WangXian Forever 2

Chapter 41 Time

Twelve days left, Wei Ying mused.

He had just left the library and XiChen had told them what Jiang Cheng's latest message contained. He talked about dragon hunting, his efforts to sabotage their efforts and the slow deterioration of the leader's mental health. He noted the blushing ears and knew without a doubt, Jiang Cheng had finished his letter with 521.

The first time he'd done that, XiChen was unprepared and said them out loud. Wei Ying had a hard time not laughing out loud, but it was cute, this playful side of his younger brother.

He was on his way with Wen Ning to visit Chang Chao because it was his last day in Cloud Recesses. The boy had fully recovered from his injury and Wei Ying was happy about that.

Chang Chao was ready and waiting for them outside the guest quarters. He smiled when he saw them.

"How are you feeling today?" Wei Ying asked. The boy was looking a little sad.

"Sorry to be leaving, but on the whole, much better than when I arrived." He replied, ruefully. "I need to find JunJie Kang and Li Hua first."

Wei Ying had kept him up to date on whatever he knew, so the boy was aware that JunJie Kang was missing.

They reached the gates where Li Hua was waiting for them. Chang Chao bid them farewell and hastened towards her. Wei Ying was sorry to see him go; these days spent together had made him feel fond of the boy. He was glad of Wen Ning's company as always, but more today when he was feeling out of sorts.

He still had not come up with a solution for Hui Gai's complex issue. Wen Ning waited outside the Jingshi while he went in, sitting at the table, mulling over that problem.

He must have fallen asleep because he found himself in that deep black space again. Hui Gai was standing there, watching him.

Wei Ying felt strangely happy to see him; he bounded up to him and shyly asked, "um, may I hug you?"

The Demon was taken aback.

"I have never hugged anything." He said, uncertainly.

"Then I will show you how." Wei Ying carefully placed his arms around him and pulled him close. Here, in this dream world of his creation, Hui Gai was the same height as Wei Ying.

He tentatively put his hands on Wei Ying's back.

"See? It feels good, doesn't it?" Wei Ying pulled away to look at his face.

A soft warm smile ghosted on his face. "You are a good friend, Immortal one."

"Nonsense! I haven't done anything yet." Wei Ying replied. "But I missed you." He pulled his hand down and they sat on the floor together.

"Something is troubling you?"

The relaxed expression on his face disappeared just like that.

"What isn't troubling me, these days?" Wei Ying moaned.

"Why don't you tell me?" The Demon said, kindness lacing his words. He looked anything but, and Wei Ying had the ridiculous urge to laugh.

"You know most of it." He said, instead. "The worst thing is, I can't tell anyone how I'm feeling."

"What about your Cultivation Partner?" Hui Gai licked his lips again.

"Lan Zhan? I especially can't tell him. He worries too much about me, and then I'll worry about him, and we'll still have to sort everything out." Wei Ying buried his face in his arms.

"Immortal one, you can tell me anything." He started saying.

"But?" The muffled voice asked.

"But do you think it's wrong of you not to tell him?" Hui Gai brought his tail around his front and started playing with it.

"Wrong? Not to tell him? I'm trying to protect him." Wei Ying replied, miserably.

"Does he want your protection? Did he ask for it?" He bristled.

"No, no. Calm down." Wei Ying patted his arm. "It's what you do when you love someone."

Hui Gai made a spluttering sound.

"Why don't you believe me? You don't even have any experience." Wei Ying retorted, upset.

"No." He agreed. "But if I thought about it, and if I loved someone, I would want them to tell me everything they're feeling, even if it's bad. Otherwise I would feel a little...useless. No, that's the wrong word." He thought for a bit. "Inadequate."

"Really?" Wei Ying looked up, uncertainly at him.

"Yes. I'm feeling that way about my brother right now. I want to find out everything about him. I want to know what he likes, what he doesn't like, how he feels? Everything." Hui Gai smiled. "It might be a different kind of love, but I believe some things are the same."

Wei Ying woke up to the feeling of a blanket being placed around his shoulders. He smiled sleepily at him.

"Wei Ying is tired?" Lan Zhan said, looking concerned.

He yawned and pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
He waited until Lan Zhan sat down in front of him.

"I...I have to tell you something." He whispered, looking down.

"Mn."

"I'm sorry."

The gasp from the other had his head shooting up.

"Come here."

Wei Ying was across the table and into his arms in the blink of an eye.

"We agreed not to say that word." Lan Zhan lightly admonished.

"I know...but I think I need to." He burrowed into his chest, hiding his face.

Lan Zhan held him tighter. "Why?"

"I've been trying not to make you worry. But I think...instead, it's made you worry more?"

"Mn."

"I didn't mean to. I don't mean to." Wei Ying kissed the side of his neck and laid his head down on the strong shoulder. "Being married... it's different."

The arms tightened.

"In a good way!" He exclaimed, realising the double meaning. "I'm trying to explain, so please bear with me."

"Mn."

"So most of my life, I didn't have anybody I could confide in, or tell my problems to, except for Shijie, and even then, I tried not to." Wei Ying threaded the Lan headband through his fingers, admiring the pale blue against his skin. "But now things are different. I thought I shouldn't burden you with my problems, because I don't want you to have to worry about me."

"I like worrying about Wei Ying." Came the surprising reply. "Wei Ying's problems are my problems. We can fix together."

"See? I wasn't expecting that." Wei Ying sighed. "You're going to have to have a lot of patience with me. I'm still learning."

"Me too." Lan Zhan kissed his hair. "Wei Ying can tell me anything. I am ready."

"Well, then," Wei Ying smiled up at him. "This is going to be a long night.'