YILING PATRIACH'S PROTECTOR

29

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji traveled back to the Burial Mounds. They were both silent and were only fixed on their destination. Lan Wangji occasionally glances at Wei Wuxian. He badly wanted to know what's running inside the black-robed man and yet he cannot voice it out. The sadness that glistens inside his eyes when the moonlight hits his eyes made Lan Wangji feel suffocated, uncomfortable, and sad. 

"Wei Wuxian." He stopped walking and looked at the man who stopped walking and looks back at him. 

"Hm? What is it, Lan-Zhan?"- He asked and produced a forced-smile on his lips. This only made Lan Wangji feel bad towards him and decided to do something to lift his spirits. 

"Come with me."- Lan Wangji turns towards the direction where they came from and started to walk again. Wei Wuxian wanted to refuse and just rest but the gaze of the man in the blue robe was intense that he has no choice but to go. 

They went back to the town they passed and Wei Wuxian followed Lan Wangji through the crowd. There was a sort of festival happening and lots of lanterns, people, and street vendors on the streets. 

"Ah-"- Wei Wuxian looked around and lost the man. He was standing there in the middle of the busy streets, mind reminiscing of the past he cannot go back anymore.

"Back then... we walked around Yunmeng City to fulfill each others' promises... We ate good food and light a lotus lantern before... Now... She did that with Lan Xichen..."

*throb!*

"Before... She cried for me to stay safe and away from the enemy's grip... I went, and I left her alone... I put her in a lot of troubles... many hardships, yet all I repaid her kindness was more reasons to tear..."

*throb!*

"When she came back after the Wen Clan started the war... I still thought that I was able to keep her safe. Having her by my side and fighting evil... I was wrong... I was dead wrong... leaving her side... She met a cruel death..."

*Throb!*

"I loved her, I love her so much for all she did for me, and I  want to reciprocate my love for her... and yet I was a step late..."

The noisy and busy street was full of life and happiness, and yet Wei Wuxian was the only one that was not happy.

"It's okay. Just give up. With Lan Xichen by her side, she will be protected and loved... She will be respected and accepted by the mass. that future is good for her... unlike being with someone like me, someone with no money, no reputation, and no home...That is good for her."- He mumbled to himself, hypnotizing himself to let go of that woman he cherished. 

Every moment he continues and repeated those words inside his head, the more his chest felt like burning and throbbing in pain. The more that he tries to convince himself that it was the right choice to make, his eyesight started to blur and he felt the shortness of his breath. 

Suddenly, a light shower fell from the sky, everyone run to restaurants and other establishments to pass the light shower... but he's the only one that remains rooted at his place. Soon, the light shower turns into the pouring rain, and he was immediately soaked. Raindrop trailed from his scalp to his hair, running further down his face before dropping from his chin. He was so soaked that, he looked weak and feeble, as he slowly lost his strength on his legs and dropped down the ground on his knees. He doesn't know if there are his tears or just the raindrops running down his face but he doesn't want to find out.  Lan Wangji was able to finally see him out in the open, alone, weak, and lost in his own thoughts. With an umbrella with him, Lan Wangji walked towards him and give him shelter from the pouring rain.

"Wei Wuxian, stand up. We should go now."- he told him but he didn't move even an inch. 

"I... I'm tired... I'm tired Lan-Zhan."- Wei Wuxian said in a low tone. Lan Wangji's heart ached for him. but he doesn't know what to do to lift his spirits. Can a human cure a broken heart? How? What are the procedures? Somebody tell him.

"That Emperor's smile... I can buy it for you, so stand up and walk with me. Do not mop around the streets."- Lan Wangji said and had to wait for a few minutes before Wei Wuxian stood up and trudged next to him. Silence ensued between them, and from his peripheral vision, he can see that Wei Wuxian was back deep in his thoughts. 

"You are... the Yiling Patriarch... but you are also, Wei Wuxian."- Alan Wangji suddenly said that snapped him out of his daze and look at him with a tilted head. 

"You... like everybody else, can feel the negative emotions too, however, letting it reign inside of your heart... That is not something like you would do."- He said and meet Wei Wuxian's eyes. His eyes were wide, and his mouth parted in awe.

"To actually hear this coming from your mouth, Lan-Zhan, you make me shock sometimes."- he said and cracked a smile on his face. Lan Wangji didn't comment further and guided him inside a restaurant near them. Lan Wangji rented a private room and asked for spare clean robes before he buys a bottle of Emperor's smile and started walking upstairs. Wei Wuxian enjoyed his time at the private bath of the room, as well as drinking the wine leisurely. Lan Wangji was near the open window and watching the rain pour. 

"Lan-Zhan! Don't you want to toast to me? Just one is enough! Drinking alone is lonely..."- Wei Wuxian said and saw him sigh before walking towards him to sit at the opposite side of the table. 

"Good! Here! have one cup!"- Wei Wuxian said with a playful smile before downing his own cup. Lan Wangji stared at the liquid inside the small cup...  

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