Rebound

11⚠️

⚠️Sensitive content in this chapter. Content includes topics of injuries that may seem gruesome, and also strong language.⚠️
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"Wei Ying, how much of your body is still needed to heal?" Lan Zhan asked me.

"Ugh, I'm not sure," I replied, "it was already broken beyond belief before I fell from that cliff. I don't know how much worse I am now."

"We are about to find out," Baoshan said, "lay down on the crystal there."

"Why?" I asked.

"Just do as I say," she demanded a bit loudly.

I jumped at the sudden demand, "sorry," I said and laid down on the crystal floor like she told me.

"This won't hurt," she said.

I soon felt warm all over my body. I saw the crystal underneath me glowing bright yellow. Up above me, an image began to form, "what is that?"

"It's an image of your internal body," Baoshan said, "it's the first and only thing that allows us to see just how injured a person is. It maps out the bones, muscles, veins, and internal organs...you can stand up now and come over here to take a look."

I got up and looked at the scan she made, "wow," I said, "kinda cool."

"It is, but this scan of your body...how are you even walking?" She asked, "every single bone in your body looks like it's been through hell."

I didn't know what to say. It's been this way since I lost my golden core. Now that I was close to getting it back, all this was getting reopened, "Baoshan, may I speak with Wei Ying alone for a moment?" Lan Zhan asked.

"Sure," she replied and took A'Yuan with her when she left.

Lan Zhan stood there staring at me for a good moment before speaking a word to me, "it was like this before we defeated Wen Ruohan, wasn't it?" He asked, "you fought with your body like this? Getting thrown around and not even caring once, about yourself!"

"So what!" I yelled, "I have always been this way. If you want to be with me, this is how I am."

"Why are you so desperately trying to kill yourself when you still have others around you who care for you?" He asked.

I scoffed and sat down on a nearby mat, "even when I had more people around, I was still this way. You know that. It's just how I was raised," I answered, "I was raised to care for others more than myself."

Lan Zhan sat beside me, "why did you deny me every time I asked to help you?"

"I thought you hated me, I thought you wanted to denounce me and punish me for choices I have no regret making, but also had no choice but to accept. You always pushed me away anytime I tried getting close to you. Even when I wasn't teasing you, you'd find some sort of reason to tell me off," I answered, "when you told me you love me, I almost couldn't believe it. Not until you kissed me like that back at Cloud Recesses...only because you kissed me once before."

"I'd kiss you more than you ever could want," he told me, "I want to love and protect you. I want to be your comfort when you need it and your strength too. I want to be your everything, Wei Ying."

I found myself blushing, "did you ask Wai Po to leave just to tell me this?"

"No," he said and knelt right in front of me and took my hand in his, "I asked her for a moment alone with you so I could understand why you kept all your pain away from anyone who could help you."

"As I said, I grew up fending for myself and you saw through my memories how I grew up. Habits don't just change overnight," I told him.

"It honestly hurts me, knowing now that you were hurting so much and never said anything. I wanted to help you more but I was held back by my sect. Being free from it now, I feel like I don't have to be someone else," he said.

"Lan Zhan, you are a very honorable person," I said, "the great Hanguang Jun. You left your sect and soon everyone will know that you left it for me. They will make excuses by saying I bewitched you or something."

"What is so great about being a light bearer when I almost lost my light the day I almost lost you?" He asked, "if I live up to that name, I want to do it my way, not others ways."

I looked at his hand holding mind and I placed my other hand over his, "and what way is that?" I asked softly.

"Curving the violent, assisting the weak, live with no regrets," he replied.

"You...you remember?" I asked.

"I will always remember everything involving my Wei Ying," he replied.

This time, I made the move to kiss him not him making the move first, "I love you, Lan Zhan," I said between breaths.

"I love you too, Wei Ying," he said and wrapped his arms comfortably around me. My hands rested on his chest and gripped onto the lapels of his robes. His tongue fought its way past my lips and clashed with mine. A moan left me upon contact. I felt one of his hands lower to my hip and circle around me so his hand was resting on my ass. A giggle left my lips upon feeling that. He wanted me, but I was holding him back a bit.

I pulled away from the kiss abruptly, "if you want to go further than this, you have to marry me first," I told him.

"I plan to," he said, "I am sure Baoshan would gladly help us out."

"You really want me...who would have thought that you of all people would want to touch me in such a way," I said.

"Only if it's you, have I become this way," he said, "Wei Ying, can you promise me to try and let me help you more?"

"I will try, but it won't be easy," I said, "you left your sect for me, it would be best if I was at least trying for your sake then."

"I want you to for you not for me but I will take it for now," he said.

"I know," I said, "just know that I will try."

"That's all I ask," he said.