Perseverance (Wangxian)

Chapter 12 - Little Radish

They got to the entrance to the burial mounds and Wei Ying stopped moving. He knows he has to face this in order to find a way to move forward but he was afraid. He was afraid of the memories that will come through, the spirits that may try to communicate with him. Everything.

"We are here with you, Wei Ying," Lan Zhan said, "I am here."

Wei Ying nodded and looked at Wen Ning, "Are you okay with going inside?" Wei Ying asked.

"I am nervous but I am okay," Wen Ning said assuring him with a smile.

Wei Ying nodded and took a deep breath in and let it out before moving forward into the mounds. As he walked in, he found himself grabbing the sleeve of Lan Zhan's robes. He did not mind as he knew how anxious Wei Ying was at the moment.

They then got to the main point of the grounds just outside the cave. Wei Ying looked around, seeing the dead lotuses he tries to hard to plant, the few broken and burnt houses that were built, and just a mess all over of ash and soot from the fires of the siege. Wei Ying closed his eyes as a tear escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek. He could hear the voice of old conversations he used to have, which he feared to hear.

"Wei Gongzi, have some of my homemade wine," the voice of Uncle four echoed in his ears.

"A'Yuan, slow down," he heard Madam Wen's soothing voice say.

Opening his eyes, he looked at the place they used to grow turnips and radishes. He remembers that day with A'Yuan. He again closed his eyes thinking of that scene.

~*Flashback*~

"Xian Gege," A'Yuan cried out happily as he clung onto Wei Ying's legs making it impossible for him to move.

"A'Yuan," Wei Ying said, "you better get up before I plant you into the garden."

A'Yuan smiled up at him with his big brown eyes and got up off his leg. He then ran over to the patch of dirt Uncle Four was digging at to make a farm. He sat down and started throwing dirt on his lap.

Wei Ying laughed at the little boy's antics, "oh, you want to be planted huh? Well, don't move," Wei Ying said kneeling down and started to bury the little boy, "with planty of water and sunshine, you will grow to be big and strong...maybe even some bodies to grow as well for you to play with."

"Can it grow sibling?" A'Yuan asked.

"Maybe, how many?" Wei Ying asked.

"Three older brothers and three older sisters," A'Yuan said with a smile.

"Alright, I'll do what I can to make that happen," Wei Ying played along.

"Will they look like me or radishes?" A'Yuan asked.

"It is hard to say, who do you want them to look like?" Wei Ying asked.

Before A'Yuan could answer a woman's voice yelled from behind him, "Wei Wuxian!"

"Huh?" He said turning to the voice only for it to be Wen Qing and then turned to A'Yuan, "How about we plant more Aunts as well. That way you have more to play."

A'Yuan laughed as Wen Qing stormed over and took A'Yuan out of the soil. A'Yuan just laughed and giggled as Wen Qing reprimanded him again for dirtying A'Yuan's clothes.

"Since you dirtied them, you can go wash clothes so he has some for later," Wen Qing told him.

"But there are others for that, how am I to do it, I am the Yiling Patriarch," Wei Ying protested.

Wen Qing got annoyed and pulled out a couple needles as a threat, "Say that again," She teased.

Wei Ying trembled at her hard gaze and did not like when she threatened with her needles, "Alright, Alright," he said and left them, "oh what would everyone say to hear that I, the big monster, wash clothes."

~*End Flashback*~
((Just a reminder, this does follow the story of MDZS and The Untamed a bit, of course, so if you remember, Wei Ying still believes A'Yuan to be dead...but to us, is he really? 😉))

Wei Ying chuckled a little at the memory as he opened his eyes after reliving that memory. Tears were streaming down his face. Wei Ying shook his head and put his face in his hands only to sob a bit more. Lan Zhan was further away looking around when he suddenly heard Wei Ying in distress. Lan Zhan turned to look at him and saw him just falling apart.

He quickly moved over to him and pulled him into a hug, "it's alright, I'm here," Lan Zhan said trying to comfort him.

Lan Zhan does what he knows calms Wei Ying down the most and what comforts him. He
Placed a hand on his back and the other on his head scratching gently at his scalp. He then started humming Wangxian softly in his ear. The sudden comfort was working as Wei Ying started to immediately calm down.

"Thanks," Wei Ying managed to choke out.

"I am here, Wei Ying, remember that," Lan Zhan reminded, "I know this is hard for you, so it is okay. I am here to help you and hold you up."

Wei Ying lifted his head and looked up at Lan Zhan. He nodded at him with a gentle smile of his. Lan Zhan reached up and wiped the tears off he face with his thumb and forefinger before placing a kiss on the man's forehead.

"Are we able to continue?" Lan Zhan asked him calmly.

Wei Ying nodded and stepped out of his arms. The two were about to go into the cave when they heard some growling coming from behind them.

"Gongzi!" Wen Ning shouted as he started to fight off puppets.

"Look out," Wei Ying yelled as Lan Zhan quickly performed his chord assassination wiping them all out with one blow, "I love that move of yours."

"Flatterer," Lan Zhan mumbled.

"I know," he said and shrugged his shoulders, "it's true though."

Lan Zhan smirked and shook his head. He brushed his pointer finger against Wei Ying's nose as he walked by him to enter the cave. Wei Ying smiled and scrunched his nose after Lan Zhan walked past him after that little nose rub.

'Did he have to do that? Did he have to do such a cute action like that?' Wei Ying thought cooing on the inside. He shook his head as well and followed behind Lan Zhan into the cave.