Xie Lian : "San Lang, Is there really no way to dispel the spell?"
Hua Cheng : "This spell interferes within his nerves. He may very well be awake at this moment. It's just that whatever he tries to convey through his nerves are interfered and blocked off. His sensory nerves might also be interfered, which means he can't sense anything. It's like he's trapped in his own body. This does not damage his body. It just puts him in a deep sleep. I've dispelled most parts of the spell. One should be awake by now... But, A-Ying..., he's severely affected because he's still a child. But don't worry Gege. A-Ying will wake up in a couple of days. He'll be alright."
They both looked at Wei Ying who is now placed on a bed in the Paradise Manor. Xie Lian had changed his clothes into the one they were going to buy, to let Wei Ying be more comfortable. Wei Ying was still asleep, deep asleep.
Xie Lian : "A-Ying...he had nowhere but to struggle in streets before I met him...filled with cuts and bruises. Even those haven't fully healed yet. Now he's in a coma...San Lang...I thought I could keep him safe with me. Did I make a mistake? A-Ying wouldn't have to suffer this if I didn't bring him with me."
Hua Cheng took Xie Lian's hand into his.
Hua Cheng : "Gege, it's not your fault."
Xie Lian continued looking at Wei Ying. The little boy was sleeping on the bed. He was a little small compared to his age. Probably because he survived on whatever's possible on the past years that he didn't grow much. Xie Lian remembers how Wei Ying was like when he first saw him. Dirty, unkempt, fighting with dogs and then smiling happily as he called him 'Baba'. At least he was awake then; now he's in a deep asleep, unaware of anything. If Hua Cheng had been one step late, who knew in what condition Wei Ying would be in now.
Xie Lian couldn't help but feel a bit guilty because of it. He could have taken better care of him. He could have been more attentive of him. Then Wei Ying wouldn't have to be in a coma like this.
Hua Cheng : "Gege..."
Xie Lian : "San Lang...do you think it would be best for him to find a new family? There could be someone out there searching for him..."
Hua Cheng : "Gege. Anyone out there can be searching for him. But no one could have handled it better than you."
Xie Lian : "San Lang...that's not what I mean..."
Hua Cheng : "If there is really anyone who's looking for A-Ying, we can keep a look out. But Gege knows how A-Ying looks like when he calls you 'Baba'. I doubt he's willing to leave."
Xie Lian : "But...it's dangerous to be with me."
Hua Cheng : "The danger is everywhere in this world, Gege. I say he's very lucky to have Gege by his side to protect him. Besides, I'm here too. I won't let anything happen to him or Gege. I'm his A-die."
Xie Lian : "San Lang...don't joke."
Hua Cheng : "I'm not."
Xie Lian giggled a bit. He thought Hua Cheng was not wrong. He brought Wei Ying with him because he wanted to keep him safe. But after this incident, Xie Lian wavered on his decision a bit because he thought being with him would invite more danger to Wei Ying.
But Hua Cheng was right. Danger was everywhere in this world. It would be bad if he wanted to throw Wei Ying back into the world just because he couldn't protect him just this one time. It could be another thing if there was someone looking for Wei Ying but looking at Wei Ying's conditions just a few days ago, that was unlikely.
Xie Lian looked at Wei Ying again and patted his head a bit. In his mind he told himself, 'I'll protect you no matter what. I won't let you suffer like this ever again.'
A week later, Wei Ying slowly opened his eyes again. He felt tired and exhausted. He looked around with weary eyes and found out that he was in some sort of extravagant room. The ceiling walls and ceilings were colored red. There was beautiful furniture in the room. And there were a lot of candle holders, but it was daytime so none was lighted. And the bed he was lying in had soft cushion and seemed very expensive too. Wei Ying thought he was in a dream.
"A-Ying?"
Just when he was dazed, Wei Ying heard Xie Lian called for him.
"Baba...?"
Xie Lian quickly tended to him. Feeding him some water and letting him lie down. Xie Lian's face was full of relief. Wei Ying still thought he was in a dream.
Wei Ying : "Baba...I'm hungry..."
Xie Lian : "All right. Just wait a minute here. I'll bring back some food."
Saying so, Xie Lian went out to ask Hua Cheng some congee. Wei Ying looked at him go. He felt warm and loved. He felt safe to know that there was someone looking out for him. Wei Ying smiled a bit, thinking this wasn't a bad dream.
Xie Lian came back with a bowl of congee. Hua Cheng was with him too. They both fed Wei Ying carefully. Wei Ying ate the entire bowl of congee. He felt better after eating. He still felt hungry so Hua Cheng had to go grab another bowl. Wei Ying ate all of that too. After finishing the second bowl, Wei Ying thought this was too realistic to be a dream.
Wei Ying looked up. Seeing the two adults caring tenderly for him let him feel a sob come up his throat. But that quickly changed into a wide grin. He was happy. He was genuinely happy to be with people who cared for him.
Xie Lian and Hua Cheng seemed a bit surprised to see a big grin on Wei Ying, who just woke up after being in coma for a week. They both sighed, both relieved to know that Wei Ying was fine. The big grin brought them an ease as well as a warmth of heart. Xie Lian patted Wei Ying's head.
"Baba...who's the other uncle?"
Wei Ying asked looking at Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng was still in his original appearance; he forgot to change it since he's at Paradise Manor and he wanted everyone to be aware of his presence. But Wei Ying didn't know his original appearance.
Hua Cheng looked older, more mature and taller in this appearance. With an eye-patch covering his right eye and the raven black hair falling down, it was hard to pick out the youthful appearance Wei Ying remembered. But they looked similar so Wei Ying didn't feel alarmed.
Hua Cheng : "What? After looking that much, you still don't remember your A-die?"
Wei Ying exclaimed with widened eyes : "A-die?!!"
Hua Cheng : "Yeah, it's me."
Wei Ying wanted to say something but he suddenly remembered the painting in the shrine.
Wei Ying : "A-die and Baba are so alike!"
Hua Cheng lifted an eyebrow and asked, "Really?"
Wei Ying : "Reallyy! You both can change your appearance into completely different ones, but you still recognize each other so easily."
Xie Lian listening from the side felt like his ears were starting to burn up. While Hua Cheng was suppressing his laugher,
Xie Lian : "A-Ying, rest up a bit more. We'll be here whenever you need anything. Rest and get better soon, alright?"
Wei Ying : "All right. Baba!"
Xie Lian : "Good boy."
Xie Lian put Wei Ying into bed. After waking up, there shouldn't be anything more to worry about. Wei Ying would get better as he ate and rest. He'll be fine in no time. The thought brought a smile to Xie Lian's face. After Wei Ying had fallen asleep, he left with Hua Cheng to make more congee to eat when Wei Ying wakes up again.
Hua Cheng : "Are we alike, Gege?"
Xie Lian : "May...Maybe?"
And they left; Xie Lian with red ears and Hua Cheng with crescent eyes. [means he's smiling so much that he eyes curved into crescent shapes. A very satisfied smile.]
About a month later, Wei Ying was perfectly healthy again. He was going around the Paradise Manor. When he was going around for the first time, he thought the manor was so magnificent that he wowed every corner. The manor was decorated in vibrant red and gold. There were large pillars and beautiful paintings everywhere he turned.
Hua Cheng would sometimes go around with Wei Ying and play with him. This was such a new sight for the manor maids that they couldn't keep their eyes shut. And when they heard Wei Ying call Hua Cheng 'A-die' for the first time, they all gasped so hard that it echoed through the Paradise Manor. Then when they heard Wei Ying call Xie Lian 'Baba', they gasped harder again. Hua Cheng scolded them and gave a frown but didn't follow the matter more. Xie Lian's ears and neck were beet red at the time but Wei Ying was more than happy to have two dads.
The maids and servants working at the Paradise Manor were now friends of the sweet little Wei Ying. 'This is the little kid the Lord has saved using all means possible!' 'The Lord will extinguish anyone who dares to harm the kid.' 'The Lord was infuriated that time because some idiot kidnapped him.' These were the impressions Wei Ying gave the ghosts at Ghost city at first. But after the ghost maids and servants have seen him, they all understood why their Lord favors the kid so much.
The kid was adorable to the peak. He wore a smile every time he could. He was playful, energetic, adorable and considerate. Wei Ying wasn't allowed to wander in the city; he was only allowed to wander in the Paradise Manor. Even so the news of his cuteness has reached the whole Ghost city. And since Wei Ying calls Hua Cheng 'A-die', he was now famous as 'The Lord's new cute kid!'. And from the points of view of the maids and servants in the Paradise Manor, there might be another reason why the Lord favors the kid.
"A-Ying? A-Yingg? Where did you run off to again? It's time for lunch."
The maids looked at the white clad cultivator walking around and searching for Wei Ying. Then they looked at another direction; and there was a seven-year-old kid dressed in a simple white robe set with red and black linings. He looked like a fiery little kid with those sparkly blue eyes and his bouncily tied up hair. And then, there was a red-robed young man behind him. The maids knew, by this time, that this was their Lord's younger form and that the Lord would use this form when he plays with the kid.
Looking at the three like this from the side, the maids mentally knew of the other reason why their Lord might favor the kid. Though they do not speak it aloud, everyone in the ghost city already knew of this from the whispers of the manor maids. And the topic 'Lord Crimson Rain Sought Flower's Family' will be a legendary gossip topic for the residents of Ghost city for at least another century.
Wei Ying was hiding behind a pillar. And Hua Cheng was hiding behind the pillar and Wei Ying. They were both sneaking a peak at Xie Lian as they stayed hidden. Wei Ying looked up and behind,
Wei Ying : "A-die, is it really alright to hide from Baba?"
Hua Cheng : "What?? You're the one who said you wanted to play hide-and-seek!"
Wei Ying : "But...Baba doesn't know we're playing."
Hua Cheng : "He'll find out sooner or later."
Xie Lian : "What'll I find out?"
Wei Ying and Hua Cheng were startled as Xie Lian asked them from the other side of the pillar. He was smiling but it also felt like he wasn't smiling.
Wei Ying : "Baba! We...um...we wanted to play hide-and-seek..."
Xie Lian : "That's why you were hiding behind this pillar? And San Lang, what are you doing here? I asked you to bring A-Ying for his lunch."
Hua Cheng : "Ahahah...Gege...please don't be mad. The thing is A-Ying suddenly wanted to play hide-and-seek so I'm just accompanying him."
Xie Lian : "..."
Hua Cheng : "Gege?"
Xie Lian : "*sigh...A-Ying, you could have told me first if you wanted to play hide-and-seek."
Wei Ying : "But A-die said you would find us even if we didn't tell you."
Xie Lian : "San Lang said that?"
Wei Ying : "Omhm."
Xie Lian looked like he deepened his smile. But that somehow brought shivers down Hua Cheng's spine; it has been around eight hundred years since he's been a ghost king, yet he had never felt such shivers down his spine. This was his first time.
Xie Lian : "I understand. But you must tell me first the next time you play. Alright, A-Ying? Now go on, I took your lunch to your room. I'll come after I speak with your A-die for a minute."
Wei Ying : "Yes, Baba."
Thus, Wei Ying left for his room, leaving behind his smiling yet not smiling Baba and standing yet shivering A-die behind to talk.
When Wei Ying arrived at his room, there was a table prepared with three sets of lunch. Wei Ying brought the chairs together and prepared some tea. Somehow, maybe instinctively, he knew Xie Lian was mad. So he prepared some tea, he also knew his Baba liked tea.
When Xie Lian and Hua Cheng returned, Wei Ying saw that Xie Lian was still smiling but he didn't seem to be mad anymore. And the smile felt tranquil, like naturally born. On the contrary, Hua Cheng's face was as pale as a ghost. He was as pale as a ghost to begin with but still, he looked more pale now like he was a spoiled little kid who just got scolded for the first time in his life. But he didn't seem unhappy. One could tell he was pouting a little bit but he wasn't sad or depressed.
Wei Ying relaxed a bit seeing their expressions. Wei Ying had always been a kid who knows how to read one's expression and act along. He smiled widely, gesturing at his two dads,
Wei Ying : "Baba, A-die, come sit! Let's have lunch together."
Xie Lian : "Now you remember to have lunch. I'll have to punish you next time if you try to skip lunch to play."
Wei Ying : "I'm sorry, Baba. I won't do it again."
Xie Lian : "Omm... (in his mind- 'San Land said the same thing')...alright. Eat when it's still hot."
Wei Ying : "Thank you, Baba. Oh, and Baba, I made some tea."
Saying so, Wei Ying poured some of the tea he had prepared to Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. Xie Lian took a small sip. The water was very hot, and there were too many leaves added to the tea that it made the tea bitter. If it was this bitter when hot, it'll only be more bitter when cold. Preparing tea is also a very delicate thing to do; you have to be wary of the water temperature, the amount of tea leaves, the variety of different tea leaves, etc. and etc. Wei Ying had a long way to go before he was able to brew fine tea.
But, for a seven-year-old as Wei Ying to be able to boil water and prepare tea without burning his hand was a praiseworthy effort. Xie Lian was more than happy to enjoy such tea. He smiled as he took another sip,
Xie Lian : "Where did you learn how to brew it? You did pretty well."
Wei Ying : "I learned from watching how the maids brew it."
Hua Cheng said while chewing a piece of meat, "If you want to learn, you could have just told 'em to teach you."
Xie Lian : "It's alright, San Lang. Besides, A-Ying seems to be all fine now. We should head back to Puqi village."
Wei Ying : "Baba, we're going back?"
Xie Lian : "Yes. You're all better now. I think it'll be alright."