Happiness of eternity

34) The panicked child

'Diànxià...'

'Is everyone safe, A-Ning?'

'Diànxià, it's...'

'What is it?'

'The children and A-Yang are here but the lord-'

"Wangji!" The surprised call of Lan Qiren brought Hua Ying back to reality as her eyes automatically turned towards the door.

There stood a young boy of age eight or ten with his golden eyes glaring daggers at the two guests present. But when they landed on Hua Ying, the fierceness it carried melted into one of relief and adoration as he marched towards her in a hurry.

'He's here. Just keep an eye on the kids. Don't let them come over as well.' Hua Ying instructed over the spiritual communication array before disconnecting it to focus on her now younger version of husband. Seems like he had found a way to be with her without taking her away from her clingy mother.

"Airén..." Lan Wangji called ever so softly, excusing himself to sit beside the heavenly emperor and taking the hand his beloved offered for him. The others just stared at the whole ordeal with many different emotions showing on their faces; the worst being the Luo couple's reaction.

"What's the meaning of this?" The demon lord snapped, eyeing the young Lan Wangji viciously.

"Sect leader Lan, where is my daughter?" Compared to his husband's tone, Shen Qingqiu sounded much calmer though it still lacked the basic courtesy.

Lan Wangji didn't answer.

"If cousin-in-law can stop snapping at everyone and start explaining the situation from the beginning, perhaps we also can help you two in some way." Xie Lian offered with a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he felt how the slightly relaxed Hua Ying after her soulmate's arrival stiffened once again when the other couple started talking. He knew whatever relationship his daughter had with them must not be something good for her to act this way. The last time he remembered his precious baby reacting to someone like this was when she met Yu Zhiyuan back at ghost city few decades ago. Even then, the reaction wasn't this strong. Xie Lian's smile became more strained with that realization.

"Well basically, this boy's kids and my daughter's ward sabotaged her marriage with her fiance and kidnapped her in broad daylight a few weeks ago! The funniest part is, it's only now that we realized what exactly happened that day because apparently those rascals had casted some kind of illusion to deceive us all!!" Luo Binghe spat hatefully, rendering everyone speechless.

"Wangji! Is this true?!"

"Yes, uncle." Lan Wangji replied to his fuming uncle, not feeling guilty at all. Xie Lian frowned at that piece of information.

"And why would my grandkids do such a thing if I may ask?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at his cousin-in-law.

"Because it's me, a-niang..." Hua Ying whispered in a small tone. If it wasn't for his sharp senses and the words being spoken right against his chest, Xie Lian wouldn't have even heard a thing.

"My precious ying'er... Tell your a-niang what you meant by that, hmm?" Carefully pulling her back a little, Xie Lian asked ever so softly and his soothing tone seemed to be working as he felt her slightly relaxing into his embrace.

"They... they are my adoptive parents this time, a-niang. They raised me." Hua Ying confessed, looking over her shoulder and meeting her adoptive parents' eyes for the first time.

"A-Ying!" Shen Qingqiu gasped in surprise before trying to reach towards the girl, startling her in the process. She cried in panic as she clung to her mother once again, giving her father a perfect chance to release his oppressive aura which forced the peak lord back to his previous position.