Beautiful (Between a rock and a hard place 2)

Chapter 20

Lan Wangji wanted to cry when he realized that Wei Ying had become completely unresponsive and was just laying in his bed on the soiled sheets. He was becoming desperate. How could he ever make it up to his beloved for causing him so much embarrassment? Would Wei Ying ever forgive him?

Lan Wangji was desperate to amend his negligence. He reached down and took hold of the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple's ice cold hand. There was another pang of guilt when he realized that his beloved must have also been cold being left naked and exposed all night long. That was another mistake on his side. They just kept adding up. He should set up some heating talismans around the room this evening at least.

He was glad that Wei Ying let himself be gently tugged out of the bed and to the bath tub. He did not try to get in on his own, he was just standing there, still not looking at Lan Wangji. The Second Jade supposed that he deserved that.

He gently manoeuvred his beloved to sit inside the water and when it became clear that Wei Ying would not wash himself, he took soap and a towel and started cleaning him thoroughly. He had wanted to do this even yesterday but in the end, there had been no time for a proper bath. He should have saved time for this, surely his beloved did not appreciate not being able to wash up after Jiang Wanyin's assault.

After he had cleaned everywhere where he could reach without getting his robes completely soaked, he washed Wei Ying's hair as well. It seemed to have finally calmed the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple at last as he had tilted his head cooperatively and closed his eyes seemingly in delight. Lan Wangji was pleasantly shocked to see a shadow of a smile being born on his lips.

Once he was finished with the hair, he told Wei Ying to stand up and was relieved when his beloved finally moved on his own, following his demand. Now Lan Wangji was able to wash his legs and backside as well. Also something he should have done yesterday and regretted postponing. He moved up from Wei Ying's calves. When he finally reached his backside, the only place which he had yet to wash, his hand touched something solid and hard.

His beloved flinched. Lan Wangji realized with horror that he had forgotten to take out the pink jade stone which had looked so beautiful inside the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple when he was laying down but must have been extremely uncomfortable when he had been getting Wei Ying out of the bed and inside the bath tub.

"Sorry..." he apologized again and got no reaction from his beloved whatsoever. Once again, it was exactly what he deserved so he did not even feel too offended.

He did his best to pull out the stone as carefully as he could. However, it seemed to have not been careful enough because Wei Ying sucked in a breath and then whimpered quietly.

"Sorry..." Lan Wangji apologized for the third time, conscious of the fact that there was not a big enough amount of apologizes in this world to make it up to Wei Ying for what Ln Wangji had just put him through.

Instead of thinking too hard, Lan Wangji concentrated on reciting rules while he washed his beloved's backside from both the inside and the outside. We Ying was keeping himself very still but he did not protest nor did he groan in pain which the Second Jade took as a good sign that he was being careful enough this time. The last was his belly and front area.

It did not take too long and his beloved was once again clean. Lan Wangji dried him with a soft towel and helped him to get into his robes. This action had earned him a surprised look from the other, the first one since Lan Wangji had opened the door of the Jingshi.

Afterwards, the Second Jade let Wei Ying to the table and helped him sit down. He served the breakfast and prompted patiently: "Eat."

Wei Ying looked at him again, there was something weird and wondering inside his eyes. Lan Wangji could not bear it anymore and he turned around. He did not feel comfortable in this heavy silence where his beloved chose to communicate only with his eyes. Something that Lan Wangji was not used to and he could not read them as often and as clearly as he would have liked to.

Instead of facing his beloved's accusing eyes, he went to the bed and started changing the soiled bed sheets and putting on fresh ones. He held the silk restrains that he had used on Wei Ying and was debating with himself if he should get rid of them or if he should tie his beloved again after finishing with the breakfast.

He was very unsettled with Wei Ying out of his line of sight as he did not want to look at him right now and remember his failures. At the same time however, he wanted to make sure the Yunmeng Jiang sect head disciple would not leave his side if he looked away only for a second. Those two emotions were battling each other inside of him. It was mortifying; he could not tell what Wei Ying would say or do and it was keeping him on edge.

In the end, he held the restraints tighter. He had decided that he would keep Wei Ying tied up during the night or whenever he would need to leave the Jingshi. It was not that he did not trust him not to leave when asked to stay, but at this point of time, it was possible that he would not keep his promise, not after Lan Wangji's negligence which caused him to feel bad. So there was not really any other option in the Second Jade's eyes but to tie Wei Ying to himself physically with silk ropes.

He turned around and watched his beloved's slumped posture and slowly moving hands. Nothing could be clearer than the fact that Wei Ying must have understood his intentions and was not hurrying to be restrained again.

This did not anger Lan Wangji in the slightest, there was plenty of time before he would need to go get lunch and report to his brother. His beloved could take a while eating the breakfast. Lan Wangji would let him finish in peace before he would make sure to have the beautifully arranged Wei Ying back for his viewing pleasure.