The Tainted Jade of Gusu

Chapter 23: The Collection of Spirit Turmoil

"Ughh! This body is so frail! " The first thing Wei Wuxian did after waking up was complain, "Back in my old body, I would just have stuffed back my entrails and gone about the rest of the day. "

The soft guqin music came to an abrupt stop. Lan  Wangji turned his head to give Wei Wuxian a criminal offensive side eye. 

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji pinched the bridge of his nose and heaved a sigh, "you were unconscious for three days. You need rest."

"Fine," Wei Wuxian crossed his arms and pouted, turning his head slightly to the side, "I'll be quiet."

It turned out, being quiet was not really something Wei Wuxian was capable of doing. The moment Lan Wangji stood up from the guqin table and sat down on Wei Wuxian's bedside, Wei Wuxian piped up, "Is it true that no one could unsheath Suibian after I was gone?"

Lan Wangji picked up the black and gold sword that was mounted on the wall of the Jingshi right next to his white and silver Bichen. He handed the sword to Wei Wuxian and gripped the hilt with both his hands and tried to pull it out. The sword didn't budge an inch.

"Damn," Wei Wuxian chuckled, "Jin Guangyao got me good."

"Mn."

"Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan!"

"Yes Wei Ying?"

"Where are your ducklings?"

Lan Wangji blinked twice,  at a complete loss for words. Finally, with a lot of self composure, he said, "I... Don't have any ducklings?"

"No no, not actual ducklings," Wei Wuxian chuckled, "the kids that hang out around you all the time. Especially those two, Sizhui and Jingyi."

Lan Wangji tilted his head slightly to the side.

"That Sizhui kid is very soft spoken and well behaved," Wei Wuxian continued, "almost like you, but not mean like you used to be at his age. I think he had nice parents."

Lan Wangji gave Wei Wuxian a criminal offensive side eye. Wei Wuxian completely disregarded that and continued, "But I find that Jingyi kid really interesting. He reminds me so much of myself when I was his age."

"You think Jingyi is a brat?" Lan Wangji's voice carried a hint of humour.

"Hanguang Jun!" Wei Wuxian feigned shock, "How can you call me a brat? I mean you're right, but still."

"Mn."

" No seriously though," Wei Wuxian grinned, "that kid is totally like me, but if I were a Lan. I wonder who his parents are .... Lan Zhan what are you doing!?!?"

Lan Wangji had unfastened the front of Wei Wuxian's robes to check on the stomach injury. He lifted his head and answered, "you're making a fast recovery, it's a good sign."

Wei Wuxian complained about the food that Lan Wangji brought for him. He was fond of spicy food. And the food Lan Wangji had brought him was extremely bland. 

"How can a human being eat this," Wei Wuxian complained after eating one spoonful, "this tastes like asceticism and sadness."

"No spice till complete recovery," Lan Wangji stated, "spice will cause your wounds to heal at a slower rate."

Wei Wuxian finished the extremely bland but richly nutritious meal, complaining about the terrible tastes of northerners.

"I wonder if Zewu Jun knows we're here," Wei Wuxian scratched his chin thoughtfully, "do you think he will be cross with you for taking me in?"

Lan Wangji continued to change the dressing on Wei Wuxian's wound in silence.

"Lan Zhan, " Wei Wuxian grinned through the slight stinging sensation on the wound of his stomach, "do you think Zewu Jun knows I'm here?"