Moonlit Hearts

Chapiter 37: The Breaking of Restraint

Sizhui's eyes blazed as he glared at Wei Ying, anger seething through him like wildfire. "You can't keep lying!" His voice cut through the stillness of the yard, raw and unrestrained.

Wei Ying's expression hardened, irritation flashing across his face. "Sizhui, be quiet. You have no idea what you're talking about. Get down from there and stop this drama. You're not a child anymore."

"This drama?" Sizhui scoffed, his voice trembling. "You're not my father—don't shout at me. You pretend to care about him, but you're just a puppet, sent by Odin to manipulate him! We saw you, Jingyi and me!"

Wei Ying's voice turned cold. "Enough of this nonsense. You don't understand what's at play here." He jabbed a finger toward Sizhui. "Get down from that tree, now. It's time you learned what it means to be an adult. Lan Zhan has been lenient with you, its time I discipline you some"

"But I do understand!" Sizhui shot back, his voice firm. "You're feeding him that tea—keeping him in a daze! Have you even noticed how he's been since you arrived? He's lost, not himself, and you're the reason why! At first I believed you did that for him,  until we saw you!"

Wangji stood a few paces away, unease gnawing at him as he watched the argument unfold. His heart pounded. "Sizhui, what are you saying?" he asked, his voice barely steady. He felt control slipping away. His head was spinning.

"Don't you see, Dad?" Sizhui pleaded. "Every time he gives you that tea, every time he acts like everything is fine—it's all a trap! He's not the real Wei Ying. He's here to keep you under control, to keep you compliant. We saw him shift between his true identity and this fake appearance of Senior Wei".

Wangji's pulse quickened, Sizhui's words cutting through his doubts like a knife. He clung to the warmth he had felt with Wei Ying, but unease crawled up his spine. "That's not true... there must be some misunderstanding, son," he argued, his voice unsteady. Could he have been so easily deceived? Wei Ying had been different lately, but surely that was just because of the tension between them... right?

"Is it?" Sizhui challenged, leaping down from the tree, his expression fierce. "Think about it! He comes in with sweet words and that tea, but all he does is twist your mind. You've changed since he arrived. You're weaker. You're not in control anymore!" He took a shaky breath. "Dad, you've always been strong—even through the worst times. But now... now you're a shadow of yourself. Why do you think that is? You either sleep or have mood changes. You're always tired with conflicted emotions. Don't you wonder why?"

Wangji's hands trembled as memories surfaced: the bitter taste of the tea, Wei Ying's insistence that he drinks it, the uncharacteristic harshness of his kiss. He closed his eyes, struggling to steady himself. "Sizhui, please, just explain. I need to understand—"

"Why do you think he's here?" Sizhui pressed, his frustration spilling over. "Odin sent him! To keep you from rebelling, to make you believe everything's fine while he tightens his grip on you! Dad, how did you even get outside today? You're supposed to be confined inside—how did you manage that? How did you leave the house ? You could have left only if your powers decrease or if you lose them! Please...listen to me"

Wangji froze, the realization hitting him like ice water. He had left the house without any of the usual barriers stopping him. He turned towards Wei Ying, his gaze filled with uncertainty. "Wei Ying, what's going on? Is it true? Have you been... controlling me?"

Wei Ying's expression twisted, a mask of anger slipping for just a moment. "He's lying, Lan Zhan. Sizhui's just trying to tear us apart, can't you see that? He is using your illness to trick you. You're just weak due to your own mind nothing more. Let's go back inside, we can sort this out over tea."