Fated (Wangxian)

#36#

“Your chamber isn’t far. It is adjacent to Jingshi, much closer than any other residence in the Cloud Recesses.” Lan Zhan replied stoically, as a matter of fact

“Baba! Please…!!! Tell me! Don’t y-you trust Ayuan?!” he asked, hazel brown eyes glistening with tears

“I do,” Lan Zhan said calmly, putting a hand on Ayuan’s shoulder awkwardly as if to comfort him. It’s not unknown fact to anyone in the cultivation world that the great Hanguang Jun dislikes physical touch ever since he was just a child and barely manages to survive the kind gestures of his Xiongzhang and his son.

However, it is only Ayuan and Xichen who knows the Hanguang Jun and his truly overwhelming need for physical touch when it comes to Ying'er alone.

“I-I’m scared. It is an overwhelming feeling, a fear that soon something is going to be wrong and I will lose him once again.” Lan Zhan tried to explain his thoughts with difficulty, “I lost my calm, felt breathless almost suffocated when my Ying'er saw me in that state.

My Ying'er, he got sca-red, tripped on the Bichen when he ran towards me, hugged me, helped me to breathe and gain composure... sobbing and calling for help," Lan Zhan sighed with relief after being able to explain the earlier situation to the best of his capability.

“Even after all this, do you really have to leave and go there on our Bunbun’s birthday?!” Ayuan asked unnaturally silently, looking a bit troubled, “Uncle Xichen informed me earlier. He asked me to look after Yingying while you're gone. I was on my way back from the Main hall and going to my chamber when I heard his cries. But...Baba- are you sure it has to be tomorrow only?! Can this not be done after Bunbun’s birthday?”

“Until this morning, I planned to leave after Ying’s birthday but...we received a message. Don't worry, I’ll be back in time to celebrate the day but you will have to accompany my Ying'er for a few hours. Make sure my Ying is not alone, even for a minute tomorrow.” Lan Zhan ordered, looking at his son firmly and expectantly

“All right. You don't have to say such things to me, baba. After all, I am his good Ayuan gege and you are his bad Lan Zhan anyway. Got to play the part right,” Ayuan remarked with a huff, controlling himself from rolling his eyes in front of his father and sect’s utmost respectable and strict model figure Hanguang Jun

“Give them to me. I’ll help you place the dishes on the table.” Ayuan said, taking bowl and chopsticks from Lan Zhan’s hand and going to their small dinner table to arrange the food. As expected, they didn’t even have to wait for a quarter of an hour before they saw Ying stirring awake from his deep sleep after drinking in the moist, warm and delicious smell of his spicy favourite food!

Somehow, nobody… not even Ying’er asked or said a word about the jarring incident that happened a few hours earlier, simply enjoying the attention of his Ayuan gege and Zhan gege and savoring the taste of the special meal  made especially for him by his Zhan gege, laughing, bickering and playing all the time, changing his sitting spots between Ayuan’s and Lan Zhan’s lap and competing who amongst them had a little more right on Yingying’s love, care and attention.

As the night progressed, tired Ayuan and a half asleep Ying bid their usual long and dramatic farewell before Lan Zhan closed the doors of Jingshi and took his Ying'er back to their bed, snuggling closer to his warmth and whispering with a soft smile, “Happy birthday my soulmate! My life. My Ying.”

However... as soon as the golden eyes closed peacefully to sleep for tonight and prepare for tomorrow, they failed to notice the determined clear and sleepless silver eyes shining brightly under the hazy moonlight filtering through the curtains of the midnight dark clouds, illuminating Jingshi on a full moon night...

.

.

.

“Your Lan Zhan will come back to you soon, my little Ying’er. Take care and wait for me, my little Love,” Lan Zhan whispered softly as he bent forward and placed a lingering feathery light kiss on his Ying’s cool forehead before picking up his Bichen, qiankun pouch, his jade pendent and other necessary items that might help him in subduing the resentful bloodthirsty monsters, before making his way out of Jingshi in an extremely careful, silent manner.

Although it was known that nothing, absolutely nothing had the power to wake his Ying'er up from his deeeep sleep before his usual timings, he still cannot be too careful and just wanted to ensure that everything was done properly and with care.

However, unknown to the Hanguang Jun's sharp senses, a few seconds of carelessness has already been done by him that was ultimately taken care of in a swift precise manner... by the small black rabbit who was currently hiding comfortably in Lan Wangji's qiankun pouch, hiding his presence with the help of his newly developed talismans last night.

*Don't forget to vote!*