WangXian Forever 6

Chapter 129 Honesty

Wei Ying held out the nut to Zai Shu Xia.

"You took this from the Children of the Tree....and I sincerely believe your mother would have wanted you to have it. It is yours, to plant wherever you think is best." He said, softly.

She took the nut, tears in her eyes.

"My mother was...the best. She always understood me, what I wanted...and what I needed. And somehow, I could directly communicate with her. I do not think she was happy with the way her life was going, or even the direction in which my sisters and I were being led." She looked up then. "Where's Jian Ci? We must protect mother from her."

"She...she's dead, dear sister." Yezi told her.

Wei Ying had explained to them what had happened in that secret armoury.

Zhitiao told her everything.

Zai Shu Xia was silent for a long time. Tiaopi De Long came to stand next to her, his fingers threading through hers. She looked at him then, and he wiped away her tears, giving her a small smile of encouragement.

"Perhaps it is for the best. She was my sister too, even if she didn't act like it in later years. But she was a victim to her own mind...and she would not have rested. At least she is in peace now."

"Will you be our leader, dear sister?" Yezi took her hand, the one with the nut resting in her palm.

She touched her forehead to the nut.

"I will follow you anywhere."

Zhitiao laughed.

"Forgotten about Haitch already?"

Yezi glared at her.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Really?" Zhitiao grinned at her with disbelief.

"Hush!" Zai Shu Xia gently admonished both of them. "I have made my decision." She looked up at Wei Ying, who was smiling at her. "I do not believe our Mother would have wanted us to continue the way we used to live. If you agree, I would like very much if you can offer my mother sanctuary. If Cloud Recesses is willing to give her a home, then she will reward your kindness with a prosperity never seen here before...as long as she is loved without corruption."

"We have over four thousand rules in place to make sure that never happens." Wei Ying replied, turning to look at Lan Zhan.

"Mn. Can ask the Elders."

There were a lot of questions in his golden eyes, and Wei Ying knew the time to answer them was coming much closer.

"Soon, I promise, my love." He whispered.

They both knew what he was talking about.

Healer Fei, upon being pressed about their health, said Tiaopi De Long and Zai Shu Xia were in excellent condition, their soul bond making sure their bodies were fit and normal. However, he wanted them to rest for a few days before anything strenuous.

Daden De Long was disappointed to hear that, but Daden Yaonu was more encouraging.

"We have waited more than ten years for this day, what is in a few more days?" She had told them.

The day passed in the couple settling in, in the guest quarters. Yezi and Zhitiao, Hongse and her sisters, plus the Dadens kept them entertained, catching up on ten years worth of news. All the while, she stroked the sparrow in her lap and watched Li XiWang and Rumi.

The children were seated in Wei Ying and Lan Zhan's laps respectively, Xiao Mao in Rumi's lap and DaErduo running energetic circles around all of them.

Wei Ying thought she wanted to say something to Li XiWang, but was definitely thinking about how to say it.

There must have been very much to say, but the thing was, how to go about it? How to say, I had to save your father, but that meant I had to leave you? No parent should have to go through something like that.

He didn't envy her position at all. Wei Ying was just extremely grateful that if ever something like that happened to him, he had Lan Zhan to rely on, Lan Zhan who had already saved their first child from certain death, who would always be there for their children. And not only that, they had everyone at Cloud Recesses to depend upon. Not only his XiChen-Ge, and Jiang Cheng, but literally, it was the whole of Cloud Recesses.

He reached for Lan Zhan, knowing that the time for his own explanations was looming on the horizon soon, and if he was honest, he wanted to get it over and done with.

All it took was for Rumi to yawn, and Lan Zhan was standing up already, the familiars handed to Wei Ying as he picked up both children.

"We have to go...children are tired..." Wei Ying hastily explained before chasing after his husband.

"So...that's one way to leave." He grinned at Lan Zhan, who looked completely unrepentant.

"Mn."

They had milk and cookies ready for both children, though Rumi stayed away from the milk and just ate the biscuits. Wei Ying made a mental note to investigate that further, later on.

Li XiWang, who hadn't shown any sign of being tired, yawned and swayed, but Wei Ying caught her small body, kissing her hair.

Lan Zhan picked up Rumi and brought them into their room. The children slept in two beds very close to each other so Rumi would not be afraid. It was his first time out of the Nether World, and Wei Ying was always afraid that the boy would not adapt well, but so far, Rumi was doing great.

He still said their names together, and it didn't matter which one he was talking to, they were both addressed as "WingAnLaZhan", which was terribly endearing. Wei Ying thought it was because he saw them as one unit, which was actually very true.

Li XiWang held onto his sleeve as Wei Ying was tucking her in.

"What are we going to do about my parents?" She mumbled, her eyes half closed again.

"We don't have to worry about that now, little rabbit. Let's save that for tomorrow, okay?" He kissed her forehead.

She smiled, and another pair of warm lips replaced those as the parents swapped.

"Father, please can you sing something?" She whispered.

Wei Ying smothered a laugh at the look of surprise on Lan Zhan's face, but he watched as Lan Zhan settled to sit beside her and began.

Wei Ying concentrated on tucking Rumi in, lying down next to him for comfort.

He closed his eyes to listen fully, the warm voice of his lover soothing and intoxicating, the notes washing over his heart and entering that secret place.

Lan Zhan didn't sing often, and Wei Ying thought it was definitely not often enough, but he would never refuse anything any child asked of him.

When his strong arms came around him, Wei Ying smiled with his eyes still closed, turning and clinging onto him instead as they settled by the table in their part of the Jingshi.

Wei Ying opened his eyes, staring into warm golden eyes filled with love and...curiosity.