SiZhui arrived later that morning with Jin Ling. QuQu was teething and feverish, so they had left her in Lanling with a nanny she hadn't managed to terrorise enough yet.
That night, the Jingshi was alive again with the sound of laughing children and their father, who always enjoyed time well spent teasing and joking with them. Lan Zhan was happy to seat Rumi in his lap, Li XiWang deeming herself too old to sit in anyone's lap now, and Thing remained nestled within Wei Ying's robes, contently purring unless anyone got too close to his benefactor.
They ate dinner together, cramped around the little table, reminiscing the times gone by, and waiting for XiChen and Jiang Cheng to arrive with little Li Li.
Then they could go outside and introduce the children to Muqin.
Lan Zhan was both looking forward to it, and dreading it.
He kept remembering what his mother had said about moving on, after she had met the kids, and he didn't think he was ready for that.
Perhaps, he would never be ready to let her go, which he understood was completely unfair to her, but he couldn't help how he felt. These past few days, it felt as if Wei Ying had given him back something from his past, in between the time he had his mother and then abruptly lost her, a different type of healing, and he feared he was still just as unprepared for the inevitable pain the loss of her would give him.
No one understood how he felt except for Wei Ying.
In between the moments of casual talk and finding funny things to remember about each other, Wei Ying's hand would reach across to slide into contact with his. Palms joined together in harmony, a touch he felt constantly starved for, and apparently, so did Wei Ying, judging from the way his shoulders relaxed and the inaudible sigh to leave his beautiful lips, so he was just as affected.
The knock on the door and consequent entrance of their brothers made his anxiety spike, but Rumi held his skinny arms open for his cousin, who chortled with glee at finally being reunited with her most favourite person, Uncle Zhan.
Her baby hair was a mass of dark curls framing her wide forehead and generous cheeks, her always smiling eyes and pink lips turned up with delight as she threw her chubby arms around his neck.
She smelled of powder and clementines, a sweet combination that reminded Lan Zhan of her beautiful innocence, the exuberance that only babies seem to have, and little Li Li still had it in spades even if she was approaching her second birthday soon.
"Are we ready?" XiChen says, brightly, and that's all it takes for silence to envelope the room.
"Way to kill the mood, Huan." Jiang Cheng pokes at his ribs, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.
XiChen smiles awkwardly then, apologetic without voicing one.
Lan Zhan thinks that maybe he's not the only one feeling nostalgic and sad. But there was no sense in trying to delay this, so he stood up effortlessly carrying both his charges, and waiting for Wei Ying to catch up by the back door of the Jingshi.
They file out and sit in an open circle, all holding hands except for little Li Li, who remains sitting in Lan Zhan's lap.
Muqin materialises immediately, cooing at their cuteness. Little Li Li smiles at her as if she can see her grandmother unaided, and she appears to be quite comfortable doing it.
The pale blue light of his mother hugs them both, a caress of energy that wraps around the baby like a maternal kiss.
Then she turns her attention to SiZhui and Jin Ling.
Wei Ying makes the introductions, and the moment is bittersweet.
Lan Zhan thinks about the opposite reality, wondering what it would have been like for both SiZhui and Muqin to meet while she was alive, and how sweet that would have been. She whispers something in their ears separately, making SiZhui smile with infinite kindness.
Their sunshine child was so full of goodness, a perfect boy.
His personality was flawless, and if he could be accused of anything, it would be that he was too good.
Muqin wraps them in a warm energy embrace, and moves onto Li XiWang.
Their daughter is as inquisitive as her other father, and she stares up at Muqin, her wide burgundy eyes bright with curiosity.
Ever respectful, she bows, delighting Muqin.
Muqin asks her questions about her interests, and Li XiWang satisfies her interest, telling her about her own proclivity towards medicine and healing.
And then it's Rumi's turn.
Lan Zhan senses surprise, but Muqin is just as accepting of him as the other children, and Rumi ends up giggling when it's time for his kiss.
All too soon, it is time to say goodbye.
The moment Lan Zhan has been dreading.
Muqin seems apologetic now.
"I do not know where I was, but I am ever so glad I was able to visit," she tells them.
She's speaking to all of them, but Lan Zhan feels as if she's talking to only him.
"I got to see my boys, and their families, and it has given me a sense of peace to see them thriving. But as you know, our time is short and I must go. I can feel the pull."
She doesn't elaborate on what that might be.
"Huan, please do not dwell on the past. Concentrate on the positives, the things that make you happy and it will help. Go on, now."
One last kiss and he's permitted to leave.
Slowly, one by one, they all leave, even Li XiWang and Rumi, until it's only Lan Zhan and Wei Ying sitting with Muqin.
"Xiao Tuzi, if there's anything I would regret, it's not being with you anymore." She sounds as if she's finally letting herself cry.
Lan Zhan cannot look away from her shape. His throat is so tight, he fears it might tear if he forces out any sound. But the tears falling from his eyes are hot, burning his cheeks.
"There, there, my little bun. You know I love you so much. I wish I could stay with you, but it would be no good for both of us. And you have my other child with you now." She turns to Wei Ying, who quickly wipes his own eyes with his sleeves.
"Muqin," he says softly.
"You must look after each other, that is all I want. This pain of separation will ease with time, and then I want you both to remember only the happy days. Promise me?"
At that, Lan Zhan's face crumples into devastating cries.
The blue energy wraps around him, holding him through his pain.
When he finally feels a little bit better, he feels the warmth of a kiss on his forehead.
"Don't be sad for too long, Xiao Tuzi," she tells him, and does the same for Wei Ying.
And then she's gone.
All that's left is the sudden appearance of white flowers dancing on the gentle breeze in front of them, before coming to rest right in front of them.
One final gift from the Moon Tree.
************
A/N
Dear Wonderful Readers,
I do apologise for making it a sad one; if it's any consolation, I made myself cry too. What is it about mothers, huh?
Anyway, hopefully the next one will be funny. Gonna need some serious chocolate after that!
Charlie