To Be Together

The Mystery

Mo Ran walks in pace with Wanning, the two lagging behind, who has his head down staring at the path of blood. Some of it is rubbing off but it's still easy to see the path Wanning took to crawl up. The people in front are ignoring it, like most do now a days.

And no one talks about it. No more than to shut people up when those who are new asks about it.

It's good gossip amongst the new disciples. When they first join. They become quiet after a while. Mo Ran can only assume an older disciple heard them and decided to tell them the truth.

At the top waiting for them is madam Wang. At the sight of her husband she smiles. "Thank god." She lets out in a breath. When she spots Mo Ran and Wanning finally step up themselves she runs to them. Xue Zhengyong expecting a hug opens his arms for her.

Only to be run past. She hugs Wanning who stands rigid and eyes wide in shock. "Mom?" Xue Meng wonders.

"Wifey?" Zhengyong asks, clueless to why Wanning is getting a hug and not him.

"Thank you." She whispers into Wanning ear. "I know you ran to get to him. Thank you." She holds him tighter.

"It's no big deal." Wanning says back, still not sure what to do.

Madam Wang pull back, hands on his shoulders. They are at eye level with each other. "It is." She says. "And here." She says handing the wooden box to him. Wanning takes it. "Thank you." She says one last time then turns to go to her husband.

Wanning doesn't listen to them as she welcomes them back. Wanning focus on the box. He wonder who sent him it and why? What purpose could they possibly have gained after changing him like this? What's their goal?

Wanning finds the box engraved with a haitang blossom. Is this a coincidence? No it can't be, he shakes his head, the letter has his name on it. So it is obviously for him but why? And who?

"Shizun." Wanning jumps in place looking at Mo Ran. Wanning feels his cheeks warm, Mo Ran is looking at him with warmth in his eyes. No hatred. No disgust. No emptiness. Actual warmth. He never thought he'd be on the receiving end of that again.

"What?" He asks sharply, biting his tongue at how harsh it sounded. But he couldn't handle the attention. Not from Mo Ran.

Mo Ran just gives a smile. "They are getting a head." he says pointing to the group walking away.

"Oh." Wanning says. Without another word he rushes forward. Mo Ran right on his tail. Wanning shakes his head. With the adrenaline wearing off he can feel once again the weight on his chest. Reminding him of what he looks like. He saw himself in the mirror. Mo Ran has always been kind, especially to females. It's because of what he looks like.

The disciple takes his leave once he set the woman down on the bed Wanning was on just an hour ago. Madam Wang closes the door leaving only her, the woman and Wanning.

"Why am I here?" He questions.

"Help me clean and redress her." Madam Wang answers cooly. Wanning whole face gets warm.

"M-me? Surely a female disciple would be better help." Wanning says, not understanding the madam's reasoning here. Madam Wang gives him a neutral look as she reaches forward.

"With your body now it's nothing you won't see more often now." she says making a fair point. Wanning rubs his knees together, feeling the free space there now.

"So it's permanent?" They hear from the other side of the door.

"Ran-er!" Madam Wang chastises with just his name. She hands Wanning a cloth to start wiping at the woman who is now half unclothed.

"Shizun didn't tell us anything." Mo Ran whined. Madam Wang pauses in getting the clothes off, looks at Wanning, one of her perfect eyebrows lifting in question.

"I- I thought I'd be best to wait to explain privately." Wanning explains himself, wiping the woman's torso. Not thinking about how this is his first experience with breasts. He hasn't even seen his own yet. Madam Wang let's out a sigh. She's always known him to be secretive.

"It seems to be permanent at the moment." She confirms, now focus on her task.

"What caused it?" Xue Meng asks. Wanning finishes wiping the woman as madam Wang gets some sleeping robes to put on her.

"A pink dust. We don't know what the dust is made of or where it came from but we are searching." She explains, coming back to Wanning who is about finishing. He's gotten most of the grime off her.

"So Yuheng is stuck like this?" Her husband asks. Wanning and Wang clothing her.

"Yes. Until Tanlang or I find a way to reverse it. Until then Yuheng, get use to it. And makes sure to come to me for regular checks or any new changes." she says as she tucks the woman in.

"I'll keep that in mind." Wanning says moving the dirty water to the corner of the room.

"You boys may come in." Madam Wang calls them. There's a shuffle at the door, as Mo Ran and Xue Meng move at the same time to open the door. Zhengyong just laughs as Mo Ran wins, opening the door and walking in first. Just as Wanning sits next to auntie Wang who sat by the woman. Xue Meng grumbly follows behind his cousin.

"Shi Mei?" Wanning wonders, seeing him not with them.

"Left to help Tanlang." Mo Ran answers.

"Will she be okay?" Zhengyong wonders.

"Just some rest and food when she wakes up will be all she needs." Madam Wang answers. Zhengyong nods.

"Then I'll leave. Let's go Yuheng, I'm sure the officials and soldiers in town want to know what happened with those bandits." Zhengyong says.

"Of course." Wanning says getting up from where he sat. Only to be pull down by his wrist. Surprised he turns to find madam Wang calm but looking at her husband, hand holding his wrist tightly.

"Husband," she calls him sternly, "take the boys. Wanning and I still have things to discuss." she says softly but her tone suggest this decision is set in stone, leaving no room for arguing.

"Okay. Let's go Ran-er. Meng-er." he says turning around. Both boys silently follow.

Curious to what more they have to talk about Wanning silently watches them leave. He really should have argued.

He regrets not trying to convince her to let him go.

Instead he got stuck with her talking and the blood rushing to his face in embarrassment.