YILING PATRIACH'S PROTECTOR

28

She loves Wei Wuxian... but he never sees her as a woman... Lan Xichen loves her... but why can't she accept the man's words? It was all heartfelt and serious. She knew he is confessing his love for her but... why is she hesitating?

"You..."- before she could speak, they both heard sudden footsteps and both look in the same direction.

"Huatian..."- the newcomers stared at them with disbelief.

It was Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Both the pair looked at each other with a blank stare.

"I-I... W-We are..."- Huatian tried to explain but she keeps stuttering as she tried to pull away from Lan Xichen, however, she was pulled back into his embrace. She lookup to peer at his resolute expression.

"Wei Wuxian, towards your older Sister, I want to pursue and marry her. Please bless us."- Lan Xichen bravely declared that shocked the others. 

Huatian was stupefied as she gawked at the man holding her in his embrace, "W-Wait! M-Marrying me?!"

Lan Wangji nodded to his brother and congratulated him. They all looked at Wei Wuxian and saw him standing there with a dumbfounded expression. 

"I-I see..."- His words were spoken softly. Huatian looked closer at his expression yet the darkness of the night did her no good to look at his face. She waited for him but he never said a word. 

Pulling away from his embrace, Huatian looked at Lan Xichen with unfathomable eyes. "Lan Xichen, marriage is impossible towards us! I am with a demonic core! I'm a villain! towards your Cloud Recess and your uncle! they will all oppose too!"

Lan Xichen only smiled at her and held her cold hands. "Why should I care about others' words and oppression? Towards you, Zhen Huatian, I am willing to abandon everything to be with you!"

Zhen Huatian and Wei Wuxian's eyes widened in an almost comical manner while they look at Lan Xichen's serious face. Wei Wuxian looked at the back of his older cultivation sister, while she faces Lan Xichen. 

He felt uneasy and have difficulty in breathing. He felt afraid and rooted on his own two feet. Why? He wonders, why is he hurting? why does he not want her for Lan Xichen? 

Truthfully speaking, Lan Xichen as Zhen Huatian's husband, will be bound to be a sect master with him by her side, living a good life, away from war, away from corruption and schemes... However, if she were to be with him, He cannot gift her anything, happiness? a roof above their heads? a family... 

"Wei Ying,"- Wei Wuxian blinked and looked back to the man next to him, although his face is not changing, his deep-set of brown eyes were filled with worry for him. 

"I-I'm fine..."- He looked down and found that Lan Wangji has already held his hand. His warm palms gave him a sense of comfort, easing his heart. When he looked up, his eyes met Zhen Huatian's eyes. Both were searching for something, with bated breathe and thumping hearts. 

"... Really... you do not see me as a woman, Wei Wuxian? After all we've gone through?... That kiss before... those promises...  What are they?!"- Zhen Huatian can't help but cry out in frustration and anger. The frustration that she cannot understand Wei Wuxian's heart and anger for fooling herself with her own fantasy. 

"O-Older sister Huatian..."- Wei Wuxian stuttered and felt his heart was ripped to shred seeing her tears run down from her sorrowful face. He wanted to walk towards her and hug her in his embrace, to wipe away her tears and coax her not to cry anymore... However, Lan Xichen has already done what he wished to do. 

'She's crying because of me, I'm the worst. After we've been through... in the end... I cannot be true to my heart...'

"Lan Xichen, Please make her safe and happy..."- Wei Wuxian put a carefree smile on his face and closed his eyes. He didn't want to be aware of the look of devastation Huatian was making, or the look of relief and happiness from Lan Xichen's face, or the worry from Lan Wangji's eyes. 

"Well then, We have to get going-" Just before Wei Wuxian turn and leave, Zhen Huatian's voice echoed on the silent trail. 

"I LOVE YOU! WEI WUXIAN! I LOVE YOU!"- The three males looked at her crying face as she clutched on her heart. Her heart thumped wildly inside her chest almost painfully, as she stared at his face with a pitiful and longing look. 

Wei Wuxian only smiled at her before leaving with Lan Wangji and the mountain peaceful once again, 

Zhen Huatian felt the pain suffocating enough to make her stop breathing. The silence was ringing inside her ears as she looks at the path that Wei Wuxian took. She felt like a puppet with broken strings, weak, lifeless, and almost useless. Her eyes were blurry as her eyes redden once more as Lan Xichen supported Zhen Huatian's body and let her rest against his chest. His robe was quickly soaked with her tears as she silently cries out her futile love for Wei Wuxian. Despite having a future path now with Zhen Huatian, he doesn't want her to cry till she exhausts herself. 

"Huatian, I'm here for you."- He could only hug her tight in his embrace while waiting for her to stop crying. He wanted to comfort her, but how? He wants to cure her heartache with his love... will she finally let him have a chance? 

"Lan Xichen.."- Lan Xichen looked down with wide eyes and looked at her red eyes, he used his sleeves to dry her tear stains on the face. He felt her slowly hold onto his robe before looking away from him.

"Can I... stay at your sect for a while?"- She asked in a small and unsure voice. Lan Xichen nodded his head, he immediately swept her off her feet, and using his sword, they flew towards the Cloud Recess. 

Many witnessed their arrival and stared as Lan Xichen ordered the servants to take care of the lady in dark robes and cook a meal for her. The disciples were all wearing curious faces but they didn't want to disturb the future sect master, so they could only keep their questions to themselves.

Before Lan Xichen leaves the room she occupies, Lan Xichen dropped some words.

"Zhen Huatian, in this life, you will only be the person who will occupy my heart. I don't care if it'll take us thousands of years, but I will prove myself to you, and my love for you."- He said and look back at her surprised and reddened face.

+

A/N: Its the Christmas break! Sorry for the long haitus but here I am now! I'll try to update frequently! so please keep being patient with me! <3