"A-diē"
Hua Cheng was shocked to hear Wei Ying calling him' he's not calling me, he's calling his father. Not me.' He held Wei Ying closer to his chest and he slowly stood up. He looked at Xie Lian started and saw him nodding. He ran across the street with Xie Lian following behind. They rushed into an inn by the roadside.
Hua Cheng cradled Wei Ying with one hand, holding him close to his chest. He took took out money from his robes using his other hand. He placed it before a worried inn keeper and said hastily.
"One room"
"Quickly"
Xie Lian added. The inn keeper did not waste any time and gave them the key. Xie Lian picked up the key and dashed across the hallway. He heard the inn keeper shouting after them
"Upstairs, first room."
Xie Lian quickly climbed up the stairs and opened the door for his husband. Hua Cheng walked into the room holding Wei Ying. Xie Lian closed the door behind them.
Xie Lian removed Wei Ying's torn shoes carefully and Hua Cheng placed Wei Ying onto the bed. Xie Lian poured some water for Wei Ying to drink when Hua Cheng said.
"Gege, I'll get some medicine and something to eat. I'll be back soon."
"Ok San Lang but please come back fast."
Xie Lian said worriedly. Hua Cheng kissed his husband's forehead and left. Xie Lian made Wei Ying drink some water. He dipped a cloth in water and wipped Wei Ying's face. He then placed a piece of wet cloth on his forehead to cool him down.
"Wei Ying looks so good, he looks like he is smili-"
Xie Lian could not finish the sentence, Wei Ying scrunched up his nose and started squirming in his bed. He was shaking and thrashing around in the bed pulling away from Xie Lian's hold.
'Is he having a nightmare?' Xie Lian thought as he held Wei Ying's hands and slowly rubbed them. Wei Ying had tears running down his tightly shut eyes and he was muttering.
"Take the dogs away..
Don't bite me.
A-diē , A-niang save me.
A-Ying is a good boy don't leave me."
Wei Ying murmured in his sleep thrashing his hands and legs in every direction. Xie Lian tried to calm him by patting his head as he said in a low voice.
"Shhh. Shhh.
It's alright A-Ying. The dogs are gone. A-diē is here now. Don't worry. "
To his surprise Wei Ying calmed down and went back to sleep. Xie Lian sighed in relief and turned around to see that his husband standing beside him looking at Wei Ying with a frown. Hua Cheng handed Xie Lian the packet and said.
"I got some clothes for him too."
Xie Lian placed the clothes on the bed and started taking off Wei Ying's torn clothes. Hua Cheng lifted the table from the other side of the room and placed it near the bed. When Xie Lian finished undressing Wei Ying, Hua Cheng took out the medicinal salve from his sleeve and gave it to Xie Lian.
"Gege the medicine"
"Thanks San Lang"
Xie Lian took the medicine and slowly applied on Wei Ying's wounds. Wei Ying winced in pain and scrunched his nose but stayed asleep from all the exhaustion. Hua Cheng watched as his husband treated the child with care. He smiled and went out again to get them some light food. He came back with a tray of food and placed it on the table.
Xie Lian had finished bandaging the bleeding wounds and dressed Wei Ying in new clothes. He was now just sitting on the bed looking at the sleeping child. Hua Cheng sat near his husband while holding a bowl of congee. Xie Lian picked up the sleeping Wei Ying and made him lean on him. He circled his hands around Wei Ying holding him in place.
Hua Cheng scooped one spoonful of congee, blew on it and brought it near Wei Ying's mouth. The sleeping child swallowed it down without opening his eyes.
Xie Lian wiped Wei Ying's mouth with his handkerchief. Wei Ying opened his eyes slowly and yawned. He looked up at his Handsome Gege who was feeding him and smiled. Wei Ying was happy to know that his two Geges were not just another dream.
"Hello"
Xie Lian said as Hua Cheng scooped another spoonful. Wei Ying happily gulped it and licked his lips. He turned around to see where he was sitting. He looked at his Smiling Gege and smiled brightly.
Wei Ying then faced Hua Cheng and opened his mouth wide for more feeding. Hua Cheng shook his head with a smile and gave Wei Ying another spoonful of congee.
After finishing the entire bowl Wei Ying soon fell asleep in Xie Lian's arms. Xie Lian sat beside Hua Cheng and stroked Wei Ying's hair. He said in a low voice.
"We need to take to Lotus Pier"
"Gege?"
"His parents are dead. And-"
Hua Cheng was expecting this news for sometime now but he was waiting for Xie Lian to say. Now that he knew Wei Ying's parents are no longer alive, he looked at the child in a different light. Xie Lian took a deep breath and said.
"Because his mother asked me to. She want him to grow up there. When he is fully healed we will take him to Fengmian."
Hua Cheng nodded but when he looked at Xie Lian he could see that he was hesitant. He hugged his husband and said.
"How about we go and see this Fengmian person tomorrow, before we take Wei Ying to him?"
"That's sound good."
Xie Lian smiled and hugged the sleeping Wei Ying. Wei Ying smiled in his sleep and snuggled closer to Xie Lian.Hua Cheng looked at the two of them and laughed. He said.
"Now Gege don't hold him so tightly. Lay him on the bed."
Xie Lian chuckled loosing his hold on the sleeping child. He guided Wei Ying to lay on the bed and pulled the covers over him. Both of them sat on either side of Wei Ying looking after him as he slept.
"San Lang , you can call Yin Yu to keep Wei Ying company tomorrow and we can go to Lotus Pier. "
"Anything gege says."
Wei Ying did not wake up until late in the evening. Xie Lian was sitting near the window looking out, Hua Cheng had gone out to search information on Lotus Pier and Fengmian. Xie Lian heard some sound from behind so he turned around only to see the bed empty with just the crinkled blankets.
Xie Lian quickly walked to the bedside to see Wei Ying sitting on the ground with paper sprawled around him. He was bending over a piece of paper and drawing earnestly.
"A-Ying what are you doing? "
Xie Lian asked to let the child know that he was there not wanting to surprise him once again. He then sat beside him. Wei Ying gave him a piece of paper while saying.
"Smiling Gege"
The paper had many scribbles all over it but in the middle was a drawing of Xie Lian. The person wore long robes with long black hair and his face had a curved line for a smile. There was a conical bamboo hat over his head too. Xie Lian looked at Wei Ying who had gone back to drawing, he smiled and said.
"Thank you A-Ying. It's very beautiful.
What are you drawing now A-Ying?"
"I am drawing Handsome Gege.
Look. "
Wei Ying said as he held up the paper for Xie Lian to see. Although the drawing was just messy lines the man in the drawing had long hair, high boots and eye patch. The man's mouth was drawn only as a thin line. Xie Lian ruffled Wei Ying's hair and said.
"This look very much like San Lang."
Just then the door opened and Hua Cheng walked in, seeing him Xie Lian gestured him to come over. Hua Cheng walked towards them and kneeled beside the pair. A paper was shoved into his line of sight as soon as he sat down. He took the paper from Wei Ying, it was a drawing of him.
"Handsome gege do you like it? "
"I like it."
Both of them sat on the floor with Wei Ying as he continued drew more and more pictures of them always showing them and asking if they like it. Wei Ying insisted on eating the dinner by himself and Xie Lian and Hua Cheng watched him eat talking nonstop about how tasty the food is or how hungry he was.
"Do you know I am ghost?"
Hua Cheng asked suddenly as the three were sitting in the bed and getting ready for sleep. Wei Ying paused in playing with his grass butterflies and looked up at his Handsome Gege. Xie Lian sat there with an amused smile waiting to see what Wei Ying might do next.
"Are you really a ghost? "
"Yes I am.
A very bad one."
"No you are not."
Wei Ying quickly replied, he looked at his Handsome Gege from head to toe and added.
"Then you are a good ghost. A very handsome one. "
Wei Ying stood up on the bed and poked Hua Cheng on the cheeks. Hua Cheng looked at the child in front of him with wide eye. He had a surprised expression when Wei Ying continued to poke his entire face. Xie Lian was laughing behind his sleeves, watching this from the side.
"I can touch you. You are not a ghost.
Is he? "
Wei Ying asked rubbing his nose and turning towards Xie Lian who nodded.
"I eat naughty children."
Hua Cheng said getting Wei Ying's attention back to him. Wei Ying was silent after hearing that and Hua Cheng frowned thinking that he scared the boy. Xie Lian was going to say that his husband was just joking when Wei Ying smiled. To both their surprise Wei Ying started laughing clutching his stomach.
"No you don't. Haha. You eat rice. I saw that."
Wei Ying said jumping up and down on the bed. Xie Lian caught the jumping child and made him lay on the bed and said.
"A-ying is right. San lang only eats rice. Okay now sleep. "
"Okay. Aren't you both sleeping here?"
Wei Ying smiled and patted the bed on either side of him waiting for both his Geges to sleep along with him.
"Yes we are."
Hua Cheng said as he blew off the lamp beside the bed. Wei Ying giggled as Xie Lian hugged him, he wiggled in his hold and found his Handsome Gege's hand to hold onto. Hua Cheng squeezed Wei Ying's tiny hand and pulled the blanket over the three of them.