Wei Ying was drifting.

He could feel himself being lifted now and again, and made to drink something bitter. Every time that happened, he tried to speak and only one name came to mind.

There were dreams and he felt restless but the weight of his bones dragged him down until blackness overcame him, a security blanket made up from the sound of someone's familiar voice singing to him.

His sleeping became calmer then and he was able to rest.

Lan Zhan stayed by his side.

Once JingYi had returned, they had brought Wei Ying back to Cloud Recesses where a doctor had checked his arm and his fever, prescribing his medication.

Lan Zhan had not forgotten about Noodle or Tofu either, and JingYi had brought back a cage for them to be safely transported with Wei Ying.

Wei Ying was taken to Lan Zhan’s room and laid upon his bed. He was restless and making distressed noises in his sleep until XiChen suggested Lan Zhan play something to calm him down.

Lan Zhan did something even better; he lay next to Wei Ying and sang to him, holding him close and mindful of his arm.

On the third day, Wei Ying’s fever broke and the anxious air around Cloud Recesses dissipated.

Wei Ying woke up properly later that evening, feeling terribly disorientated. His eyes opened to an unfamiliar room.

There were dark mahogany rafters above his head, high up in the ceiling and the walls were pale blue with white drapes. He felt a little light headed, and tried to sit up but then his arm hurt and everything came crashing back to him.

Lan Zhan returning, the cold, wet boxes, Madam Yu's wrath and consequent punishment...everything.

The door opened and Lan Zhan walked in, concern in his eyes but his face brightened considerably when he saw Wei Ying was awake. He rushed to his side, placing the tray he was carrying next to his bedside cabinet.

"Wei Ying..." Lan Zhan sat down next to him and checked his temperature. "How are you feeling?"

"A little bit dizzy...but I'm okay, I think." He blushed.

Lan Zhan took his hands in his. "What is it?"

"I need to use the bathroom."

Lan Zhan picked him up straight away and brought him to the adjacent room. This bathroom was all white and expensive-looking, with a huge metal tub in the centre. Lan Zhan put him down making sure Wei Ying was steady before leaving.

"I'm close by, right outside this door. If Wei Ying needs me."

Wei Ying nodded and waited until he was alone.

Once he finished, and washed his hands, he attempted walking back to the door and was pleasantly surprised to find that using the wall as a support, he was able to manage well.

Lan Zhan disagreed by picking him up as soon as he saw him. But when he went to put Wei Ying down, the man turned into an octopus and held on tightly.

"Don't leave me." He whispered.

"Never." Lan Zhan vowed, holding him close.

He could feel hot tears running down his neck and held Wei Ying tighter, stroking his hair until he calmed down.

"How long have I been here?" He asked.

Lan Zhan hated how weak and tired Wei Ying sounded. He made a promise to himself then and there, he would do his best to restore Wei Ying’s happiness and his confidence.

No one would make his Wei Ying feel like this ever again.

"Today is the third day." Lan Zhan replied.

His deep voice was even more calming to Wei Ying's inner turmoil.

"Noodle and Tofu?"

"Safe. Brought them here at the same time as Wei Ying."

"The shop?"

"It is locked. The Jiangs can do what they want, it is of no concern to Wei Ying...not any more." Lan Zhan kissed his hair gently, telling himself that Wei Ying was safe now.

"I'll have to...I'll have to go back soon." Wei Ying shivered. "She's going to be so mad..."

"I do not care about her. And Wei Ying does not have to go back if he does not want to." Lan Zhan tightened his hold, as if Wei Ying was going to disappear just like that.

"I have to...I owe them." Wei Ying drew in a shuddering breath.

"No...Wei Ying does not." Lan Zhan tried to tell him.

"But I do! Madam Yu has never stopped telling me how much I owe them. And she's going to punish me for keeping the shop shut for this long."

Lan Zhan realised that Madam Yu had conditioned Wei Ying to believe that. He would never be able to stop believing it...unless they had proof of otherwise.

"Do you trust me?" He asked Wei Ying now.

"Always." Wei Ying answered immediately, his silver eyes opening just then.

"First, Wei Ying must eat to replenish his strength. Then rest some more, and then tomorrow...tomorrow is going to be full of surprises." Lan Zhan kissed his forehead, feeling happier about everything.

"What kind of surprises?" Wei Ying raised his tired head to ask.

"Cannot say. Will not say, not until Wei Ying eats." Lan Zhan pouted.

"That's your secret weapon, you know. How can I say no?" Wei Ying allowed himself to be seated against the headboard of the bed, and Lan Zhan placed the tray with legs across his lap.

He poured out tea and made Wei Ying eat a slice of toast and drink the hot beverage. Wei Ying was already falling asleep again even before he had finished.

Lan Zhan wiped his mouth for him and laid him more comfortably down before taking the tray back to the kitchen. XiChen was already there and took it from him.

He made Lan Zhan sit down and served him a plate of hot food.

"It's okay, Didi. Eat first, then go to A-Xian. You have to look after your strength too. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. For everyone." He sat down next to his baby brother. "A-Xian?"

"Asleep now." But Lan Zhan smiled.

"He ate, which is a very good sign." XiChen encouraged. He waited for Lan Zhan to finish eating which also served as allowing him to collect his thoughts.

These past three days had been difficult to say the least for Lan Zhan too, worrying and stressing about Wei Ying as much as he did. They had both talked to their Uncle and planned out what was to happen next, but they still had to be on top of their game.

Madam Yu and the Jiangs were wily creatures, and they would stop at nothing to keep the status Quo.

"How are you feeling?" XiChen stood up and took his dishes away, rinsing them. He returned with a chocolate orange. "Want to do the honours?" He asked knowing what Lan Zhan was going to say.

"Mn." Lan Zhan took it into his hand and gracefully kneeled, swiftly banging it on the floor.

"Five..."

"Four..."

"Three..."

"Two..."

"One..."

They took turns counting down, both with knowing smiles when the kitchen door swung open and their Uncle walked in.

"Oh!" He said, acting surprised and as though his bat-like hearing hadn't heard the sound of the segments separating. "Is that a chocolate orange? To share?"

"Mn." Lan Zhan replied, dividing it into four equal parts. He pushed two towards his uncle and brother, while XiChen pulled out a chair to invite the older one.

"How is the boy?" Uncle Qiren asked, munching into a slice with an appreciating hum.

"He ate some toast. Fever broke earlier." Lan Zhan told him.

"We're not letting him go back, are we?" He asked, worried.

"Never." Lan Zhan replied firmly. "We just have to prove...certain things. And then I'm sure he'll stay. Not just because of our relationship."

"Didi..." XiChen patted his hand. "Don't make this about one thing. His situation is one thing, and the two of you are another thing. Let's sort out one thing first, before you do anything else. Let him get used to this other life...he hasn't had a chance to spread his wings yet."

"Mn. I will help him fly." Lan Zhan stood up, taking two portions of the chocolate orange with him. "Goodnight Uncle, goodnight Xiongzhang. Thank you for helping us."

"No need." Uncle Qiren stared back at him sternly. "Make sure he knows that."

Lan Zhan nodded and left.

He returned to his bedroom, pausing at the door for a while. He watched the way Wei Ying’s chest rose and fell, his breathing clear and undisturbed now. Rest and relaxation was the only way to cure his health now, and after tomorrow, nothing was going to stop them. This beautiful man deserved all the love in the world and Lan Zhan was going to make sure he would receive it.

He changed into his night clothes and slid into bed next to his Wei Ying.

Wei Ying seemed to sense whenever he was close by and naturally gravitated towards him. Mindful of his arm, Lan Zhan made sure they were both comfortable before falling asleep himself.

********

Soft kisses like Noodle would have done if he had escaped again, fluttered all over his face and Wei Ying woke up giggling.

"My love!! For a moment there...I thought you were Noodle. I'll let you into a secret." He whispered, looking into relieved and shining golden eyes.

"Mn?" Lan Zhan hadn't wanted to wake him, but they had a meeting to attend to.

"The secret is, Tofu is the naughtiest one of the two. Noodle may be naughty, but he's open about it. Tofu is the deceptively quiet one...you have to watch out for those types." He winked at his boyfriend.

Lan Zhan kissed his nose.

"It's breakfast time."

Wei Ying pouted with a dramatic sigh.

"How could I possibly be expected to get up?" His hand flitted over to cover his eyes.

"What does Wei Ying mean? Are you not feeling well? Not better?" Lan Zhan checked his temperature again, not getting it.

"Lan Zhan...my love...I haven't even had a proper kiss yet...that's what I meant." Wei Ying said, now serious. He hadn’t expected Lan Zhan to react like that either...and it showed him how seriously Lan Zhan had taken his illness.

He cupped Lan Zhan’s cheek.

"I'm sorry for messing with you."

Lan Zhan kissed his palm, covering his hand with his own.

"No need. How is Wei Ying feeling then?"

Wei Ying hooked his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck.

"I'm feeling so much better my love. You really looked after me...so much that my arm doesn't even hurt much now." He smiled into golden eyes which didn't quite  believe him. "So...do I get my kiss now?"

Lan Zhan pecked his lips but pouted too.

"No kiss until after breakfast. We have a meeting to attend. Wei Ying must get ready."

"You know...that's a lot of information...I'm not sure I can process all of it..." Wei Ying said mischievously.

But this time Lan Zhan was on to him.

"I have drawn a bath for Wei Ying. Stinky..." He wrinkled his nose.

"I am not!" Wei Ying protested, laughing shamelessly all the way to the bathroom where he was carried to.

"Be a good boy." Lan Zhan kissed his forehead. "Meeting is in forty-five minutes and breakfast needs to be eaten still."

For the first time Wei Ying looked at his attire.

"Lan Zhan...did you...did you change my clothes for me?" He asked, blushing.

"Mn." Lan Zhan’s ears said more than he did.

"Thank you."

"No need." Lan Zhan ran away before the desire to bite down on exposed collarbones presented itself.

*************

After a breakfast of congee and fruits Wei Ying was taken to an office.

So far he had not met anyone else, but this was because both Lan Qiren and XiChen were waiting for them here.

"A-Xian! Didi!" XiChen was warm in his welcome.

Even the usually aloof Uncle Qiren was smiling, a twinkle in his serious eyes.

They sat down, with Wei Ying eyeing the two other noticeably empty seats arranged in a semi circular fashion, facing Uncle Qiren sitting behind his desk.

"You should know," Uncle Qiren started saying to Wei Ying. "We've been looking for you for a long time now."

"Me? Why?" Wei Ying squeaked. His knee started bouncing up and down, and Lan Zhan reached over to cover it with his big palm.

Wei Ying was distracted by his warmth and he smiled into encouraging golden eyes.

"A long time ago, your mother, Cangse Sanren came to see me in secret. She told me of a new prototype she had invented, and together with your father, they had approached the Jiangs. I did ask her why she hadn't come to me...but she said because Madam Yu had approached her first, she thought it would be an act of unfaithfulness. They only needed a financial backer...that was all, and Madam Yu had promised to be a silent partner." Uncle Qiren explained.

"My mother came to see you? In secret?" Wei Ying asked. "Why? What was she scared of?"

"Many things. The worst of which came true." Tears glistened in the old man's eyes like frosty dew drops frozen in time. "How much do you know about your parents and their death?"

"Plane crash...I was staying with a neighbour..." Wei Ying scrunched up his face trying to remember more.

"It was a plane crash...but it's only recently come to light that the plane was tampered with. We suspected it was something to do with Madam Yu but she had covered her tracks well...until now."

Wei Ying was still trying to process this when the door opened.

"Ah...MingJue, Huaisang! Come in, come in!" Uncle Qiren greeted them enthusiastically. "I'm so glad you could join us."

"The pleasure is all ours...or it will be." MingJue, the older of the two clear siblings, placed his briefcase on the table and looked around.

He winked at a blushing XiChen and smiled at Wei Ying, towering over him.

"This must be the golden boy." He said, beaming.

Wei Ying thought this guy was definitely a gym rat. His muscles bunched and loosened, bulging in his suit to the point that Wei Ying was thinking the tailor who had sewn his clothes must have used extra strong thread.

Unbreakable extra strong thread...

"These are our lawyers, the Nie Brothers..and yours, if you wish." Uncle Qiren was saying.

"Why...why will I need a lawyer?" Wei Ying looked from them, the really buff guy and his younger brother who had pulled out a fan out of nowhere and was already studying him, to a concerned Uncle Qiren.

His mouth was suddenly dry and there was the beginning of a headache forming at his temple.

Lan Zhan seemed to know how he was feeling and poured tea for everyone, pushing Wei Ying’s cup into his hands first. Wei Ying was glad he had something warm in his hand, that coupled with Lan Zhan’s palm on his knee was giving him much needed comfort.

Lan Zhan nodded to his uncle, who unlocked his drawer and brought out a box.

"Cangse Sanren was convinced that her and her husband's life was in danger, and quite possibly yours too. She gave me the key to a safety deposit box held in a bank in Yilling. That is where I sent WangJi to go and collect the contents. We were looking for you ever since they died." Uncle Qiren took a sip of his tea to assuage the lump in his throat.

Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan.

"Do you know what is in there?"

"Some. Certainly not the significance of what it contained. And Uncle will know better." Lan Zhan stared pointedly at the tea Wei Ying had forgotten about. "And I apologise for not informing you of where exactly I was to go, and for what reason."

"That's okay, my love. I trust you." Wei Ying told him, meaning it. He didn't mind at all that Lan Zhan had done all that.

But now he was filled with curiosity: that box contained links to his parents. Something inside that box was the last remaining connection to his mother and father, the ones who loved him, the ones he thought about when he was feeling really bad...

It was something they were adamant should come directly to him...and not through Madam Yu, who despite her best attempts at making him believe that his parents hadn't wanted him, had not believed her.

For the first time in his life, Wei Ying started to doubt everything he had been told by that woman. Everything she had said about his parents, how the Jiangs had "saved" them from financial ruin, lifted them from the streets, how Wei Ying had a debt to pay from what his parents owed the Jiangs...all of it...

Could it be that she had lied?

Who would do such a thing?

Why lie to an orphan? Who had no one else to turn to?

What could she possibly gain from that?

His mind was reeling.

"Wei Ying...? Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan was softly repeating his name.

When Wei Ying looked up into his worried face, Lan Zhan squeezed his knee.

"When in doubt, actions speak louder than words. Remember that. People can lie about anything, but actions will tell you clearer what is in their heart."

Wei Ying nodded and gave him a small smile.

Lan Zhan was his anchor right now. Helping him back to the shore.

"If you trust them, then I will, too. I have to tell you, I'm out of my depth here." He told Uncle Qiren honestly. "However you will advise me, I will do what you say. All of this..." Wei Ying gestured towards the mysterious box and the two men sitting near him. "It's too much to take in. But I guess we have to start somewhere, right?"

Sympathy and kindness radiated from the elders in that room, and Wei Ying could pick up on that at least.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be." He added.

The younger of the two Nie brothers was looking at him with a grudging admiration now, and Wei Ying blushed.

It wasn’t that he was trying to put up a front; this was how he felt genuinely and it was better for all if they knew where he was at, mentally. The fact that he had Lan Zhan to ground him, giving him strength right now, when he most needed it...that was the only reason he had not fled from the room already.

He put his cup down and linked hands with Lan Zhan, who gave him a welcoming squeeze, and when he thought no one was looking, brought their joined hands up to his lips, kissing Wei Ying’s side warmly. Wei Ying hoped everything he was feeling was clear within his eyes as he stared into golden pools of love.

Uncle Qiren cleared his throat rather noisily.

Both Lan Zhan and Wei Ying turned to face him then.

He was already unlocking the box.

Nie MingJue was taking pictures on his phone, and then he handed his device to his younger brother to continue while he examined the contents, explaining what they were to a slightly dazed Wei Ying.

"This is your birth certificate."

"Madam Yu has a different one?" He blurted out.

"Most likely a forgery or one obtained by nefarious means. You can’t just call them up and say you lost one of these." MingJue had a sympathetic look in his eyes again.

Wei Ying held the document in his hand.

His mother had kept it safe for him, uncannily knowing that it needed to be kept away from Madam Yu.

Wei Ying handed it back, carefully keeping his face blank.

Lots of thoughts were going through his head but this was neither the time nor the place to think about them. He could freak out later, either by himself or with Lan Zhan’s help. Though he had a feeling it would be the latter.

That made him feel relieved...and happier? Which was also a surprise to him. He didn't have to do anything by himself now and that fact alone made him feel stronger, more able to deal with whatever came at them. He was not the sort of person who would lay back and let others deal with his problems, far from it, yet having an ally meant a lot.

Someone who would stick by him, with him...

After being alone for so long, it meant everything.

So he steeled himself for whatever else would come out of that box.

"This is a....prototype?" MingJue handed over the papers to Wei Ying.

Wei Ying stared at the detailed drawings, and then he rifled through the attached papers.

"I've seen the original one....it's how to extract and weave silk from the lotus plant. But...." his words disappeared and he became lost in his thoughts. "This is patented?"

MingJue had a wolfish grin on his face, getting bigger with a new realisation.

"Yes. And you could take them to the cleaners. So to speak..."

Madam Yu had stolen the design...modified it but this was the original idea...and Wei Ying’s mother had it patented...that meant everything Madam Yu had built up till now was in jeopardy...

Wei Ying filed that thought away too.

"I'll think about it." He smiled to cover his unease. "I promise I will...just not yet, not right now...okay?"

"But...time is of the essence..." MingJue said, disappointment colouring his words. "If we add it to the list of her crimes, plus the photos taken of your injuries..."

Lan Zhan growled.

"One day won't make a difference, right, Da-Ge?" Huaisang interjected quickly, looking at the foreboding expression on Lan Zhan’s face.

"Fine, fine..." MingJue mumbled, with all the enthusiasm of a drowned cat.

"What do you mean?" Wei Ying asked, completely lost. "What photos of my injuries?" He couldn’t stop the colour from flooding to his face. Did everyone know? He was so embarrassed...

Lan Zhan took his hands.

"I had to. It is a criminal offense to hurt someone like that. Please..." He wasn't sure what he was asking for...but it was mostly understanding from his Wei Ying. "I had to..."

"What else is in there?" Wei Ying inquired, feeling the need to change the subject fast.

MingJue made a startled noise. His large hands reached inside the box as he grabbed more papers.

"Life insurance certificates...for both of your parents. One million pounds apiece..." He muttered.

Nie Huaisang let out a low whistle, still taking pictures.

They all looked at Wei Ying.

"That's blood money." He said, real tears falling now.

Lan Zhan pulled him closer, wiping them away while Wei Ying tried to compose himself.

A glass of water was pushed into his hands and he was made to drink.

"I can't use that." He whispered, feeling low.

"Yes, yes you can!" Nie MingJue urged, the glow of an impending fight lighting up his eyes. "Use it to take down their murderers, use it for justice. Do you think your parents are at peace, seeing the way that bitch has been treating you? You owe it to them to do something real, because it's your duty."

"Wei-Xiong...Da-Ge is right. You have to bring the guilty people to justice, not only for their peace of mind but for you as well. It is the natural order of things." Huaisang was gentler in his approach.

"Can I think about it?" Wei Ying asked, really feeling that headache now. He rubbed his temples anxiously.

"Yes you can. But may I have your permission to at least contact the right people so we can get a transfer of funds started? Like it or not, your mother was a clever woman who knew you might be vulnerable if they weren't around to protect you." MingJue also had softened his words now.

"It's easier to think of that money as their invisible hands instead of them being here in person. Wei-Xiong...I think they wanted to help you from the moment they knew their lives were in danger. And it is evidence to prove that it was murder." Huaisang added, thoughtfully.

"Is there anything else in that box now?" Wei Ying asked, closing his eyes.

"No...I don't- wait, there's a letter." MingJue said sharply.

Wei Ying’s eyes snapped open.

"A letter?"

MingJue gave it to him after Huaisang had taken a picture.

Wei Ying stared at the writing on the envelope.

His mother or his father had written out his name, each stroke written with the knowledge that it could be their last interaction with their son.

Wei Ying closed his eyes, slumping against Lan Zhan’s body, not even bothering with the tears from his aching eyes now. He was dimly aware of Lan Zhan lifting him up.

"Wei Ying is still recovering from his fever. He will contact you later. Shifu, Xiongzhang." The words were curt and short as Lan Zhan carried him out of there.

By the time they reached his bedroom, Wei Ying was already asleep.

Lan Zhan lay him down, still clutching the letter in his hand, and covered Wei Ying with a blanket, tucking him in. He had discovered that Wei Ying slept more soundly when he felt secure or if Lan Zhan was sleeping next to him...but that would have to wait. He still had unfinished business downstairs.

He returned to the office to make sure Wei Ying’s wishes would be taken into consideration.

***********

Wei Ying woke up feeling out of sorts.

This was different to when Lan Zhan woke him up with kisses because that was way more preferable to this...this lost feeling.

Lan Zhan was sleeping next to him, the even breathing in and out comforting and real.

Wei Ying thought about the possibility...no...now the reality that Madam Yu had lied to him. Madam Yu had murdered his parents...she was a bad person.

And Huaisang was right, that he owed it to his parents to make sure she was brought to justice. He had to make sure that she couldn't do that again, not to anyone else.

Wei Ying had a strong sense of justice, and while it may not be aimed at himself, it was fierce in his protection of his parents.

And he couldn’t help thinking that what if she hadn't been successful?

What if his parents had survived, and he had the chance to grow up with them?

That thought brought more tears and Wei Ying finally let himself mourn their loss. If they were still alive, his life would have been so different. He could have eaten something made by his mother and actually able to remember what it tasted like. He could have played with his father and remembered what his smile looked like.

Madam Yu had stolen that from him.

All this time, all these years she had stolen, depriving him of his parents, and then telling him it he who owed her...

It was laughable...

Warm hands held him closer, stroking his hair. Wei Ying sniffed, feeling worse.

"I'm sorry I woke you up."

"No need. I am here. I would rather be here with Wei Ying than sleeping." Lan Zhan whispered, his deep voice never failing to make Wei Ying shiver.

They were quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

Wei Ying was coming to terms with what he was now certain he wanted to do...while Lan Zhan was wondering if it would be easier to go and kill Madam Yu right now than let her cause his Wei Ying any more pain...

But Uncle and Xiongzhang both had told him that his sword in this lifetime could only be of the legal kind, and so he had to talk himself out of physical violence again and again...

"What is Wei Ying thinking about?" Lan Zhan asked him, feeling the wet patch on his night shirt.

"The time I didn't get to spend with my parents." Wei Ying admitted. "I'm not the type who hungers after vengeance...but...but Lan Zhan...I wish...I really wish she hadn't done that." Wei Ying burst into tears.

Lan Zhan sat him up, holding him tightly and letting him cry.

This was a mourning of a time that could never be returned, a silent goodbye to a sacrifice made by innocent people caught in a web of deceit.

Wei Ying would never be able to talk to his parents again, would never be able to tell them he loved them.

It was a tragedy that made Lan Zhan’s heart hurt as well.

When he had calmed down, Lan Zhan made him drink some water, and then reminded him of the letter still in his hands.

"Will you stay with me...while I read it?" Wei Ying said. "Actually...please...can you read it for me?"

Lan Zhan nodded.

They were already sitting up, but now he leaned back against his headboard and made sure Wei Ying was comfortable resting his head on Lan Zhan’s shoulder before he opened the letter.

"My Darling boy,

You will have to be very brave from now on, if you are reading this letter. Please know that it was not our intention ever to leave you on your own, and I sincerely hope that my good friend Lan Qiren will have intervened on our behalf.

Please find it in your heart to forgive us."

Wei Ying choked back a sob at that.

Even Lan Zhan’s eyes filled with tears at those words, blinking them away quickly. He continued.

"We have taken all the precautions we could think of, and if we are not around, then we have left provisions for you. Please know that we love you beyond measure.

You are our precious son, the light of our lives, the reason we want to live more than ever.

Please know this as well: a life spent helping others is good but that same love must be first applied to yourself. We can only share what is inside of us and love has a tendency to grow. It is and will always be the only thing worth living and dying for.

Make sure that the pot of love inside you, the one that overflows with tenderness and affection is always topped up and alive.

My dearest boy, it is with an endless sadness that I write these words.

I suspect and for some time now, our lives are in danger from the Jiangs, more from Madam Yu. Unfortunately we are legally bound in her debt, but your father and I have found a way to circumvent that possibility.

I hope with all of my heart that you never have to read these words. I pray for this.

But if my prayers are not heard, then please know this: you, Wei WuXian, Wei Ying, you are the flower that blooms in my heart. You are my song bird, and may you fly to the heavens on wings of love.

Forever yours,

Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze."

Lan Zhan put the letter down, hugging Wei Ying with both of his arms now.

Wei Ying concentrated on each breath as it arrived and left his lungs.

His parents had known what was going to happen, perhaps not how, but they knew.

And yet they had bravely gone on ahead with their lives. How difficult must it have been to face Madam Yu even while knowing she was going to try and kill them?

And now Wei Ying was beginning to feel angry.

Madam Yu had swooped in unannounced one day and taken him to live with the Jiangs.

And not a day had gone by where she didn't tell him that he was a useless burden left by his parents to her.

Wei Ying had been lost, feeling worse as each day had passed.

But all of that could have been avoided.

Lan Zhan was right, actions did speak louder than words did.

And now Wei Ying had to decide what he was going to do.

He was going to take a stand.

He was going to make sure that his parents didn't die for nothing.

He was going to make a difference.

"Lan Zhan...do you have...do you have any paper?" He sat up, wiping his eyes.

He was done with crying now.

It was time for action.

***********

Dear lovely PATIENT readers,

I honestly thought this would be the last part...I can hear you guys laughing at me already...

But I have promised Book 8 to everyone today, so I must go and do that now.

Thanks so much for your wonderful support and I hope you get to see a beautiful flower today. (I saw a really pretty dandelion yesterday and I swear it was smiling at me!).

Charlie