The most precious medicine

Chapter 15

Ever since Lan Qiren had come to ask him to perform another golden core transfer operation, the last one ever he had been promised, Wen Ning had felt like on pins and needles. Deep in his heart, he had immediately rejoiced that in the end, they would really be able to save Wei Wuxian. He was extremely happy even for the small hope that there was a possibility this would work. Lan Qiren had proven him his determination.

If he truly wanted to do this, there was a slight chance that the golden core would not dissipate, he seemed prepared. After all, he had already seen the operation being carried out once and he must have understood the true extend of what he was asking to be put though. Wen Ning could not deny that the elder had come mentally prepared.

However, at the same time, he had been very sad. Even though he was still reluctant to call his relationship with Lan Qiren one of friendship, he still came to care a whole lot about him. Not unlike the way he had once cared about his own elderly uncles and aunties back during the war and when living in the Burial Mounds. Under the strict and unmoving exterior of the Gusu Lan sect elder, Wen Ning had discovered a heart which was a lot softer and which was beating for Lan Qiren's family. Curiously enough, this family now seemed to include Wei Wuxian as well.

He and Lan Qiren had spent so much time discussing a possible cure for the former demonic cultivator, medicine in general and also many other interesting topics during their tea breaks. At first, there had been no question in Wen Ning's mind that he would never say yes to transferring the elder's golden core. Wei Wuxian would have surely not wanted to have his life saved at the expense of someone else's. He had already been pitying Mo Xuanyu, a boy he had never even met, to the point of building him a proper altar in the back hills near the Jingshi. How hard would it be for him if the person sacrificing himself was someone he not only knew but who was also a part of his family?

Though, listening to Lan Qiren's reasons and his confession about his change of heart when it came to Lan Wangji's husband, Wen Ning had finally agreed. Under one condition; he would be allowed to stay in the Cloud Recesses and take care of the elder to make his life more bearable and easier on him after the operation. For now, they had only talked about the convalescence period, but Wen Ning was pretty sure it would not end with that. Lan Qiren had clearly come to more than tolerate him. If he could tell, the elder enjoyed their little conversations just as much as Wen Ning himself.

Then, it had just been the question of getting everyone else onboarded for the rescue operation.

Convincing Lan Wangji had been a lot easier than both Wen Ning and Lan Qiren had anticipated. The Chief Cultivator had listened to his uncle's explanation quietly, never interrupting it. At the end of it, he bowed low to his uncle, never doubting his resolve for a second. He had also turned to Wen Ning and had asked him if there truly was a chance. The Dafan Wen doctor had thought that Lan Wangji had both wanted to prepare his own heart for the conversation with his husband and to reassure himself that Lan Qiren would not be running any unnecessary danger.

And here they all were, sitting face to face with a very agitated Wei Wuxian, trying to convince him that he needed to accept the elder's offer.

Wen Ning had never thought it would be easy, after all, he knew the former demonic cultivator well enough to understand his reluctance. But Lan Qiren was offering freely, just as Wei Wuxian himself had done for Lan Wangji. Wen Ning could not even tell who was more stubborn in his resolve to give up his cultivation for a member of their family.

Wei Wuxian now turned to him, his eyes wide and scandalized and his breathing perturbed. Wen Ning winced internally; this was not going well at all. Moreover, in his current weak and fragile condition, this could actually be dangerous. They had to hurry up and convince him, otherwise it might be too late and he could be too far gone even for the golden core transfer.

"Wen Ning, you surely cannot be agreeing to this!" he addressed the Dafan Wen doctor, as if feeling that he would not get support from anyone else. Which was nothing but truth. Although he would not get any even from Wen Ning, he was all alone in this, they all wanted to save him. "Master Lan would just ruin himself, he..."

Wen Ning did not know what his friend wanted to say about Lan Qiren, but he did not need to listen to his persuasions, it was not as if they would be useful in any way. His decision had been taken for several days already. Taking the side of Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji, he told Wei Wuxian not unkindly:

"Young Master Wei, I am sorry. However, I have already agreed to help Master Lan to give you his golden core. He had spoken to me and I have deemed that his resolve is no weaker than yours have ever been. The transfer has a good chance of success. Please do not take it as rudeness or lack of gratitude from me, but I cannot stand on your side in this. We all want to save you, much like you had wanted to save Young Master Jiang and Second Young Master Lan."

Wei Wuxian seemed to have been shocked speechless by his words. He could only sit and stare at him with his mouth agape. His lips were moving as if he was still trying to talk but no sound came out. His eyes were darting between the three others in the room, desperately searching for something. Most probably a person who would refute Wen Ning's words and stand on his side. Not that it was happening though.

Wen Ning's heart was hurting a little for his friend. It must have felt like a betrayal to be forced into the transfer against his will, no matter if he had already done it twice himself in the past. Perhaps that was exactly what Wei Wuxian was thinking and thus the reason why he could not oppose what he had just heard.

Wen Ning realized it was now or never and he decided to come out with everything he could, no matter how unfair it may seem: "Young Master Wei, you are a person who would give up everything for the people you treasure in your heart. Let us now do the same for you. You deserve to get a proper second chance in this life. We care about you, we want to see you happy and healthy. Please, do not take this decision away from Master Lan, it is being offered freely and you should thank him instead of refusing."

A deathly silence fell onto the room. Wen Ning was not sure if he had not gone too far. Perhaps he had been a little too pushy? It could either break Wei Wuxian's resistance – for which he was hoping with all his heart – or it could push him over the edge and into doing something foolish as was his habit. Wen Ning would have been holding his breath, if he was not a fierce corpse which could not breathe anymore that was.

He noticed a movement to his left, where the Chief Cultivator sat side by side with his husband. Lan Wangji carefully took Wei Wuxian's hand into his own and with his other one, he caressed his cheek, making him turn his head. Once he succeeded and they were both looking at each other, he gently kissed Wei Wuxian's forehead and whispered: "Wei Ying, will you not do this for yourself? For me? I do not want to lose you for a second time."

Wen Ning watched as Wei Wuxian's eyes softened and filled with tears. They have won, he knew even before the former demonic cultivator whispered back with a very small voice and tears in his eyes: "Alright Lan Zhan. If your uncle is truly determined to go through with this even after having me as an example of everything that could go wrong, I will do it."

He tried to smile but it was just as pitiful as the rest of him now. Still, it clearly showed that he had at last accepted that they cared about him and allowed himself to accept this sentiment. His attempt at teasing was also a far cry from his usual persona, at least there was a little progress though: "I cannot leave my husband all alone again."