When Lan Wangji entered the room, he found Wei Ying crawl into his arms and cry. Lan Wangji carefully held him. He hated having to see Wei Wuxian like this, completely broken into pieces so small, that it was utterly impossible to assemble them back.

"Lan Zhan, why me..." Wei Wuxian wept. "Why all the bad things happen to me? Why did it happens to be at this very moment that i find out my parents had been alive all this time? Why is the guilt killing me?"

Lan Wangji didn't have answers to any of those questions. Wei Wuxian's body was very warm. He was running a high fever. Wei Wuxian was crying his lungs out.

"Lan Zhan, when finally i was going to die, i was gonna have some peace, i see my parents. I wanna spend some time with them. I wanna be happy with them for the last time. I wanna hug them. I want to eat a-niang's burnt bao again. I wanna sit on die-die's shoulders again." Wei Wuxian's voice was so soft it was barely heard. But Lan Zhan had all his focus on him to make out every word he said.

"But... But Lan Zhan, i am very tired. I am fed up. I don't have enough power to live long enough for my parents. What do I do, Lan Zhan? I don't know what to do." Wei Wuxian murmured, his last words fading off as he fainted on Lan Wangji's shoulder.

When Lan Zhan noticed, he was scared for a minute. He grabbed Wei Wuxian's wrist hastily. The pulse was weak, but it was there.

He looked at his side, at the foot of the door, where Lady Cangse and Wei Changze looked at him with petrified, wide eyes. Lan Wangji gave a small assuring nod, that Wei Wuxian is just asleep yet.

Lan Wangji couldn't even know who was in most pain at this moment ─

Wei Wuxian, who was traumatised, struggling to decide between life and death.

Lady Cangse and Elder Wei, who had seen their son for the first time in years, only to find him broken inside and out, to a length where he was committing suicides.

Or himself, Lan Wangji, who was having to see his lover die slowly, like a beautiful flower that was withering away.

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When Wei Wuxian woke up, he really thought he had died already, and perhaps he was waking up in the heaven. He didn't open his eyes, but felt the surrounding first. There is faint murmuring around which he doesn't bother to acknowledge.

The air brushing his face was cool, but he was warm, under, perhaps, a soft blanket. His clothes seemed to have changed to soft, light, silky robes. His hair must be set down cuz he can't feel the pressure of his hair pulling on his scalp. Someone seemed to caress his forehead, or perhaps, it's a wet cloth, he can't quite make out. His hair is being tenderly stroked. Maybe it's the angels.

He slowly opens his eyes.

It's bright, and he can see from a window. The outside is green and fresh. Perhaps he really is in heaven, and angels around are taking care of him. His head aches, but not as much. His tear cracks burn less. His body is in pain, still, but the soft bed gives some comfort.

"Ah, Ying-Er, you woke up." A gentle, sweet voice called. The angel's voice is similar to his A-Niang's. He slowly lifts his head up to see.

The heaven shatters, and he realises he is still on Earth, seeing his mother's face. For a second, he is happy to be with his A-Niang. But as soon as realisation and memories of last night hits him, he stumbled up to sit, head off Lady Cangse's lap.

"Miss Cangse." Wei Wuxian felt like crying. For some reason, he couldn't bring the words A-Niang out of his mouth to call the lady he was meeting after seventeen years.

The little smile on Lady Cangse's face drops down,and her eyebrows worry, as she reaches a mother's hand towards him.

"Ying-Er! Careful, you will hurt yourself!" A deeper, but gentler voice calls from the other end, as Wei Wuxian turns his head to the opposite side of the bed. Wei Changze was there.

Die-die.

"Elder Wei." Wei Wuxian felt a panic coming up. He tried to run, only forgetting he was sitting, and stumbling upon his knee, almost toppling over edge of the bed. He was saved by having his shoulders held up right before he cracked his forehead open over the timber side rail.

"Wei Ying." Lan Zhan said. Wei Wuxian looked up. Lan Zhan. He didn't realise when tears started flowing down his cheeks, but he felt it when the cold droplet fell from his chin on his collarbone. "Calm down, I'm here."

Wei Wuxian climber over Lan Zhan in his arms, trying to feel the warmth. His heart was racing, he was sweating and breath was staggering.

"Shh..." Lan Zhan whispered. "Don't be scared Wei Ying." But Wei Wuxian still felt scared. He didn't know what of, but he felt scared. "Wei Wuxian, sit here." Lan Zhan said only once Wei Wuxian had calmed down.

His parents sat a little farther from him, so to let him not lose his cool. Lan Zhan sat beside him. Lady Baoshan sat diagonal to him. "Wei Wuxian, we have a small proposal, would you mind hearing it once and thinking over?"

Wei Wuxian didn't say anything, but he seemed affirmative to atleast hear what Lady Baoshan had to say. "We heard almost all of your story by Lan Zhan. And i understand your pain at this moment. I also truly appreciate your bravery to putting up for this long. You not wanting to live is fair, for you didn't have anyone to live for, then. But you do have some now."

"Your niang-niang, die-die, i, and Lan Wangji. We are more than willing to take care of you, if you take the risk of living on. I know, living with such a trauma is not easy. But we want to help you with that pain. If you just stay a little more stronger, and let go of your past, you can have a second life. A second life here, at my mountain, with your parents, and me, and all my other disciples who would be just as happy to take care of you. And i promise you Wei Wuxian, the world here is nothing like the world outside. It's not cruel or criticising. It won't attack you. We all are just here to help you and love you as a family."

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan spoke, "We aren't forcing you, but just think of it once. Would you rather risk for absolute happiness, or let it all go away? It's okay, for whatever you decide. But if you decide to stay, there wouldn't be a single cloud of sadness over you."

Wei Wuxian chuckled, but not in a gleeful manner. "So you want me to either stay alive for some promised happiness, or die for nothing?"

"You aren't forced to stick to an option. Stay with us, for as long as you feel. And if your pain is way more powerful than your happiness, i will gladly free your soul. But give us a chance. Think about it carefully." Lady Baoshan finally stated.

Wei Wuxian slowly looked around the room. His parents, sitting on the farther corner of the room, eyes hopeful. He looked away. He looked at Lan Zhan, who couldn't meet gazes. He looked at Lady Baoshan who held an assuring smile.

Then he looked away, stealing all their eyes. "Fine."