Fated (Wangxian)

#40#

“Ying??!

Yinnggg?! YING!!!

CAN YOU HEAR YOUR LAN ZHAN, YING'ER?!!!

ANSWER ME, YING! YIIINNGGG!!!!”
 
"Please, just shut- be quiet for a while, Wangji. Calm down! Have you lost all your senses? Try to have a look at our surroundings!

We are currently in the past! Just like the last time. Maybe after learning all the secrets of this life, we’ll have our Yingying back...” Lan Xichen said in a calm voice laced with expectation and a little annoyance because of his baby brother who seemed to have lost not just his heart and will to live but even his well-trained mind.

“…secrets of this life?! I lived another life with my Ying'er and... even you?!” Lan Wangji asked slowly, frowning, as he regained his senses with the hopes of having his sweet exuberant Ying'er back into his arms, safe and sound.

However, the moment he noticed his surroundings, "This- is an inn close to the to the Burial Mounds?!” he asked no one, frowning ever more with the growing confusion.

“You’re right. And this time, it doesn’t look like we are that far in the history. Probably, only a few decades at most,” Lan Xichen said thoughtfully, looking around for anything that might help them understand their surroundings better when out of nowhere they both heard the affectionate lively motherly voice of woman, around the same age as of Lan Zhan, calling, "Aying!"

The name caused them to whip their head in the direction of the voice and witness a scene so beautiful, so warm that for a brief moment they actually forgot it was all just the memories of the past as they wished to protect the happiness of the little family with all their heart.

An adorable child, around two or at most three years old, dressed lightly in plain clothes was giggling happily, shaking a vibrantly colored tiny rattle drum with both hands while swaying excitedly in his father’s strong arms.

Doe-like silver eyes were shining with the brilliance of stars in the night sky as the child swooped forward to kiss his mother’s cheeks, copying exactly how his father kissed a few moments ago.

"It can’t be…are they… are they really who I think them to be??!" Lan Xichen whispered in a shocked surprise.

“Mn. Wei Ying’s parents. The famous pair of rogue cultivators in the world of cultivation, they are Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren,” Lan Zhan bowed in respect, feeling grateful to be able to see his Wei Ying's parents like this, before stepping closer to the family of three followed by Lan Xichen.

"Mama, baba, will y-you leave Aying alone again? Do you really have to go for the n-night hunt? It’s my birthday! You p-promised to stay with Yingying on his birthday always and play all I want. Why are you b-breaking your promise?!” Little Wei Ying exclaimed petulantly, cutely looking away just to avoid meeting his mama's all knowing amused eyes and smiling face.

“Lying isn't good, Wei Ying. Good men do not lie. You’re learning all of your mama’s bad habits, aren't you?! Didn’t we celebrate your birthday when you turned two years old just four months ago?” Wei Changze scolded lightly in a deep hoarse voice with a straight face but the smile in his clear greyish blue eyes weren't unseen.

“Aying is now three years old, baba!” Little Wei Ying raised his three small pudgy fingers to emphasize, “We need to have another birthday today! Won’t you p-play with Yingying?!" he asked, carefully leaving the arms of his baba and jumping into his mama’s embrace

"My Wei Ying- was only two years old then," Lan Zhan breathed out, dazedly

"You’re lying again, little boy. I know you have a good memory Wei Ying so don’t hide your face in your mama's arms. There’s still a long time for you to turn three. Do not act like this, son. How about… I promise to bring spicy tanghulu tomorrow... only for you?!”

“You’re lying, baba! Spicy tanghulu doesn’t exists!” Little Wei Ying huffed in anger, hitting his baba’s chest with a rattle drum that couldn't even have hurt a rat but Wei Changze suddenly groaned in pain, catching his son off guard who looked at him worriedly.

Tickling Aying back into a tiny bundle of happiness, Wei Changze said, “If my son wants it then it will exist. You just have to believe in it, son. Besides, I have always cooked better than your mama-”

"My dearest husband! Looks like you don’t want to have a sweet sleep with us today," Cangse Sanren glared at her husband, smiling ever so sweetly but her scathing gaze carried a promise of a nice private chat soon. However, the moment she looked at her sweet baby, her eyes were brimming with love and pride, "Remember Aying, it's true that good men do not lie but the best men will do everything to have their loved ones safe and happy.

Mama knows you’re worried about us little one. We promise to come back to you soon. As cultivators, it’s our duty to protect the weak and innocent, live our life with clear conscience and no regrets. Their life-" she said pointing at the unknown people staying at the inn, "...is in danger because of the bad monsters lurking around-"

Before they could hear anymore, the heart-warming scene changed into a gut-wrenching sight as Lan Zhan and Lan Xichen watched a gravely injured Cangse Sanren wailing in agony while holding her dead husband close to her arms when a terrified Wei Ying who has been hiding behind a tree trunk ran in her direction.

They saw, heard a horrified, shocked Cangse Sanren scolding her child for coming to such a dangerous area. She urged her baby to forget what he saw today, run far away from there and be happy, safe, and smiling always as she breathed her last.

They saw a confused, crying little Wei Ying shaking the lifeless body of his parents, screaming them to wake up and leave the place together for the whole night and when he noticed his parents move, silver eyes shined like the first ray of morning Sun only to be purged mercilessly a second later.

Watching his parents move similar to the walking corpses Wei Ying pushed them away, horrified, yelling at them to leave his parents alone. And all of a sudden, when his baba and mama fell to the ground like the dead again, Wei Ying wiped his tears and smiled sadly as he ran away from there with small trembling legs...without turning back.

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