WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 51 Wait

Wei Ying watched his family finish eating their dinner. After everything was cleared away, he sat back and took a deep breath.

Lan Zhan somehow heard him and stared hard, wondering what he wanted to say.

"So...today, Hui Gai came to see me."

Li Xiwang scowled. "What about me? Why didn't he wait for me?"

"I'm getting to it, give me a chance." Wei Ying smiled at her. "The soothsayer and about a hundred kids were waiting for him, so he had to leave, but his idea is to take those children to my grandmother. They have a three day trip walking ahead of them."

"Mn."

"Well, I have an idea about that, but I need to be there. So I was hoping if you guys didn't mind, could we spend a day at my grandmother's place?" He looked at the disappointed faces of his children. "Only for one day, we won't stay the night. Promise." He rushed to put their minds at ease.

"Okay." Li Xiwang glanced at SiZhui before answering.

"I don't like spending time away from home, away from you," Wei Ying looked at both of his children." But I think we can make a real breakthrough by doing this. It's a stroke of luck that the soothsayer found the children in the first place."

"I also want to ask something." Li XiWang said.

"Go ahead, little rabbit."

"I've made some good friends at classes. But I'm the only girl who sleeps away from the dormitory. I want to be with my friends...if...if you don't mind." Her expression was so earnest, that Wei Ying couldn't help laughing.

"Are you sure, little rabbit? We love having you here, you know."

"But sometimes you're not here, and...and it's hard." She looked down.

"What's hard?" Wei Ying coaxed.

"I don't like being here alone." She admitted.

Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan. He felt so bad that in their honest attempt to provide stability for her, they inadvertently ended up scaring her more.

Lan Zhan nodded at him.

"Are you sure? You know we love you, love you sleeping here with us."

She patted his hand. "I know, Father Wei. But if I slept with my friends, I wouldn't be by myself. And it's just sleeping, I want to eat with you whenever I can."

"Okay. When do you want to go?"

"As soon as I can!" She bubbled with enthusiasm.

"Will speak to Brother about arrangements." Lan Zhan said.

Li XiWang jumped over the table to hug him. Wei Ying's heart warmed at the sight.

*****

Hui Gai led the soothsayer and the children over mountains and meadows, walking to the place where Baoshen Sanren lived. He was scared for two reasons; one, that she would reject his proposal, and two, that they would be pursued.

So far, lady luck was on their side. Just to be safe, he limited their traveling to early in the morning when hardly anybody was around, and late at night when folks slept.

A hundred children drew a lot of attention and so he tried to stick to out of way roads, with coverage and shelter. Plains and meadows were tackled at night when there was less chance of being spotted.

The angry child had gotten attached and held his hand whenever he could. Hui Gai encouraged silence whenever possible. The children were already traumatized by their experience, but now his sense of urgency roused a panic induced action.

All of them rested when he said, ate when he allowed and walked when he permitted, trusting him with their lives.

*****

Wei Ying paused outside the inn in Caiyi town, trying to summon enough courage to do this. Lan Zhan waited patiently next to him, holding his other hand.

"Okay, let's do this." He gave a small smile to his husband, who in return, squeezed his hand.

Luckily, they found the young lady sitting at a table. Wei Ying felt uncomfortable calling her his sister. But he warily approached her, waiting until she looked up at him.

She stood up straight away. "Brother!" She blushed shyly. "Thank you for coming to see me."

"It's not what you think!" Wei Ying hurried to correct her assumption. "I...I don't want to rush this. To tell you the truth, I have been avoiding thinking about this, about you."

"I see." Her tone became serious.

"But I didn't want you to leave, either. It's just that all this is bad timing. We have to leave Gusu for a few days," okay, that was a lie, it was only one day, "but is it too much to ask you to wait? For me?" Wei Ying was trying not to think about how he felt.

"I don't mind at all. I haven't seen you in twenty six years, so what's a few more days?" She smiled sadly at him. "When you do come to meet me, for real, I hope you can keep an open mind? I have lots to tell you."

Wei Ying nodded. "We have to go..."

"I will wait." She told him.

Wei Ying felt relieved that the pressure was off, at least for a few days. His mind was preoccupied anyway with his suggestion for getting more information, and he did not want to dwell on personal problems right now. He bowed and left the inn with Lan Zhan.

"Let's go." He kissed the soft cheek of his husband and mounted Bichen.

Hui Gai was waiting for him.