innocent lotus flower

Gain And Losses

Lan Wangji's relentless pursuit of justice for Wei Ying and his determination to dismantle the Jiang family consumed every ounce of his energy. Madam Yu’s pitiful attempts to manipulate him were beneath his notice; she was nothing but a minor nuisance, destined to suffer far worse than anything she had inflicted on Wei Ying. No one harmed what was his and escaped retribution.

In the midst of his vengeance, Lan Wangji often found himself reflecting on his past failings. He had every intention of apologizing sincerely once he found Wei Ying—an apology long overdue. He needed to make amends, not just with words, but with action.

His thoughts drifted momentarily to Ning Xi. She had spent two harrowing weeks in his basement, subjected to intense psychological torture until madness claimed her. A cold, indifferent smile briefly touched his lips at the memory—she had become tiresome. With no further use for her, he dialed his assistant and gave curt instructions: transfer Ning Xi to the psychiatric ward. She was now irrelevant. There were far more important matters demanding his attention.

...

Wei Ying’s life, by contrast, had blossomed. He had his beloved son, A-Yuan, and the support of the Wens, who had become family in every way that mattered. On days when parenthood felt overwhelming, Wen Qing and Wen Ning had stood by him, unwavering. Two years into running his cozy café, he had earned the affection of the community, and in their warmth, he found peace. He had everything he needed: stability, love, and the means to give A-Yuan a happy life.

Yet, healing was never linear. He had gone to therapy regularly, especially after giving birth to A-Yuan. The postnatal depression, mixed with buried childhood trauma, had nearly broken him. He wasn't entirely whole yet—but he was on the path to becoming so.

Lately, though, the memories had grown vivid again, rising like ghosts from a storm-tossed sea. He sat at the café’s back corner, eyes distant, mind clouded with unease. Something was coming. He could feel it in his bones. And though he told himself he could handle anything, a single name made his heart tremble—Lan Wangji.

Wen Ning noticed the change instantly. He leaned in gently, concern written all over his face. “Wei Ying… what’s wrong?”

Wei Ying sighed, voice quiet. “I’ve just been thinking about the past… about Jiang Cheng. When we were kids.”

Wen Ning tried to steer the memory toward something lighter. “You mean by the pond?”

Wei Ying gave a small, bitter laugh. “No. The mud incident.”

Recognition dawned in Wen Ning’s eyes, and he frowned. “Oh. That…”

“I took the blame,” Wei Ying murmured. “We both made the mess, but I was the one punished. Severely. I still have the scars.”

Wen Ning's voice was heavy with guilt. “You shouldn’t have gone through that. No child should. The Jiangs… they should’ve been held accountable.”

Wei Ying offered him a small, broken smile. “You don’t need to feel guilty, Ning. We were just kids. We didn’t know any better.”

But Wen Ning wanted to speak more, to say how this dynamic had persisted into their teens—how Wei Ying had always borne the punishment for Jiang Cheng’s wrongs.

Then came the memory that always made Wei Ying shudder. “She used to threaten me with dogs. I can still hear the barking. I would never do that to A-Yuan. Never.”

Wen Ning reached out, placing a steady hand on his shoulder. “I know. And you never will. You’ve already changed the future for A-Yuan. He’ll never know pain like yours.”

Wei Ying nodded, comforted by his friend’s reassurance. Together, they were determined to give A-Yuan a life filled with love, not fear.

Their conversation was interrupted by a squeal. A-Yuan, little legs wobbling with excitement, ran into the café. Wen Qing had just entered, and he flung himself into her arms with a joyous laugh. Wei Ying’s heart swelled at the sight.

He had a real family now—a support system that never wavered. And in moments like these, he knew: that was more than he ever dreamed of the day he first walked into Wen Qing’s clinic, broken and afraid.

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