It's much colder at night, and Lan Zhan is glad he had the forethought of neatly folding their winter coats and placing them beside their boots, earlier. Wei Ying watches him with no small amount of delight as he runs down some paths using the light of the moon to detect when patrols are close by, and plastering himself and Wei Ying against the nearest wall whenever that happens.
The infirmary lies where it always has been, halfway down the upper levels and not far from the library.
Lan Zhan can tell Wei Ying has questions but it's no surprise that this little kid is keeping himself in check while they perform a clandestine activity. He wants to laugh because he had no idea Wei Ying would be this cooperative since he always has something to say, and yet this is the same boy who used to avoid Madam Yu and her two silent-but-deadly bodyguards, Yinzhu and Jinzhu. Wei Ying dutifully does not speak, but they're both trembling by the time they reach the infirmary, and it's not from the freezing cold.
Right up to the door and then instincts and his sharp hearing makes Lan Zhan dive into the bushes and pull Wei Ying under a hedge because he heard voices. They do not move a muscle as the door of the infirmary opens and Uncle Qiren steps out with Lan Feng.
One of them slides the door shut and they begin walking away, speaking in low voices.
Uncle Qiren: At least they can rest here.
Lan Feng: Do you think she will make a full recovery?
Uncle Qiren: The healers are hopeful, but only time can tell.
Their voices fade, and only when the world becomes silent again, Lan Zhan steps up and out of the bracken, helping Wei Ying out of the hedge. He brushes away dead leaves from his hair and makes Wei Ying presentable again, earning himself another hug.
"Will Wan Zhan get in trouble for bringing us here?" Wei Ying whispers, his eyes appearing huge in his pale face when he steps back.
"No, because we're not going to get caught." Lan Zhan insists, keeping his voice low.
"Okay," Wei Ying nods to himself as if making his own mind up about something.
Lan Zhan carefully slides the door of the infirmary open, not trusting that everyone may be asleep inside. After all, if Shifu was here until now, then there must have been a reason why.
He knows that there is always an attendant on night duty in case there are patients staying overnight, to provide medicines and water, and this might just be a case of slipping past them quietly. His heart is thudding so loudly in his little chest, he's wondering if it never shrank with the rest of his body when he travelled back in time. Wei Ying squeezes their hands together, and then they peek around the secondary door.
The table where the night attendant would usually be sitting is empty, so they glide past in a hurry. Maybe the person has gone to fetch something or perform nightly ablutions nearby, but they're not going to stick around and find out.
The infirmary is really a huge room with screens large enough to separate patients for privacy. There's a kitchen to the side for aid during the creation of medicines and tonics, and a separate apothecary where a variety of herbs and plants are grown, and it leads to the greenhouse and garden beyond.
Tonight, there are only two patients in residence and three people in total.
"Baba!" Wei Ying shouts, forgetting himself and where they are, and the promise he made to be quiet - all of it vanishing as he hurtles towards him.
Wei Changze sits up immediately, jolted out of his nap, and manages to fling out silencing talismans around them as he catches Wei Ying in his arms.
"My boy!" He breathes out tenderly, hugging him tightly.
