.
The rest of the traveling group arrives the next morning. Wuxian was sitting in the main hall, looking over the new schematic of the Treasure Room after his last adjustment with Keeper Daozi. He suddenly hears a loud voice shouting: "..YOU UNGRATEFUL PIECE OF ROTTEN FRUIT! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU ABANDONED US WITHOUT A WORD.."
Wuxian recognized his brother's furious voice and excused himself to go and welcome them.
He walks towards the loud voice and what he sees almost makes him want to turn around and walk away. Wangji was standing stoically while Cheng was pacing around him, yelling and pointing his finger. Wuxian coughs loudly to get his brother's attention. Cheng's red face looks like it's almost going to pop and he turns to continue yelling at Wuxian: "HE LEFT US.. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.. WITHOUT A NOTE OR WARNING! I SENT PEOPLE OUT TO SEARCH FOR HIM!"
Wuxian glares at his soul-bond and raises his eyebrow. Wangji swallows then bows to Cheng: "I apologize for my behavior."
Cheng was shocked into silence and stepped back in disbelief.
Wuxian nods to his soul-bond to continue. Wangji: "I recognize my mistake in leaving our party without warning and not considering your wellbeing."
When Wangji looks like he's done, Wuxian snaps his fingers and he continues: "This will not happen again and I hope you accept my sincere apology."
Cheng's eyes were wide, he turned to Wuxian who smiles at him: "What kind of spell did you cast on him?"
Wuxian shrugs and makes his way to his brother: "I'm sorry his actions were unbecoming. He didn't do it out of malice."
Cheng coughs in awkwardness and moves to hug his brother: "I'm glad to see you're doing better."
Wuxian: "Where are the rest of the group?"
Cheng turns around to look for them: "They were behind me a few minutes ago."
Wen Ning walked out of the shadows and went to greet Wuxian: "Master Wei, I missed you."
He kisses Wuxian's hand and the snake slithers it's way back around his body.
Cheng: "Where are the rest of the group?"
Wen Ning: "They fled the moment you started shouting."
Wuxian laughs at his brother. Cheng screams: "Shut it!" But Wuxian winks at him and goes to look for his kids. Cloud Recesses felt alive again. Wuxian spent the day with his kids and sat with his brother throughout the evening.
The next day, Cheng bid him farewell, dragging a weeping Yuxio and headed back to Lotus Pier. Wuxian was sad to see his brother go but he knows they will meet again soon.
A few days pass in peace and on the fourth day, Zewu Jun shows up at their room in the morning with a concerned look on his face.
He sat down and after drinking tea looked at the couple and said: "Our gate cannot hold the outsiders at bay any longer. We caught a few people sneaking in using talismans and spells."
Wangji: "What do you propose?"
Zewu Jun turns to look at Wuxian: "Are you willing to see a few of these people if we regulate their numbers?"
Wuxian: "If it helps, why not?"
Zewu Jun: "I was planning to wait until uncle returns with the healer to make sure you're up for the task but I think we can start with a few numbers and see how it goes from there."
Wuxian pets his snake in thought then says: "We still don't know what the Deity did to me. How am I going to help these people?"
Zewu Jun coughs and the nods to Wuxian. Wuxian: "What? Now? I thought we were going to wait until father gets here."
Zewu Jun glares at him, so he sighs and takes out the parchment paper and hands it over to a confused Wangji. Wangji reads it a couple of times and says: "Where did you get this?"
Wuxian: "The widow we helped a while back gave it to me as a gift."
Wangji glares at him: "And you kept it from me?"
Wuxian sighs loudly: "I didn't think much of it until my appearance changed!"
Zewu Jun can feel the atmosphere gearing towards an argument so he cuts them off: "You can bicker about this later, let's focus on its content."
Wangji places the paper on the table: "This is not a normal piece of paper. It is similar to a description I read in a book in the Room of Forbidden Books about prophecies. The ink used has a faint trace of spiritual energy that traces back to the spirit that relayed the prediction."
Zewu Jun: "So it's a part of a prophecy."
Wangji nods.
Wuxian shivers: "That's ominous."
Wangji turns to glare at him again: "Prophecies written with spiritual energy are rarely false. Whatever is written here will happen."
Wuxian wraps his arms around himself in fear: "You're making it sound like I'm fated to live a life of doom and misery."
Zewu Jun: "It literally says that you have no fate."
Wuxian whines: "That sounds even worse!"
Wangji grabs the piece of paper and stands up: "I will look further into this."
He leaves with one last glare at Wuxian.
Wuxian: "He's so pissed at me."
Zewu Jun smiles at him: "You made your bed, now you must lie in it."
Wuxian huffs at him: "You're supposed to be the nice one!"
Zewu Jun shrugs.
Wuxian sent Wen Ning to grab him a jar of Emperor's Smile so he could tolerate Wangji's wrath that night. Jingyi and Sizhui joined him in the Silent Room to keep him company as he drank.
After a few cups, Wuxian turns to look judgmentally at the two young boys: "Tell me the truth, do any of you have a crush on someone?"
Jingyi laughs out loud then says: "We're busy keeping you alive and training. Who has the time?"
Sizhui ducks his head, blushing. Wuxian goes closer to examine his face: "Why are you blushing so much?"
Sizhui scratches his head: "Nothing. It's just an awkward topic."
Both Jingyi and Wuxian crowd his space. Jingyi whispers: "So suspicious." Wuxian: "I agree. Fess up before we make you."
Sizhui inches further from them and raises his hands in defense: "It's not really a crush.. more like admiration.."
Wuxian grins: "People who admire other people don't turn red while talking about them."
Jingyi: "Yeah.. Even the shameless Yuxio flirts without blushing."
Wuxian shivers: "Don't mention that pervert's name while I'm drunk."
Sizhui whispers: "I don't think she feels the same though.."
Wuxian claps his hands in excitement: "She!"
Jingyi: "Tell him what he needs to know or he will torture it out of you."
Sizhui swallows hard and shakes his head. Wuxian refuses to take no for an answer. Da Ziran moves to wrap around the young blushing boy and starts bumping his chin with its head to encourage him.
Sizhui pets the snake but refuses to name his new crush.
Wuxian will not be defeated: "Alright. We won't ask about it again if you answer three questions with yes or no. Deal?"
Sizhui looks suspiciously at his father and when he sees determination in his eyes, sighs and agrees.
Jingyi and Wuxian are half way on the table from excitement. Sizhui inches a little further.
Wuxian: "One: Is she a cultivator from another clan?" Sizhui nods.
Wuxian smirks then asks: "Two: Do I know her well?" Sizhui can feel his father vibrating with joy and closes his eyes in defeat then nods again.
Wuxian lets out a happy squeak and grabs his son's arms from across the table: "Three: Is it Linao?"
Sizhui opens wide eyes and gasps: "How did you know?"
Wuxian jumps, clapping his hands in excitement: "I'm going to be a grandfather!"
Sizhui squeaks from shock: "WAH? GRANDFATHER?"
Wuxian turns to hug him: "Can I plan your wedding? Oh.. Can I name your first newborn?"
Wuxian lets go and starts prancing with excitement while Sizhui and Jingyi watched him like he was a lunatic.
Jingyi starts laughing: "He has lost his mind."
Sizhui feels cold sweat rolling down his back: "How did a crush turn into a wedding and kids?"
Wuxian turns to grab his son again: "Does that mean you move there or she moves here?"
Sizhui: "Father.. it's just a crush.. I'm only 16.. I don't even think she knows I exist."
Wuxian scoffs: "Don't worry about it. I'm an expert at love. We got this!"
Jingyi who's still laughing whispers loudly to Sizhui: "Your wife will have the worst mother-in-law in the world."
Wuxian looks confused: "Mother-in-law?"
Jingyi smirks at him and realization hits Wuxian like a tidal wave.
Wuxian grabs his cup and throws it at him then moves to grab him: "YOU! HOW DARE YOU!"
Jingyi ducks, avoiding the cup and runs around the table to avoid Wuxian: "It's true.. You cannot deny it.. Why are you upset?.. You should take it as a compliment!"
Wuxian: "YOU SON OF A.. COME HERE.. I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET LIVING THIS LONG!"
Wen Ning was on his way to check on Wuxian when he heard him screaming. He opens the door and is greeted with a scene that he will not forget anytime soon. Wuxian was straddling Jingyi on top of the table while grabbing his robes and cursing up a storm while the younger man was laughing hard. Sizhui was on top of his father, holding him back and trying to stop him from strangling his friend.
The snake made its way to Wen Ning and after he picked it up, he coughed hard to get their attention.
Instantly, all three of them sat up, trying to act normal.
Wuxian smoothed his hair and with fake calmness: "Wen Ning.. Did you need something?"
Wen Ning was suppressing a laugh, especially when Jingyi started fishing peanuts from his hair after laying on the table a few seconds ago: "Hangunag Jun is looking for you."
Wuxian coughs awkwardly, gets up and straightens his robes and walks out of the room. On his way out, he turned to gesture with his hand to Jingyi: 'This is not over!' Jingyi sticks his tongue out at him.
Sizhui sags on the ground and sighs loudly: "This was a mistake."
Jingyi chuckles at him: "Oh.. this is nothing. Pray to heavens we don't meet your crush before he forgets about this."
Sizhui groans loudly and looks at the wine jar: 'I've never wished for a drink before this moment.'
.