Searching for Perfection

1. Wen Qing Says No

Every male post puberty is an idiot. Her mother used to say that all the time. So far in her over twenty years of being able to think on her own, the only male who didn't fit this was her brother. Wen Qing frowned at the idiot currently in her way. "No."

"Please...." Wei WuXian whined.

Wen Qing's frown deepened. She turned and swished away from the idiot. She was going to be in enough trouble if the Lotus Pier refugees were caught in her supervisory office. Doing this surgery? Jiang WanYin lying in misery for days trying to starve himself to death was just another idiot. He didn't need saving. He needed to grow up and take his place as Sect Leader.

A Sect Leader with no Core was better than no Sect Leader at all. He had a sister to protect and disciples that escaped the massacre to lead. And yet there he lay, waiting for death, the idiot. Woe is me! Acting like a child instead of a man. Wei WuXian hadn't given up on begging for his brother's life. Too bad you're not an illegitimate son. Other than this constant begging, Wei WuXian wasn't half bad. Not nearly as much of an idiot than most of the other males of her acquaintance.

Wen Qing glared at this idiot and gave in. "Fine. I'll do the surgery. But you need to tell him first."

Wei WuXian was so excited he practically danced into Jiang WanYin's sick room. She followed slowly, but Wei WuXian's voice was loud enough for her to hear the entire tale. She crossed her arms and glared some more at the liar and his ShiDi who was getting all excited himself at the prospect of BaoShan SanRen giving him a new Core. When the story ended, Wen Qing smiled, sharp as a knife. "Now tell him where his new Core is going to come from."

Jiang WanYin looked completely confused. It would have been adorable on a five year old; it looked too out of place on a seventeen year old. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, tell him where his brand new Core is going to come from. It's not like 'BaoShan SanRen' can create a Core for you. You should have learned enough Core Theory to know that. Logically, then, your Core has to come from another person. Wei WuXian, you should also explain exactly who will be playing the part of your mother's grandmaster."

"You promised!" Wei WuXian turned an accusing glare at the doctor. "You promised you wouldn't tell him!"

"And I'm not." Wen Qing held up three fingers in an imitation of this irritating idiot. "I have no intention of telling Jiang WanYin the truth of who he is going to get his Core from nor the truth of who is going to implant it." She smiled again, cuttingly. "You are." And with that, she swept from the sick room, her job done for now.

Behind her, she could hear the two idiots arguing. Ahead of her, she saw her hopefully will never become an idiot brother looking sad. "Jie... you know what you just did...."

"I did what I had to. If Wei WuXian is going to give up his Core, at the very least Jiang WanYin should be given the choice to accept it or not. Not this fairy tale about mythical immortal grandmasters creating Cores from nothing. This is a gift that can never be repaid. Not even Jiang WanYin sacrificing his life for Wei WuXian will repay this. He should know the truth."

In the sick room, Jiang Cheng was sitting up and glaring at his ShiXiong. "If I had the energy, I'd whip you into next week. How dare you try to give me your Core without telling me? Are you completely out of your mind?"

"You're the Sect Leader! You need a Core."

"Wei WuXian!"

The elder smiled sheepishly. "Your parents took me in and raised me for almost ten years. They didn't have to do that. And now... now I'm the reason they're dead and you don't have a Core. Your mother should have just taken my hand back then. It would have appeased Wang LingJiao. Maybe not forever, but long enough for the Sect to prepare for an invasion. I wouldn't have a Core if not for your father. I was no one special for years; I can return to being no one special. ShiDi...."