The White Phoenix

Chapter 36 - Zhūhóng

Lan Wangji didn't want to let Wei Ying out of his sight. The moment they arrived, they appeared at a nice home near a gentle flowing river. Jilpa led them inside and told them to wait while she got her friend. When she returned, a woman who seemed to be in her late thirties to early forties, followed behind her.

"This is the young prince here, the one with the arrow?" The woman asked.

"Can you help him?" Jilpa asked, "the one holding him is the boy's soulmate and caretaker. He doesn't want to be too far from A'Ying."

"Of course, they can stay here as well, especially until they know what their next move is," the woman said and looked at Wangji, "come, let me help you with the wound. You can come."

Wangji nodded, "thank you both, and thank you Jilpa for your help."

"It is my pleasure, I will tell your brother that you are safe. I will also come back in a few weeks when little A'Ying is healed," she said.

Wangji nodded again and followed the other woman to an empty bedroom, "lay him on the bed, you can sit with him, if he wakes, he will probably want you to help keep him calm," the woman said.

"My name is Lan Wangji, and thank you for helping," he said, "how may I address you?"

"I go by Zhūhóng (means Vermilion)," she answered, "I am similar to him, a vermilion bird. Similar traits and can wield fire. I am also good with healing. You are safe here. You have my word."

"Zhūhóng, thank you for helping him," Wangji said.

"After I treat his wound from the arrow, may I make sure you are not injured? I heard you were fighting quite a bit during the ambush."

"I just wanted to get to A'Ying. I worried about him. He must have been so scared," Wangji said feeling quite vulnerable at the moment.

Wangji felt guilty because couldn't protect Wei Ying very well when the ambush happened, and he got hurt. Wei Ying was tossed around by a disciple from his own sect and was blamed for the attack when it had nothing to do with him. There might have been a small bit but to outright saw that to Wei Ying was just wrong. The Qishan Wen Sect had knowledge of Wei Ying and what he could do. They want him and his power. Lan Wangji wanted to know just how Wen Ruohan got such information.

Zhūhóng applied an anesthetic to the area near where the arrow was in Wei Ying's side and carefully removed it. After it was removed, she carefully cleaned the wound before suturing it and applied a bandage around him. Lan Wangji gently laid Wei Ying down on the bed so Zhūhóng could check him over. Wangji didn't have much, just some minor cuts. Zhūhóng then brought fresh robes for the two of them and prepared a bath as well. Zhūhóng left them alone so Wangji could take care of him.

Lan Wangji bathed first and put on his clean robes. He then brought a small tube of warm water and started to wipe down Wei Ying. Lan Wangji was berating himself for not being there for Wei Ying when he needed him. At the moment, he just wanted to make sure that Wei Ying wakes up and he is mentally okay. Lan Wangji could also use his brother at the moment too. He really just needed someone that he knew to tell him that it will all be okay. Lan Wangji remembered opening up to his brother on how he felt. How he felt unimportant and even sometimes, invisible. He know that his brother loves him, but he knows that Lan Xichen had a sect to rebuild as well.

Once Lan Wangji finished wiping down Wei Ying, he put fresh robes on him and took care of the water. Lan Wangji then crawled back into the bed beside Wei Ying and pulled him close. He made sure that Wei Ying wasn't putting any pressure on his right side. Wangji rested his forehead right next to Wei Ying's face. He placed his hand on Wei Ying's cheek and just snuggled up to him.