On the Petals of a Flower, I found something that does not belong to me

30

For those who understand and support us with their own way.

 Wen Ning stopped at a place where there was no soul around and let me down.

 When my feet hit the ground, the smell of something burnt began to reach my nose.

 For a few minutes I looked around. The soil was a color of mixed brown and red, the buildings were damaged and the smell of burnt or dead came from everywhere, although there was nothing burnt or dead around, at least as far as I could tell.

 "Where are we?" I asked hesitantly.

 Wen Ning looked at me. And then it seemed to me as if he was trying to lift the tips of his lips to a failed smile.

 "This was my old home."

 My eyes widened. His home? He certainly had said he would take me away from everyone and everything, but I didn't know he would bring me here.

 I exhaled loudly and my gaze softened as I saw Wen Ning's eyes fixed on me. For some reason I was sure he wanted to cry.

 And indeed. A few seconds later, tears welled up in his eyes.

 "Eh?" he wondered and caught the tears on his face.

 I smiled sadly. "It's okay," I said. I wanted to cry too, but the tank was empty. "It is alright. You can cry freely."

 At the sound of my words, Wen Ning's tears fell with momentum.

                                                                                             ***

 Wen Ning cried for a long time. I didn't know why, I could only guess. And I didn't even ask. I let him cry, so he could get it out of him. I didn't say anything. I just sat with him, next to him. Then, when I thought he would like to be left alone, I went around for a walk.

 The place was completely destroyed. There was nothing there. Even the sky above this place was gray and hazy. As if it wanted to rain constantly. Or as if ashes and dust had accumulated there, to help you mourn what was lost. So there was nothing to see. Except for the red-brown soil and the destroyed buildings and monuments.

 "This was Wen Ruohan's palace."

 I jumped and touched my chest. I turned and saw Wen Ning. It was strange, but his eyes didn't look red to me. It was as if he had never cried.

 "Who is this?" I asked.

 Wen Ning smiled this time. He smiled normally.

 I didn't know he could put on a smile.

 And what a smile.

 I shook my head. Come on Charlie. Wipe your saliva. We are talking seriously here.

 "He was the Sect leader of the Wen Sect."

 Wen.

 Wen? Just a moment. Didn't those who stoned me tell me that I looked like a 'Wen'? It was something I still remembered. They said I was from the Wen Sect because I had red hair or something like that and...

 Just another moment. Wen? Wen wasn't his...

 "You belong to the Wen Sect," I said my thought aloud. Wen Ning nodded and looked across the ruin where we were in front.

 "Yes. Before it was destroyed. Before I was killed. Before all this happened."

 I looked at him and followed his gaze. I knew this feeling. As if everything is being killed inside you. It 's like you've been killed. Yes, I knew that feeling. When all my hopes of returning were annihilated.

 One hand grabbed me and the next moment Wen Ning hugged me.

 "Thank you," he said repeatedly like a mantra. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

 I smiled sadly and patted his back, until he calmed down.

 "Don't mention it. Don't mention it."

 When Wen Ning calmed down, he freed me from the hug. Then he showed me all the places around. He explained to me in detail what life was like there, how it was where the little ones played with his sister, where he met Wei Wuxian again, how much he admired him, what had happened and how his house was destroyed.

 When the sky got dark again, a whole day had passed and we decided to light a fire. We gathered wood and then Wen Ning, like in the Paleolithic era, lit it.

 "Sorry to be nosey" I did and threw another stick at the fire as we sat around. "But your sister died, right? When everything... was destroyed? "

 Wen Ning smiled sadly. He didn't look up from the fire. "Yes."

 I didn't speak again. I understood the story and what had happened. To say 'my condolences' now seemed pointless and ridiculous. The same goes for saying how sorry I was. Life had become meaningless and ridiculous with everything it brought to people. And God was unjust.

 "You know," he told me. I looked at him. He was still looking at the fire. The flames seemed to flicker in his eyes. "The color of the Wen clan is red. And that is why those people attacked you. For everything my sect did to them."

 "But your sect did not do all of those things! You all paid for the mistakes of your leaders, whom you didn't even elect yourself!" I boiled with anger.

 Wen Ning chuckled. "You are right. But whatever happened, it is in the past. I miss my sister yes. I miss my home, my clan. I miss everyone. But I cannot do anything. I cannot go back in time."

 His gaze rose and met mine on the other side of the fire. "But when you came and I saw the ... color of your hair, I wanted to protect you. I felt like you were my sister, like a hope that she was next to me. A piece of my clan that managed to survive except me. That is why I always had my eye on you. I was afraid you would hit, you would fall, you would be attacked. I felt like you were my sister and a member of the Wen Sect. Sorry I gave you a title and a story on your back that you do not have. And that is why I did not tell you. Having you by my side was enough for me. I did not want anything more. I just wanted you to be well and to make you happy."

 I shook my head. It made sense now. The reason that he was constantly protected me. It was because he considered me part of his clan. He even wanted to feel that he could protect someone from his clan. A person of his own.

 "But then, when you told us you were not from here, I actually came to my senses," he continued. "I believed that maybe if I travel like you, maybe I can go back in time. But you were not from the future. You were from another world. And also the feeling did not leave me. I wanted to help you, to protect you. Like my little sister. Maybe because I could never protect my older sister."

 He hid his face in his hands. I opened my mouth to speak, but he spoke before me.

 "I'm sorry I hurt you. Sorry I left you. I am sorry I left you when I had to protect you."

 I sighed. "Why are you apologizing? I wanted and I went there. I did what I wanted, took my lesson and got well. I don't have regrets. And neither should you. You had no obligation to me from the beginning. I may not be your sister, but let me tell you" I did and flexed my hair behind my shoulder. "I could belong to your sect. Maybe I could be the best lady in there. Why, who would have red hair eh? Well, okay, after a few years the color would leave, but I would already have had a high position muhahahaha."

 Wen Ning looked at me. And then he laughed lightly. I laughed too.

 "Ouch," I did. Wen Ning looked at me.

 "Oh yes. You are hurt. I have got herbs. Will you let me take care of you?" he said.

 I laughed and hurt again. "Since I've become a cripple, I have no choice but to let my brother and friend help me, right?"

 For some reason I felt that I saw his ears turn a little pink.

 "Okay" he said finally and gave me another full smile.