Fluffy WangXian Oneshots

The Curse Breaker Part 6

Uncle Qiren looks horrified at the sound that leaves his mouth. Wei Ying is similarly shocked into silence, and suddenly, everything falls into place. He wants to laugh because, come on!, but above all, he's not a cruel person.

No matter what this person is like, he's in trouble, and Wei Ying can help him.

"Ah...Lan Laoshi, I came in such a hurry, I forgot my talisman paper. Could I trouble you for some? Where do you keep it?" It's not exactly a lie, and while the old man splutters (suspiciously like Lil' Apple scrounging around for more treats), he hastily scribbles on some parchment paper on the table in front of him.

With his clear instructions, Wei Ying goes to the cabinet on the side and retrieves a few yellow sheets. He folds his legs under himself, right next to his former teacher, and begins to sketch out possible solutions on the paper before attempting to try them out. He begins to voice his thoughts out loud and is startled to find Lan Qiren pushing a paper of his own towards him, asking Wei Ying pertinent questions by writing them down.

His points are valid, and as they go back and forth, posing possibilities and eliminating those that have a higher chance of failure, the time passes by quite quickly. There's a commotion outside and hushed arguing until the door is knocked upon and then opened.

Wei Ying tenses momentarily, simultaneously hoping it's not Lan Zhan and desperately wishing it is, when XiChen walks in with a nod towards both of them after bowing to his uncle. His shoulders relax when no one else follows him in.

At least XiChen is sticking to his part of the bargain.

XiChen bows to Wei Ying as well, and Wei Ying returns it cautiously.

The fact that he's here and with the Lans, in Cloud Recesses itself, is giving him painful reminders of their past together, and it's not helping with his concentration, so it's with a renewed effort that Wei Ying starts making a list.

XiChen sits down next to him and begins to look through their points.

They've made quite a bit of progress by now, and Wei Ying is surprised at both that and Lan Qiren's attempt to help. He wasn't expecting that at all.

"Other than the obvious reason, how did you get your moniker?" XiChen asks him.

"That was just the peeps at home. I think Jiang Cheng called me that one time, and then suddenly everyone did. It just kind of stuck." Wei Ying rubs his nose nonchalantly, embarrassed because of it. "But it's also part of what we do at the school. And we can choose our clients now." Meaning that he did not have to come here, if he didn't want to.

"Well, it suits you, Wei-Gonzei," XiChen smiles gently. There's a twinkle in his eye suggesting that he's understood what Wei Ying meant.

"I like puzzles. And finding different ways of tackling them. Curses especially feel like a cowardly type of attack." If XiChen isn't going to address his comment, then Wei Ying can ignore it, too.

"Hm, I agree. If there is a disagreement or a conflict, it is better to try and sort it out face-to-face, rather than let it fester or use underhanded means."

Wei Ying looks up sharply at that, but there's no indication on XiChen's face that he meant anything other than what he said, no double meanings in that remark. But it echoes in his mind.

"The thing is, people use curses because of their own resentful feelings, and then it becomes closely aligned with Resentment Energy. That, as you know, is my speciality." Wei Ying grins confidently.

Lan Qiren makes another awful noise, and the tips of his ears flush a deep red as he refuses to make eye contact.

This, Wei Ying realises, is something he's not willing to let go of. Lan Qiren has never done that, always claiming that Wei Ying was at fault, succumbing to heresy and using diabolical methods to gain fortune and fame, while anyone who knew him understood that Wei Ying only wanted to help people, no matter his methods. This is a great time to try to explain to someone set in his values and unwilling to compromise, especially because he cannot speak right now.