Never Let You Go, Again

2: Forgive me, A-Ying

"Wei Ying? Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji cried, as loud as he possibly could, but he received no reply. He was worried, for though he knew the reason Wei Wuxian had disappeared, he didn't know where he went to. Walking a few feet closer to the waterfall, he looked around, searching intently for his husband. Seconds later, he felt something tugging his outer robe's hem. There stood a white rabbit, its teeth sunk into its master's clothes, pulling him in some direction. Lan Wangji nodded and followed it. 

Laughter rang through the air, as he heard someone playing joyously with the rabbits, talking to them, entrusting them with his sorrows. Wei Wuxian lay on the grass, bunnies surrounding him, as he spoke to them. 

"He chased me off, believe me, he did! So heartlessly, too. That was my brother, you know, but your master and Jiang Cheng... I don't understand them sometimes..." He trailed off. But the instant he saw the faces shrouded by concern, he burst out laughing, "Lan Wangji really is your master! Look at the worry written all over your tiny faces!" Watching him laugh, the said master smiled.  

"Wei Ying."

Wei Wuxian sat up, beaming. "Hey, Lan Zh–" He suddenly remembered why he had taken refuge here in the first place. Instantly scowling, he turned away with a "Hmph!" 

Sighing deeply, Lan Wangji walked towards his husband and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Wei Ying? Why are you here?" 

No reply. 

"Wei Ying. Alright, I was wrong, I should have let you be there." This earned him a grin from Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian slowly turned to peek at Lan Wangji. 

Lan Wangji looked crestfallen. And that was something his heart would not tolerate. 

"WEI YING!" Lan Wangji's ear tips turned scarlet, surprised and embarrassed by Wei Wuxian suddenly pecking his cheek. 

The culprit, beaming at the victim, said, "My good Lan Er-Gege, you really do know to apologise! Lan Zhan, I was bored and sad, so I came to say hello to our friends! See, they like me so much now!" 

Lan Zhan cocked his brow, as though to say, 'Seriously? Who doesn't like you, Wei Ying?'

"Ah, Lan Zhan, you are wrong there," Wei Wuxian exclaimed, reading his soulmate's mind. "I am not the same Wei Wuxian I once was, not everyone appreciates me, you know it better than anyone," he said, trying his best to sound nonchalant. 

But how could Lan Wangji not see through it? Cupping his husband's face, he spoke while caressing the pale cheeks, "Wei Ying, you will always be loved. By xiongzhang, and the juniors. By your friends Huaisang and Wen Ning. Jiang Wanyin. And me. Always," he ended with a smile. 

Wei Wuxian, caught by surprise by the sweet words and the rare beauty of Hanguang-Jun's smile, grew crimson. "Lan– Lan Zhan, can't you warn me before saying such things?" 

Smirking, Lan Zhan decided to play along. "What things?"

"LAN ZHAN!" Screaming his companion's name, Wei Wuxian flung himself on Lan Wangji, laying his head on the latter's comfortable laps. Lan Wangji contemplated for a while before concluding that he could excuse himself for a while from duty, having worked all morning. Satisfied, he took out his zither and played 'Cleansing'. 

Wei Wuxian had not realised he was fatigued after fooling around all day. Barely a minute after Lan Wangji began playing 'Cleansing', he was snoring softly. 

Lan Wangji stopped playing and looked down at his dearest's ever-charming face. His face blossomed into a sad smile, as he stroked Wei Wuxian's head. His eyes drooped in guilt and sadness as he thought of his discussion with Jiang Wanyin. He couldn't allow Wei Wuxian to find out. They will solve it among themselves, as his brother-in-law had suggested. He cannot lose his Wei Ying again. 

"Forgive me, A-Ying," he said to his sleeping beloved. 

He stayed there for a half-hour, before carrying the Yiling Patriarch to the Jingshi, planting a kiss on his forehead, and walking back to the study. Meeting a junior on the way, he ordered, "Ask Sect Leader Jiang to come with Sect Leader Jin to meet me in the Hall. Send a notice for Sect Leader Nie, too." The disciple nodded and left to carry out the orders. 

After waiting for a while at the meeting hall with the two young sect leaders, Lan Wangji finally received a signal that the Sect Leader Nie had arrived. Nie Huaisang walked straight into the Hall, without stopping to notice the newly added rules on the wall, and bowed to the Chief Cultivator. 

"Chief Cultivator, what's the matter?" 

"Lan Wangji, establish the silencing charm around us."

"Mn. Jiang Wanyin, speak to Jin Ling."

Turning on the youngest sect leader, Jiang Cheng said, "Jin Ling, whatever we discuss here, is among the sect leaders, don't you dare reveal this to anyone else, understood?" 

Jin Ling nodded resolutely. As though suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Jiujiu, what about Wei Shishu?"

"Right, where's Bro Wei?" Huaisang asked surprised not to see his friend by the Chief Cultivator's side. 

Jiang Cheng exchanged a look with Lan Wangji. Sighing, he replied, "By anyone else, that's exactly who I meant."