The sun was just beginning to set, and the sky above was a gradient of yellow and pink as the sun sank lower toward the horizon, its last rays painting the sky a beautiful color.
The fight was finally over and had reached its conclusion. It would have been easier if things had gone differently, but it was done. The ship had sailed, and Madam Yu was banished from Lotus Pier. There might be some complications with this turn of events, but for now, Xiao Zhan just wanted the day to be over. It had been a long and busy day, and he had finally managed to collect himself after the untimely comic relief.
Xue Yang held Xiao Zhan's hand. "Wei-ge, don't cry."
Xiao Zhan lifted his face to get a look at Xue Yang. His face was flushed in red, tears wet the corners of his eyes and he was still trembling. Xiao Zhan had to bite down the inside of his cheek so hard to manage a reply, his voice croaked, "I'm not."
"Are you crying, Da Shixiong??" His martial brothers started swarming the two of them, telling him expressions of encouragement and consoling him. Some were joking around while some teased him to lighten up the mood. The elders that were present at the training ground had some strange expressions on their faces when they looked over the pair's direction as they gathered around their clan leader and his daughter. Jiang Fengmian seemed to talk to them about something serious while keeping his daughter close to him.
Xiao Zhan was already tripping with guilt about laughing when his uncle and his martial sister was going through a hard time. He felt even more remorseful when he realized that people had sorely mistaken that he was in tears. He was not. Even if he was, it was because he wanted to laugh so badly and stifling it was a difficult task. But, for now, there wasn't much point in worrying about the others who thought that he was sobbing. Instead, he noticed many eyes on the two of them embracing each other. The Jiang disciples didn't seem bothered much by their embrace but the older men seemed to have a different set of ideas on this matter.
Even though Xiao Zhan was no longer laughing (inwardly), he did still feel embarrassed about this whole misunderstanding. He wanted to pull away, but he was too self-conscious to meet anyone's eyes at the moment. As a result, he just buried his head further into Lan Wangji's shoulder. The cat was already out of the bag; he might as well just let it be. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, was more than content to keep his hand on Xiao Zhan's back.
Everyone quieted down as Jiang Fengmian made his way towards him. He gently touched Xiao Zhan's shoulder. "A-Ying, everything is going to be fine."
Jiang Yanli stroked his hair as well, still sniffling. She asked gently, "A-Xian, are you sure you're all right?"
Xiao Zhan managed a shaky nod, his face hidden away. It was too awkward to make eye contact, and he was riddled with self-criticism. He was the one who should be comforting his martial sister and uncle. Yet, he was unable to say anything or even face the people who were sincerely worried about him. His guilty conscience did not allow him to. He felt restless and jittery in the uncomfortable circumstance he was in, and his legs gave out for a couple of seconds; he wobbled backward. Lan Wangji, as usual, was quick to act; he encircled his body with his arms and steadied him.
Ahh, good lords of heavens and hell! How embarrassing!
Alarmed by the happenstance, everyone around them freaked out and made quite a fuss about his physical condition. Knowing that they had gotten the wrong idea again, Xiao Zhan wished he could find a hole to jump into and hide for a while.
As if reading his mind, Lan Wangji spoke up, "Wei Ying is fatigued and injured his hand. May I take him away for treatment and rest, Sect Leader Jiang?"
"Of course, go ahead." Jiang Fengmian agreed, and then he ordered the crowd to make way and disperse.
Jiang Yanli was holding Xue Yang in her hand. In a calm and collected manner, she spoke in a weak voice. "Please take care of him, Second Young Master Lan. You can leave Xue Yang to me."
With that permission, Lan Wangji picked up Xiao Zhan in one swift motion without giving him any prior notice or a chance to object. Xiao Zhan yelped in surprise. His body was stiff as a board as he clung awkwardly to Lan Wangji's shoulders. Xiao Zhan's face burned as his heart thumped loudly in his chest. He was not a damsel in distress or a stranded mermaid. In fact, he was the freaking Yiling Patriarch. He was strong enough to go against a hundred people and still emerge as the victor. He was a grown man and he could walk back to his room on his own. He wanted to struggle, but there were too many eyes on them, and it would make the situation look even weirder. He truly wanted to vanish from the planet Earth at this point in time. He whispered to Lan Wangji, "What are you doing? Put me down. I can walk."
"Be quiet," Lan Wangji replied with an expressionless face. No one questioned, or dared to question, this unusually intimate act since everyone seemed to be more concerned about his well-being as they passed through the fields toward his room. It was a given since he had just fought an elder who was well-known enough to be skilled enough to earn the nickname of 'Violet Spider' in this cultivation world, and he was merely a newcomer.
"Wei Ying, relax." Lan Wangji took a note on his turbulence of thoughts. "You wanted to get out from there. This is the quickest way." he justified.
Hearing that from Lan Wangji, Xiao Zhan couldn't argue with him. He breathed in deeply and allowed himself to relax, little by little, against the tall body. Halfway through, he found himself indeed drained from using too much spiritual energy, and he was mentally tired as well. The adrenaline rushing through his veins from the battle earlier had faded from his system. His eyelids grew a little heavier, the exhaustion beginning to take over. He closed his eyes, letting all his tensions wash away. The smell of sandalwood wafted through the air around him, and he felt tranquil at the scent. It was comforting, and he breathed slowly as it settled in his chest. A semblance of calmness settled over his mind, and sleep pulled at him like a tide. The world seemed quieter somehow, and it was easy to drift off into unconsciousness.
By the time they reached his chamber, Xiao Zhan was already deep in slumber in Lan Wangji's arms. Lan Wangji carefully lowered him onto the bed so as not to awaken him. He smiled softly to himself as he gazed upon his sleeping figure. He helped him take off his boots and socks and set them down neatly. Looking at the tightly tied belt around the other man's waist, he contemplated for a few brief seconds before reaching a verdict to loosen it so that Xiao Zhan could sleep more comfortably.
As soon as he untied the knot, he was startled when Xiao Zhan's hand suddenly moved and proceeded to remove the entire belt, tossing it offhandedly onto the floor. Lan Wangji recoiled backward, only to see Xiao Zhan swiftly taking off his outer robe groggily with his eyes shut and his mouth mumbling some inaudible complaints. The black garment flew to join the belt on the ground. This person never ceased to amaze him; even while snoozing, he still somehow made him smile with his antics. Lan Wangji took a closer look at Xiao Zhan, who had returned to his dreamland and knocked out cold in his inner robe. His peaceful face looked even more appealing in the blood-red-colored attire. He untied the matching-colored ribbon that held up his already messy hair and kept it on the table, neatly folded.
Pulling the blanket over Xiao Zhan, Lan Wangji's eyes settled on the injured right hand. He frowned as he took the hand closer and examined it with care. The injury looked much worse than last night. The burned flesh was swollen and blistered from the high-temperature electric current. The area around it was discolored and scorched. He flipped the hand to scrutinize the bruises on his knuckles. They had faded a lot but were still visible. It pained Lan Wangji to see such injuries inflicted when he was present at the scene every time the sleeping person got hurt. There was nothing that Lan Wangji wished for more than to protect Xiao Zhan. Despite that fact, he was always a step too late. Feeling downcast, he went out of the room and came back with a basin of warm water, clean towels, and things needed to treat the wound. With careful movements and tender care, he wiped Xiao Zhan's face and tidied up his hair, brushing it off his face. Xiao Zhan stirred a little and a faint smile spotted his face. Lan Wangji couldn't help but caress his cheek with the back of his fingers.
After cleaning the wound and applying some ointment, Lan Wangji decided to accelerate the healing with his spiritual energy. He was not a healer, but he could still perform basic healing techniques. When he was finished, the swelling and blisters had subsided substantially, and the bruise had disappeared completely. He then bandaged it to prevent infection. Xiao Zhan stirred again and muttered something sleepily, reaching his hand out into empty space. Lan Wangji took his hand and leaned down to listen to his mumblings. His breath hitched when, out of the blue, Xiao Zhan's hands captured his neck and pulled him down ardently, imprisoning him in a bear hug. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and steadied himself with his arm to prevent himself from crashing down on top of the charming person.
"...Lan Zhan." Xiao Zhan murmured dreamily as he nuzzled into Lan Wangji's neck.
Lan Wangji froze as his heart beat faster in his chest. He shook his head and exhaled shakily, reminding himself that he shouldn't get ahead of himself and that he needed to control himself. His hands trembled as they rested on the mattress on both sides of Xiao Zhan's head.
"You're... great." Xiao Zhan's words slurred together.
Lan Wangji's lips twitched slightly at Xiao Zhan's sweetly sleepy voice. He blinked heavily, and his eyelids drooped again. The way Xiao Zhan clung to him and pressed his lips against his neck made his heart flutter. Xiao Zhan continued to whisper close to his ear, "I like you... fancy... whatever you..."
As he listened to the garbled speech, he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remain calm and restrain himself. He was sorely tempted to kiss Xiao Zhan, but he forced himself to stay put. He was there to take care of Xiao Zhan so that he would be safe and well. Nothing else mattered. He began to chant the rules of his clan in his mind to fortify his resolve. That was until he felt Xiao Zhan's lips on his neck once more, and he purred softly. His eyes widened, and he felt his heart nearly stop for a second. His emotions overwhelmed him. He shuddered at the sensation and tried to swallow the lump in his throat.
A low whine escaped Xiao Zhan's mouth while tightening his grip. "It cannot be anyone but you!" he declared in his slumber.
Now, Lan Wangji's poor heart nearly jumped out of his throat. The pressure of Xiao Zhan's arms around his neck was enough to hurt him. He bit his lower lip to control himself, closed his eyes tightly once again, and inhaled deeply. If he couldn't resist Xiao Zhan, how was he supposed to protect him?
But all of a sudden, he felt Xiao Zhan's lips pressing against his. His eyes flew open. Everything stopped except for his heartbeat, which thumped loudly in his ears. For a moment, he couldn't hear anything else. He couldn't tell what was going on around him. The heat spread throughout Lan Wangji's body like wildfire. The kiss lasted only a brief minute, yet it felt like an eternity. Even as it ended, Lan Wangji remained where he was, frozen like a statue, while Xiao Zhan's grip slackened a tad. He drew himself back slightly, staring dumbfoundedly at the sleeping face as he thought, this is the second time that this man had teased him like this. They had not gotten the chance to talk about the first one yet.
"Wei Ying." He called out softly to see if Xiao Zhan was truly sleeping or not. He heaved a heavy sigh when there was no response, and afterward, he slowly pried the entangled hands from his neck. Once they were free, he gently tucked them under the blanket. He, however, couldn't stop himself from tracing Xiao Zhan's delicate features. His skin was smooth and flawless. He brushed his finger over the small beauty mark beneath his lips. There was a moment of stillness, as if time had stopped for just a second and as if it were all going to be taken away from him any minute now. He slowly moved his fingers under Xiao Zhan's chin, brushing his lips over Xiao Zhan's forehead.
"Sleep, Wei Ying," he breathed, pressing his forehead against Xiao Zhan's. He watched silently until the sleeping person's breaths evened out into slow, rhythmic movements, no longer tossing and turning. After a while, he rose to his feet and straightened himself. He retrieved the discarded garment on the floor and the basin as he turned toward the door. Just as he was about to exit Xiao Zhan's room, the door creaked open. Lan Wangji stood motionless, caught off guard. Jiang Yanli and Xue Yang came into his sight as they stole a glance toward the bed.
"He's asleep," Lan Wangji said in a hushed tone.
"Was he badly hurt?" Jiang Yanli asked quietly. Her face showed traces of concern but mostly relief.
Lan Wangji ushered them out and gently closed the door behind him. "Maiden Jiang, you needn't worry. His palm was moderately burned, but I've already treated it."
Xue Yang stared at Lan Wangji curiously. "Is Wei-ge going to be okay, Wangji-xiong?"
Lan Wangji nodded, explaining, "He drained his spiritual energy. He will be fine."
Jian Yanli's eyes were still puffy and red from crying; she still looked sullen. Nonetheless, she tried to cover it up with a smile. "Thank you for taking care of my brother, Second Young Master Lan. You can pass his robe and that basin to me; I will ask the servants to take care of this."
Lan Wangji passed the items to her, and he lowered his gaze as he spoke, "I'm sorry about what happened today, Maiden Jiang."
Jiang Yanli responded calmly, "It is alright. It wasn't your fault. Or A-Xian's."
"Not your fault either, Shijie," Xue Yang interjected.
Jiang Yanli wrapped her arms around Xue Yang, "Oh, you sweet boy." She looked up at Lan Wangji and noticed that he was looking weary and worn out. "Second Young Master Lan, you look tired yourself. You should get some rest as well."
With that, Lan Wangji excused himself and returned to his room. Today had been a rollercoaster ride for him from beginning to end. His mind was filled with many things, so many of them he couldn't even begin to process. But without a doubt, there was only one person who was constantly on his mind. All the emotions were still there and swirling around in his head, taking him into a whirlwind of frustration and longing. The words he picked up as Wei Ying sleep-talked started to resonate in his thoughts. Was it just gibberish mumbling? Or did he mean it? In that moment, he suddenly missed the cold spring and immersing himself in the icy water. He sighed heavily, knowing that tonight was going to be a long one.