.
Wangji was sitting in the carriage holding his soul-bond in his lap and helping him sip the ginger tea Healer Shi made for him while supporting his back with his chest. Wuxian was extremely weak from malnutrition and his shaking hands could barely hold the cup. Wangji can feel that his soul-bond once again lost the weight that he's been building up while in Cloud Recesses. The taller man rubs his cheek to Wuxian's and whispers to him: "Is the tea making you feel better?"
Wuxian nods: "Yeah. It's warm just like you."
Wangji: "We made plain foods. Would you like to try it after this?"
Wuxian nods.
Wuxian was able to keep down a bowl of rice with plain vegetables. After Wangji was assured that the ginger tea was working he made his way out of the carriage, leaving Wuxian under Healer Shi's watchful eye. He was shocked to see a familiar face. Mianmian bows to him: "Hanguang Jun, it's been a while."
He bows to her and looks at his brother. Zewu Jun: "She provided the ginger for your soul-bond."
Wangji says to her: "Thank you."
She shakes her head and chuckles awkwardly: "It's my pleasure. I would do anything for Wei Wuxian."
Zewu Jun smothers a smile when he sees Wangji's eyebrow twitches in repressed jealousy.
She looks at the carriage and asks: "Is Wuxian in there? How is he?"
Wangji: "The ginger tea seems to help. He will recover soon."
Zewu Jun: "The disciples returned with more ginger to spare. We have enough for the round trip."
Mianmian: "Where are you going?"
Zewu Jun: "To Luxia City in Nie Clan Sect."
Mianmian: "May I join you?"
Wangji: "Lady Luo, we are not going for pleasure. We have a mission to accomplish."
Mianmian looks seriously at him: "I'm an amazing fighter and an accomplished cultivator. You can trust me since I could never betray the man who saved me. Besides, the more the merrier."
Zewu Jun looks at his brother who seems to be pausing to find an excuse to dismiss the determined woman and says on his behalf: "Lady Luo, Wuxian won't be able to help you during this trip. How about you travel to Cloud Recesses and wait there for our return? I am sure he will be thrilled to see you then."
Mianmian looked offended: "Friendship and loyalty trumps my needs. Even though my inquiry is important, all who're involved are dead. The dead can wait while the living cannot. I will help you with your mission since fate has brought me to your aid."
Zewu Jun turns to point at her trolly: "What about this stuff? You cannot keep up with our pace with these items in tow."
Mianmian smiles at him: "My house is on the way. You're welcome to stay in it while I store it for retrieval on our way back."
Zewu Jun ran out of excuses and looked at his brother with resignation. Wangji nods his understanding and Mianmian smirks over her victory.
Zewu Jun introduced the new addition to the group while they waited for Wuxian to recover enough to resume their travel. She was right, one more trusted fighter will give them a better chance to succeed in their mission.
The next day, Wangji helped his soul-bond out the carriage. The smaller man was able to eat a few full meals and has recovered enough for Da Ziran to wake up from her slumber and resume her movement around Wuxian's body.
Wuxian wanted to wash up in the nearby river to freshen up before they resume their travels. Wangji has tried to deny his request but Wuxian whined about how gross he felt and threatened to block his soul-bond's advances if he didn't let him out. Wuxian was confused by Wangji's actions. He initially thought that his soul-bond was being overprotective but the moment he stood out and saw the new addition to their group, he almost fell to the ground from laughter.
Mianmian paused a little at his changed appearance but recovered when he started laughing and smiled at him after bowing: "Wei Wuxian, I'm glad to see you're feeling well."
Wuxian elbowed his soul-bond, trying to recover from his hysterical laugh and shouts at him: "SERIOUSLY!"
Wangji glares at the smiling woman and ignores Wuxian.
Wuxian bows to her and says: "Mianmian, you look well. What brought you here?"
She smirks at Wen Ning: "A thief tried to steal ginger from me and I caught him."
Wuxian jabs Wen Ning's arm: "Wen Ning! Who taught you to steal?"
Jingyi butts in: "Probably the demon."
They hear Yuxio from a distance shouting: "HEY! I RESENT THAT!"
Wen Ning puts his hands up: "I left her payment! I swear!"
Yuxio makes her way towards them and glares at Jingyi: "Stop calling me a demon!"
Jingyi: "Then stop acting like one!"
Yuxio punches him in the gut and points at Wuxian: "He can call me whatever he wants, because he's beautiful and I love him. You on the other hand I can take down with one strike!"
Wuxian covers his face with his hands: "Don't scare Mianmian with your perviness."
Mianmian chuckles and waves her hands: "No, it's fine. It's amusing to watch."
Wuxian glares at her: "Don't encourage her. She has no limitations."
Jingyi rubs his aching stomach: "Demons are known for being wild."
Yuxio swings her sheathed sword at him and he runs: "COME HERE, YOU COWARD! I WILL TEACH YOU.. mmm.. MMM?" She turns to glare at Wangji then stomps off, huffing in resignation.
Wuxian leans into his soul-bond and whispers: "Thank you. With that temperament, she definitely belongs in Jiang Clan Sect."
Wangji helped Wuxian freshen up and they resumed their travels. Wuxian was able to finish his meals after drinking ginger tea and rubbing his gums with honey. They stopped at Mianmian's home on the way to rest and drop off the excess stuff she was carrying.
Wuxian looks around the empty abandoned house and frowns. The last time he visited this place with his soul-bond it was well lived, clean and stocked with food. After eating dinner that night, Wuxian stepped outside to look at the stars and breath fresh air before retiring to bed. He saw Mianmian carefully pulling items from her trolly into the shed near the house and covering them. He went to help her but she grabbed his wrist screaming in alarm: "NO!"
Wuxian was shocked by her reaction. She cleared her throat and gently let go: "These items belong to the dead. You probably shouldn't touch them while you're recovering."
Wuxian looks at the amount of items before him and asks: "All of this?"
Mianmian nods. Her eyes were full of sorrow. Wuxian hesitates before asking: "Where is little Mianmian?"
The woman before him sniffs, holding her tears and sadly smiles at him: "She passed away along with my husband."
Wuxian was filled with dread: "How?"
Mianmian: "A while back, I had a dream about a faceless man asking me to go to Nightless City to be judged by the Earth Deity. Initially I didn't want to go but my husband told me not to ignore the call so I went alone. I received their judgement and saw them bless you and made my way back home. While I was away, an odd affliction spread around our village causing people to die without apparent cause. I made it in time to watch it take my partner and child with almost half of the population in the village. I investigated the cause of their death and found inconsistencies that can only be explained by outside interference. When I hit a dead end, I decided to collect the belongings of those who perished during that time and seek your Oracle powers to find answers. On my way there you found me instead."
Wuxian grabs her shoulder and feels sadness wash over him: "I'm sorry for your loss."
Mianmian taps the hand on her shoulder and smiles at him: "I have grieved and the only thing I have left is finding answers to move on. I seek solace that one day I will meet them again in the afterlife."
Wuxian looks back at the items stored in her shed and whispers: "All those people.."
Mianmian pulls him out of the shed and says: "They can wait. I will help you with your task in Luxia City then we can help these people rest in peace."
Wuxian allows her to drag him. A fleeting thought strangely comforts him. If she was holding her emotions like many who grieve do, then his hair would have shined to reveal her past. A strong woman who speaks her truth is rare indeed.
They sat outside the house, silently gazing at the stars. Mianmian laughs suddenly so Wuxian turns to her and asks: "What's so funny?"
She looks happily at him: "My daughter loves gingerbread. I used to make it for her whenever I can and it would always make her happy. I bought so many ginger roots to take with me to Cloud Recesses, hoping I'd get to make her favorite bread before I get to see her for the last time through you. Now you're sitting next to me and all I smell is a freshly baked gingerbread. It's strangely comforting. It reminds me of happier times."
Wuxian smiles at her: "I am flattered by your trust, Mianmian. You've always stood up for me even when others condemned my actions. I'm glad my scent can at least comfort you until I can reunite you with little Mianmian."
The woman frowns at him: "Scent?"
Wuxian tells her his history with the Mother Tree and her gifts. Mianmian looks skeptical for a second then leans in to take a deep breath. Wuxian warns her: "I wouldn't do that if I were you. My soul-bond is very possessive."
Mianmian tsks: "We're old friends. Why would he be jealous?"
Wuxian chuckles: "I'm amazed he lets other people look at me without slitting their throats."
Mianmian stares blankly at him: "He knows I'm married, right?"
Wuxian shakes his head: "He has a wild imagination. I'm at the point where as long as he doesn't kill anyone, then it's fine with me."
Mianmian smirks at him: "You like it. Don't act like it's a nuisance."
Wuxian scratches his head and nods: "It does make me feel wanted."
Someone clears their throat loudly and they both turn to look at Wangji. He glares at the woman sitting with his soul-bond then turns to glare at Wuxian: "Wei Ying, it's cold outside."
Wuxian turns to share a knowing look with Mianmian before standing up and going inside. Wangji glares a few more seconds at Mianmian before he leaves to follow his soul-bond.
Mianmian chuckles after they left and sighs: 'Just like old times.. these two will never change.'
.