.
Jingyi never got his cookies back. Wuxian enjoyed eating them while Da Ziran made sure the young disciple kept his distance by showing him her sharp teeth. The boy still joined Wuxian in most of his meals and stole some of his food as he helped him eat since his broken hand was still out of commission. This odd relationship between the two confused most people but Jingyi knows in his heart that Wei Wuxian is the only person who accepts him as he is.. quirks and all.
He went the next day to pick up the coat alone and felt joy fill his heart when he heard the townspeople talk so highly of his teacher. It broke his heart how unjustly Luxia City treated the smaller man and was happy when the turn of events of yesterday made the golden-haired man smile. His life had been bland until he met Wuxian. He will do whatever it takes to stay at the top.. to be the favorite!
On his way back, he saw Healer Shi stepping out of an herbs and remedies shop. He bowed to her and took the chance to get to know the healer better: "Healer Shi, what brings you into the city?"
Healer Shi smirks at the young boy and whispers: "I came to buy poison."
Jingyi moved a few inches away as they continued to walk: "Poison! WHY?"
Healer Shi whispers loudly: "It's a secret."
Jingyi looks suspiciously at her: "Who are we planning to kill?"
Healer Shi: "'WE' are not planning to kill anyone. It's for an experiment I'm working on."
Jingyi moves back in: "What kind of experiment?"
Healer Shi turns to glare at him: "Stop eating little rabbit's food or I will test it on you."
Jingyi shivers from her threat: "I didn't eat his food! He gave it to me!"
Healer Shi looks him dead in the eye: "I'm friends with Zewu Jun's snitches. You can't fool me."
Jingyi stomps his foot: "Fine. I won't eat his food. What's the poison for?"
Healer Shi: "I want to check a theory I've been developing on why Wen Ning is not affected by poison."
Jingyi: "What is the working theory?"
Healer Shi: "Since he is technically a fierce corpse that's somehow retained his consciousness, he shouldn't be as highly functional as he is right now. He eats, sleeps and shows emotions like a living thing.. which means he is not dead. But, he can survive without food and sleep.. which means he's not fully alive.."
Jingyi scratched his head: "Now I'm confused."
Healer Shi: "Exactly! Would you consider him dead or alive? Is he an evolutionary step to mankind? Can he father more of his kind or is he unique? So many questions that I would like to explore since he's willing to let me study him."
Jingyi nods and says sarcastically: "Sounds like fun. I hope he doesn't rip your throat out if it goes awry."
Healer Shi sighs worriedly: "I hope not. His temper might be the death of me but for the sake of science.. I'm willing to risk it."
Wuxian got through his healing session just fine. They were set to leave the next morning. Meili and the well boy, who they named Jingsheng, stood by his carriage to bid him farewell. The first thing Jingsheng did when he saw Wuxian was run over and gently grab a strand of his hair: "You're still the same."
Wuxian looked oddly at Meili who shook her head in confusion. Wuxian pets the boy's head and asks: "Did you expect me to change?"
Jingsheng: "I did. Thought maybe we all look different outside the well."
Wuxian kneels and gently takes the boy's hand: "Do you regret leaving?"
The boy shakes his head and looks back to smile at Meili: "I found my family. It's too loud and bright out here but the food is amazing and people are nice. They give me things now instead of only taking."
Wuxian leans in to whisper to him: "I hope you take care of Meili too. She's been isolated from people just like you."
The boy looks determined and nods his understanding.
Meili steps closer and bows: "I don't know how to thank you. You gave me a family, a new home and a chance to be accepted by others."
Wuxian pats her shoulder: "Just be your amazing self. Come visit me in Cloud Recesses whenever you wish. You are both always welcomed."
He then leans in to whisper: "Nie Huaisang is an acquired taste but a good man in case you want to pursue him."
She coughs awkwardly and shakes her head while blushing. Wuxian smirks at her and gets on his carriage.
Zewu Jun sat with him this time, which confused Wuxian. Even though he enjoyed the older man's company, he rarely talks without a purpose.
Wuxian waits for them to leave the crowded city then starts the conversation: "So brother.. what did you want to talk about?"
Zewu Jun shakes his head: "Can't I be here to enjoy your company?"
Wuxian raises his eyebrow so Zewu Jun conceded: "I find it odd that your vision did not only reveal one.. but two Lan Clan Members we didn't know about."
Wuxian rubs his nose: "I thought so too."
Zewu Jun: "According to Grandmaster Qiren, Liwei's father was a distant cousin. He parted ways with the clan because he wanted to practice cultivation without the stigma of clans and bloodlines. He kept in touch with our father and met with him constantly at a tea house in Gusu City. Father always took Lan Wangji hoping he would befriend Liwei and share the same bond he had with his father."
Wuxian: "So his full name is Lan Liwei?"
Zewu Jun nods: "Our father never took me with him during these visits so I didn't know. According to Wangji, Liwei was invited to rejoin our clan in Cloud Recesses when he came of age by the elders but he declined. He wants to live freely with his new family of finders."
Wuxian: "I bet he saw the giant wall of rules and ran away like any sane person would do."
Zewu Jun smiles at him: "What does that say about you?"
Wuxian lets out a long sigh and says: "Love makes us do crazy things."
Zewu Jun nods: "It sure does."
Wuxian: "What about the Slayer? My last vision confirms that he is a Lan Clan member.. or at least Shenhua Clan believes that he is."
Zewu Jun: "I have a theory about his true identity but uncle thinks I'm wrong. He showed it to the elders and got nothing useful to work with. So I have no proof to back up my claim."
Wuxian scratches his chin: "He's not that old. Someone alive in Lan Clan should recognize him."
Zewu Jun's eyes widen: "Maybe not alive?"
Wuxian looks down at his broken ring hand: "Who do you have in mind?"
Zewu Jun smiles: "I will send the suggestion to Uncle so he can look for items to help us ask the dead. Maybe my father can help prove my suspicion?"
Wuxian straightens his posture: "I'm.. I'm going to meet your father?"
Zewu Jun chuckles over his nervousness: "He's a peaceful man. You have nothing to worry about."
Wuxian looks doubtfully at the older man before him. He heard the history behind his father-in-bond's love tryst. He knows that the man purposefully handed over Zewu Jun and Wangji to their Uncle to avoid history from repeating itself. Yet, things didn't go as planned. Wuxian might not be part of the bright future the man envisioned for his perfect son. That made Wuxian nervous.. very nervous.
Zewu Jun cleared his throat to get Wuxian out of his mini-freak out and said: "I have to tell you something before we reach Cloud Recesses."
Wuxian focused his attention on his brother: "Is it bad news?"
Zewu Jun nods: "One of the teams we sent out on a mission got killed by a group of vengeful spirits. We were able to contain them later on but lives were lost. Among them is Lan Ran's sister and brother in law."
Wuxian's eyes widened in panic: "Hweiru?"
Zewu Jun: "She got lost for a while. Lan Ran took a leave of absence to go look for her and while she was away, the little girl actually found her way back to Cloud Recesses by herself. The gatekeepers were shocked to see a Lan child walking alone and took her to Grandmaster Qiren. She had blood all over her and refused to speak to anyone. We haven't been able to reach Lan Ran but the girl is safe with uncle."
Wuxian felt like he's been dealt a gut punch. If anyone knows what it feels like to watch your parents die and be left alone to fend for yourself at a young age it would be him.
The little girl did not deserve such a cruel turn of event. A thought went through Wuxian's mind: "She was screaming for her mother in my vision."
Zewu Jun: "I had the same thought."
Wuxian: "The Slayer had a dagger wound in his calf in my last vision. He was clearly limping while carrying me."
Zewu Jun: "I thought we might have changed the course of events by interfering with history. Maybe he gets stabbed by someone else this time around?"
Wuxian leans back as he feels a headache building up: "If changing the future will only create chaos then why did the Earth Deity choose to give me this ability? It makes no sense!"
Da Ziran slithers around him and says: "You were returned to undo what went awry not create chaos. But every action has consequences. Try your best and never blame yourself for what's to come."
Wuxian closes his eyes and whispers to her: "It's hard to not cast blame on the only one who can see and change the future when it creates more problems than solutions."
Zewu Jun drapes a blanket around Wuxian and whispers: "Rest. The future and its many stories can wait." It didn't take long for Wuxian to find himself in the land of dreams. With a heart filled with hope and a mind aiming for salvation, the smaller man made his way home.. crossing one bridge at a time with the ones he loves by his side.
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