Red Phantom

Chapter 2

Lan Xichen's POV:

After Zhu fainted in my arms , I quickly strided to my room with Young Master Wei behind me. Once at my room Young Master Wei opened the door quickly letting me in. I stride over to my bed and gently lay Zhu down. "Young Master Wei can you ask Meng Yao for a basin of lukewarm water and a cloth? I need to wipe off all this blood on Zhu." I asked gently while removing Zhu's shoes. "Yes of course." Wuxian spoke before dashing off. After Wuxian left I sat next to Zhu, and carefully removed her outer bloody layers of clothing, before gently laying her back down. I stare at her with a sad worried expression on my face. Now this might not have been appropriate of me to do, I don't trust anyone else but Wuxian and Wangji with her. While I was with her during the time I was on the run, she told me her past. I know how she is when it comes to trusting people, especially men. She barely even trusted me when I had to treat her wounds the first time. I keep staring at her sadly as I recall the memory.

Flashback Five Months Ago
I walked into the room where Zhu was sitting on the bed wiping blood off her arms and shoulders. She was wincing in pain every time she moved, and struggling to get the blood off her. I walked over to her grabbing her hand taking the cloth from her, and continued what she was doing. She pushed my hands away putting her arms in front of her. "I'm a girl you can't see me like this, it's not appropriate."She spoke with tinted cheeks. I smiled softly at her before I spoke. "If I don't do this your wounds will get worse. You can't reach everything and you're causing yourself pain by trying to do so. Just let me help you clean and bandage your wounds so they can heal." I spoke gently while going back to cleaning her wounds. As I was cleaning her wounds she glanced up at me before looking away immediately. "If you want to tell me something or ask anything you can, there's no need to be afraid." I smiled softly. "Well....errrm....why are you being so nice to me?" "Because you're injured and we're on the same side from what I can see." I chuckled lightly. She looked down as I was cleaning a wound on her shoulder, wincing in pain. I continued cleaning her wounds before I went to clean the cloth in the water. I accidentally bumped her side with my hand, causing her to wail in pain. I look at her worryingly as she fought back tears. "Can I look at your side?" I asked carefully. "But I'd have to take off my clothes and other upper garments then....you-" "If I don't do it your wounds won't heal." I quickly said cutting her off. She silently starred at me before nodding her head giving me permission. I gently helped her take off her outer clothes, then the rest of her upper garments. I examined her side closely seeing all the bruising and whip marks across her body. I quickly go and get some medicine I had found, before coming back and putting it on her wounds. "Those should heal in a few days,although most of these will scar." I said starting at her. She nodded sadly before slowly getting dressed with my help. "You should lay down and sleep I'll go get something to eat and be right back." I spoke before leaving the cottage.
End of flashback

I was brought out of my trance by Wuxian coming in with the basin of water and cloth. "Lan Xichen what are you thinking about?" He questioned curiously while sitting the basin and cloth down. "Just a past incident that happened with Zhu and I." I muttered before taking the cloth and dipping it the water. "Errm do you want me to have Yanli come in here to take care of Zhu? I mean she is a girl it would be more appropriate for her to do it." Wuxian awkwardly spoke starring down at me. "No, I'll do it." I simply spoke with authority. "But Lan Xichen it's not-" "No." I spoke glaring at Wuxian. "O-oh okay. By the way Meng Yao is going to come here to talk to you." Wuxian hesitantly spoke. "I don't want to see him." I seethed while cleaning Zhu's arms of blood. "But he's already here." Wuxian awkwardly said pointing at the door. "Meng Yao please leave I don't want to see you now." I stated bitterly. "But Xichen I-" "No!" I roared glaring at Meng Yao. "Xichen I was just-" "Leave now you shouldn't be here! You're the reason she's this bad! You stopped me from helping her! From getting Jin Zixun to stop beating here! She wouldn't be this bad if it wasn't for you!" I screamed at him venom dripping from every word. Before anymore could be said Wangji entered the room with Jiang Cheng. "What's going on here?" Jiang Cheng questioned looking around the room. I ignored his question and glared at daggers at Meng Yao. "Xichen I'm sorry I-" "Jin Guangyao!" You need to leave now!" I roared with authority. "But Xichen-" "Meng Yao my brother said leave so please leave." Wangji spoke pointing to the door. "I'm sorry...." Meng Yao cried before leaving the room. Wangji and Jiang Cheng starred between Wuxian and I, waiting for someone to explain what happened. I was about to speak before Wuxian spoke. "He stopped you from helping her?" He questioned angrily. "Yes." I huffed simply. "Xichen what happened exactly?" Wangji asked. "Yeah what happened Zewu Jun? I've never seen you like this before." Jiang Cheng asked curiously. I starred at Wangji before glancing over at Zhu next to me. I grabbed her hand before starting to explain. "He stopped me from helping her. Jin Zixun was beating her because of the nets. But he was taking it to far. I could tell that if he kept at it he'd kill her. So I went to stop it, but Meng Yao held me back, and wouldn't let me intervene. She wouldn't be this bad if I had stopped him." I spoke shedding a tear while starring at her. I quickly whipped it away before looking back at the others. "Can you please leave, I need to tend to her wounds. Wangji if I need any help I'll call for you." I spoke going back to whipping the blood off of her. "But shouldn't a-" I glared at Jiang Cheng causing him to stop what he was saying. They all then left the room and Wangji waited outside the door. I went back to cleaning off the blood before applying medicine to all her wounds. I gently sat Zhu up as I take off the rest of her upper garments, so I could examine her ribs. Once her garments are off I gently lay her back down. I examine her ribs and torso carefully noticing all the scars, and fresh wounds. I dipped to cloth back in the water before gently cleaning the rest of her wounds. "I'm so sorry Zhu. I promise this won't ever happen to you again." I whispered while applying medicine to the rest of her wounds. I let go of her hand before covering her with a blanket as I stood up. I grabbed all her bloody clothes, and walk over to the door. I glance back at Zhu one last time before, opening the door walking out quietly. "Wangji where's Wuxian?" I questioned looking around for him. "He just left to check on his sister." Wangji spoke starring at me. "Can you have him ask her if she has any upper garments Zhu can use? I need to wash the blood out of these." I asked simply. Wangji only nodded before going to leave. "Wangji." I spoke grabbing his arm stopping him. He turned around looking at me. "Yes?" "Please come back after you're done asking. I'll put a seal on the door, but I don't want anyone in the room with her. Not unless it's you, Wuxian, or myself. She's been through a lot and I don't trust anyone else alone with her." I spoke starring at Wangji. He simply nodded before leaving to Wuxian. I looked back at the door behind me, putting a seal on it before leaving. I walked quietly through Carp Town going to the stream to wash these. Quite honestly I don't want to leave Zhu alone. I don't like it, especially since I have a strong feeling somethings going to happen. I also hated the fact that I might see Meng Yao, I really don't want to see him right now. I'm still very much so upset with him. Zhu has already gone through so much, she didn't need this added to it. I still wander about where she's been for the past four months. She has so many scars in her that something else must've happened before this. As I let my mind wander I finally arrived at the stream. I knelt down by the edge of the water before I start carefully washing the clothes. After about an hour the clothes were washed, I rung them out before walking back. As I rounded the corner I noticed someone dash off towards my room. I quickly followed after them, only to see Meng Yao leaving my room. "Jin Guangyao!" I yelled across the courtyard walking towards him. "Xichen-" "What were you doing in my room, and how did you break the seal?" I questioned through gritted teeth. "I was just checking on Zhu, and it wasn't hard to break the seal." He spoke quickly. "Don't go near her again, I don't want you anywhere near her." I seethed glaring at him. "Xichen are you really mad about earlier. I said I was sorry." "You're sorry won't change the fact Jin Zixun could've killed her." I seethed brushing past him and going into my room. I shut the door quickly and made my way over to Zhu to examine her again. Hmmm nothing seems to be different so I guess he didn't do anything. After examining her I spun around to hang up her clothes on the wall so they could finish drying. I looked around the room and noticed garments across the room. I went over to them and picked them up, noticing they were for Zhu. I took them over to Zhu, gently sitting her up and dressing her. I laid her back down and starred at her longingly. It honestly really hurt seeing her like this. In the month we had spent together during the days of running she had been like this more times than not. She spent more time in coma than awake. After we got separated I thought I'd never see her again. I was looking for her when Meng Yao found me and took me somewhere safe. For the next four months I hadn't seen her, and once I finally had she was like this in coma again. I sighed before getting up and going to play my flute on the other side of the room. I've been playing the flute everyday and caring for Zhu for the past seven days, but she still hasn't woken up. Not even when we went back to Gusu, she remained in coma. Hopefully she wakes up soon, if not I dont know what'll happen to her. I just can't loose her again, never again.

♦️Author note: Hey guys I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I know it may not be the greatest, but I'm working on getting better. I'll be going through for the fourth time to find any mistakes, and as the story progresses I hope you'll stay to keep reading. Thank you, love you guys♦️