Fluffy WangXian Oneshots Book Two

Come Back To Gusu With Me Part 24

Qinghe is dusty, Jiang WanYin thinks, as the escort surrounds him. Twelve bulky, muscular Nie disciples dressed in their fennel green under robes with deep forest green outer layers. These guys must be special because their collars are embroidered with gold thread. From what Jiang WanYin can make out, the pattern is gold leaves entwined around bull horns, and surprisingly elegant for it, not the opposite as he would have expected the design to be. His guards (because that's what they really are) are silent and grumpy-looking, which suits him just fine.

It's all for nothing, he muses, since he has no intention of not cooperating with them. Huaisang is making him nervous, though, because he keeps staring at him and then whispering behind his fan to his brother. There's no way he knows anything, Jiang WanYin tells himself. Jiang WanYin has been on his best behaviour, and there's not a chance in hell anyone knows what he wants to do.

Huaisang thought he was being so clever by planting another fellow prisoner in the cell next to him, but that's a classic covert procedure, a way to tell if the unsuspecting target has any tricks up their sleeves. And Jiang WanYin has plenty of those.

But he's had to learn the hard way that Wei WuXian is liked and respected everywhere, certainly here because he has invented a way for the imposing Nie-Zongzhu to survive what his ancestors could not, and that's an early death due to their spiritual sabres misbehaving. That's all that Jiang WanYin has been able to glean in bits and pieces by overhearing the guards talking, and some of it from his supposedly new friend, the prickly Wu Ping, his next door neighbour. So there are no sympathetic ears in his vicinity, and in a way, Jiang WanYin is glad for that because he might have let his guard down and let something incriminating slip. The last thing he wants is for his confinement to be continued.

One great outcome of this experience is that his body has become far more efficient at working out.

He's noticed that his muscles have nearly doubled in size, his abdominal ones are clearly defined, his arms can rival the Lans in strength, and they look much better.

Nie MingJue does that swaggery thing he likes to do around Jiang WanYin, walking on the outside of the guards with a sharp, discerning eye. He's not a stupid man, but Jiang WanYin has noticed that he's definitely more jovial than before. His smiles are easier, and his boisterous laughter can be heard through walls and floorboards.

"Remember, Jiang WanYin, anytime you feel overwhelmed by your emotions, work through them like we've taught you, and everything will be fine."

They bow to each other, and Jiang WanYin uses the opportunity to hide his sneering eyes. He hates all this pretending, this "good boy" persona he's had to adopt so that he can pull the wool over everyone's eyes and escape this prison.

He hates Qinghe.

He hates the Nies.

He hates the cell room where he was kept.

And most of all, he hates Wei WuXian.

He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that gutter rat, and killing him is going to be a joy nothing else can compare with. So when he raises his face, carefully erasing all of his emotions from it, the residual eagerness is still present in his eyes, and he gets away with it.

"Are you looking forward to going home? You must miss being in Yunmeng, and of course, your sister!" Nie MingJue claps Jiang WanYin on his back heartily, a loud chuckle leaving his lips.

Jiang WanYin nods, not trusting himself to speak. God knows what kind of a shambles is waiting for him when he returns to Lotus Pier? He's both excited to reach home and dread it, too, because of all the extra work he's going to have to do. Women don't know how to do proper work. His mother was the exception to that rule, but she was so busy night hunting that his father had to pick up the slack.