It was midnight. Lan Zhan should not have been up. But he was. Something was very wrong, he could sense it. All his letters to Wei Ying had gone unanswered for too long. A talisman in the form of a rabbit arrived in his room. He picked it up, immediately recognising it as one that Wei Ying had made for Wen Qing. It unfolded under his touch and hastily scrawled words began to appear on the page - incoherent and rushed. 

'Come now! Emergency!' In thick, unavoidable letters that burned deep into his mind. 

He immediately sprung into action. He collected Wangji his guqin and then (without even properly fastening his outer robes) he left. He bumped into a dazed Lan Xichen who picked up the mood from his brothers eyes. 

"How long?"

"I don't know." Lan Zhan responded hurriedly.

Xichen nodded in concerned approval and watched as his brother - half-crazed and maddened - rode away into the night.

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When Lan Zhan arrived in the Burial Mounds, Wen Qing almost didn't notice: she was too wrapped up in the situation at present. For months, Wei Ying had been slowly deteriorating and would experience harsh fevers and lose consciousness but this time it was unrivalled. He had suddenly began to fit whilst they were eating and had been unresponsive ever since. His temperature was through the roof and he had relapsed into another seizure multiple times. Between spikes, his breathing was shallow and his pulse was weak, his extremities cold and clammy.