Uncle Qiren looks horrified at the sound that leaves his mouth. Wei Ying is similarly shocked into silence, and suddenly, everything falls into place. He wants to laugh because, come on!, but above all, he's not a cruel person.

No matter what this person is like, he's in trouble, and Wei Ying can help him.

"Ah...Lan Laoshi, I came in such a hurry, I forgot my talisman paper. Could I trouble you for some? Where do you keep it?" It's not exactly a lie, and while the old man splutters (suspiciously like Lil' Apple scrounging around for more treats), he hastily scribbles on some parchment paper on the table in front of him.

With his clear instructions, Wei Ying goes to the cabinet on the side and retrieves a few yellow sheets. He folds his legs under himself, right next to his former teacher, and begins to sketch out possible solutions on the paper before attempting to try them out. He begins to voice his thoughts out loud and is startled to find Lan Qiren pushing a paper of his own towards him, asking Wei Ying pertinent questions by writing them down.

His points are valid, and as they go back and forth, posing possibilities and eliminating those that have a higher chance of failure, the time passes by quite quickly. There's a commotion outside and hushed arguing until the door is knocked upon and then opened.

Wei Ying tenses momentarily, simultaneously hoping it's not Lan Zhan and desperately wishing it is, when XiChen walks in with a nod towards both of them after bowing to his uncle. His shoulders relax when no one else follows him in.

At least XiChen is sticking to his part of the bargain.

XiChen bows to Wei Ying as well, and Wei Ying returns it cautiously.

The fact that he's here and with the Lans, in Cloud Recesses itself, is giving him painful reminders of their past together, and it's not helping with his concentration, so it's with a renewed effort that Wei Ying starts making a list.

XiChen sits down next to him and begins to look through their points.

They've made quite a bit of progress by now, and Wei Ying is surprised at both that and Lan Qiren's attempt to help. He wasn't expecting that at all.

"Other than the obvious reason, how did you get your moniker?" XiChen asks him.

"That was just the peeps at home. I think Jiang Cheng called me that one time, and then suddenly everyone did. It just kind of stuck." Wei Ying rubs his nose nonchalantly, embarrassed because of it. "But it's also part of what we do at the school. And we can choose our clients now." Meaning that he did not have to come here, if he didn't want to.

"Well, it suits you, Wei-Gonzei," XiChen smiles gently. There's a twinkle in his eye suggesting that he's understood what Wei Ying meant.

"I like puzzles. And finding different ways of tackling them. Curses especially feel like a cowardly type of attack." If XiChen isn't going to address his comment, then Wei Ying can ignore it, too.

"Hm, I agree. If there is a disagreement or a conflict, it is better to try and sort it out face-to-face, rather than let it fester or use underhanded means."

Wei Ying looks up sharply at that, but there's no indication on XiChen's face that he meant anything other than what he said, no double meanings in that remark. But it echoes in his mind.

"The thing is, people use curses because of their own resentful feelings, and then it becomes closely aligned with Resentment Energy. That, as you know, is my speciality." Wei Ying grins confidently.

Lan Qiren makes another awful noise, and the tips of his ears flush a deep red as he refuses to make eye contact.

This, Wei Ying realises, is something he's not willing to let go of. Lan Qiren has never done that, always claiming that Wei Ying was at fault, succumbing to heresy and using diabolical methods to gain fortune and fame, while anyone who knew him understood that Wei Ying only wanted to help people, no matter his methods. This is a great time to try to explain to someone set in his values and unwilling to compromise, especially because he cannot speak right now.

It is pure poetic justice, Wei Ying thinks.

Lan Qiren might be trying to ignore him, but he can still listen, and Wei Ying is an opportunist. He is absolutely aware that he doesn't have to explain himself to anyone, least of all this guy, but in the spirit of getting along with everyone, Wei Ying knows he might regret not trying.

"Before we go any further, Wei-Gonzei, please accept my thanks for coming here in the first place, and so quickly." XiChen bows as he sits, keeping a wary eye on his uncle.

"Ah, no need, no need!" Wei Ying waves it away quickly. "We only started the school as an extension of our skills. When we started answering calls for help, we saw how political it had become with sects vying for territory and disputes breaking out over who would help who. The people actually needing the help are caught in the middle and forgotten because everyone is too busy fighting and not actually helping them." He laughs ruefully, not wanting to sound accusatory.

Out of all the sects, the Lan Clan was least likely to mire itself in politics.

Besides, he isn't here to point fingers.

"True, true. Diplomacy is an art," XiChen replies pensively, his eyes distant.

"We don't have to be. We go in, solve the problem, and we get out. It's as straightforward as it can get. But we make it clear that we're not obliged to help. My ability to use Resentment energy alongside my spiritual energy is the key. It doesn't harm me." Wei Ying says truthfully.

Lan Qiren makes a noise of disbelief.

"Why is it so hard for you to accept what I'm saying?" Wei Ying finally stares at him.

Lan Qiren is red-faced and angry, and his dark eyes are furious.

"Look, all scientific explorations are good, especially into the unknown. Resentment energy is just like any form of energy, and we do not know enough about it. There's absolutely no harm in asking questions and learning more. Otherwise, how else can we progress? Things that might have been true a hundred years ago might not be true now, and that's down to evolution. Don't forget, Lan Laoshi, we are constantly changing as well." Wei Ying is breathing heavily now, full of his passionate defence of himself.

"What you say makes sense, Wei-Gonzei." XiChen quickly jumps in. "After all, curses are your forte, and we can't argue with results. The fact that you are so good at managing Resentment energy, and not only that, but able to use it to your advantage, is a key element. Though Shifu is against the dark arts, it is because of their ability to corrupt that he warns against using it."

"Do I look corrupted by it to you?" Wei Ying is confident about his own talent not to take offence at the direction of this topic.

"No, not at all." XiChen smiles like a shark, but it's directed at his uncle.

Wei Ying realises that he's unwittingly fallen into a war zone, a disagreement between the nephew and his uncle, shrewdly doctored to have him explain himself with an unexpected ally.

"In fact, I would go so far as to suggest that your ability to harness, examine, and use Resentment energy is the only thing able to aid us today. Our own healers were flummoxed by whatever is ailing Uncle, and thus, it is our good fortune that you are able to provide expert knowledge and a cure. We are eternally grateful, Wei-Gonzei, and please understand that we are at your service. As Sect Leader and as a concerned nephew, please know that to us, this is no small service you are providing," XiChen continues.

Wei Ying gets the distinct feeling none of that is aimed at himself.

But XiChen isn't done extolling his virtues.

"We are very much aware that Wei-Gonzei did not have to come here at all. The Lan Clan knows this, and we have come to understand that it is only because Wei-Gonzei has good core stability, because he values helping people above anything else, that he is not afflicted by his use of Resentment energy. If the use of it does not in any way harm his temperament or his body, if it does not impede his spiritual progress, then we absolutely cannot complain about his methods."

Right then, Wei Ying thinks, laughing on the inside. He might as well not be here, because XiChen is doing a great job all by himself. When he looks up, Lan Qiren is no longer angry but looks thoughtfully back at him, stroking his whiskers contemplatively.

"Anyway," Wei Ying says, tapping his phone. "You might be interested to see this." He shows them pictures of the crime scene of the morning, where he and his team were called to the boarding house earlier.

XiChen frowns, studying it.

"So imagine my surprise when I found out that your problem matches this," Wei Ying says, pointing at specific strokes in the array, waiting for XiChen to realise what they mean.

"Please explain." XiChen sits up straighter, if that is possible, staring back at Wei Ying with an intensity only matched by one other.

Wei Ying is so glad he's not the guilty one here because XiChen looks ready to throw hands.

He tells them of what he and his team found. "The thing is, XiChen-Ge, by the fact that Lan Laoshi's jade token going "missing"," Wei Ying signs speech marks with the first two fingers of both of his hands, "then that means it's an inside job. Whoever wanted to curse him knows the protection of the jade token, and I definitely think it's someone from your clan." He taps his nose thoughtfully. "Someone who found out about Lan Laoshi's routine knew he was going to visit the Cold Pond and took their opportunity. The good news is, you can catch them red-handed, so to speak."

Wei Ying stands up and, without a warning, activates the talisman he was working on while simultaneously chatting.

XiChen shoots to his feet as the yellow talisman paper sticks to Uncle Qiren's neck, the strokes of the characters glowing an ominous red before disintegrating.

No...not disintegrating. It looks like Uncle Qiren's skin has absorbed the ink, and he suddenly coughs, spluttering helplessly.

Wei Ying quickly hands him a cup of water, which Lan Qiren gulps down thirstily. Then he rises to his feet unsteadily and actually bows to Wei Ying, whose red face has him jerking Lan Qiren up hastily, too embarrassed to form a coherent sentence.

"Thank you, thank you," Uncle Qiren murmurs, his throat still sore but he's able to speak, and that relief outweighs any discomfort.

XiChen foregoes any formalities and hugs him.

Wei Ying starts putting away everything he used, finding the whole process a little anticlimactic.

There's a noise outside, and it has him looking up sharply, going to the door and throwing it open wide to check.

He's sure someone was listening to their talks.

"XiChen-Ge, order a lock down and get everyone to take off their robes!" He orders.

"That won't be necessary," XiChen says, smiling because Wei Ying has used the familiar term to address him twice now and hasn't seemed to notice, which is good, and he's perfectly aware of who might have been listening outside a moment ago.

"No, no, you don't understand," Wei Ying insists. "There's a backlash associated with curses, as with most of them. Though the caster is most often unaware of this, much like the Hundred-Hole curse. In that one, a similar deformation appears on the caster's body, and by casting this particular curse, the person responsible will have a black mark on his shoulder, specifically on the arm used to perform such an act. Now, do you get it?"

He turns around to see many golden butterflies leaving the palm of XiChen's hand, fluttering away to their recipients through the open door.

"Someone was listening." Wei Ying says, and he knows his tone is hard.

"Yes." XiChen doesn't bother sugarcoating it.

"You know who it was," Wei Ying realises.

There's only one person the Sect Leader would have allowed to do, so only one person he loves that much to disregard the rules for.

"You have forbidden me to say his name, and I kept my side of our bargain by keeping him out of your sight. But Wei-Gonzei, please know that sometimes everything is not as it seems, and there might be an explanation for the things we might have been mistaken in believing." He's put his warm palm on Wei Ying's shoulder, and he gives it a squeeze now, his honey-coloured eyes begging for understanding.

Wei Ying shakes it off, an unbearable sadness making him frown.

"The only mistake here is you thinking I still care about Lan - anything." He turns around to walk out.

"The lockdown is in place, Wei-Gonzei," XiChen calls out, amusement in his voice. "You'll probably have to stay until we find the culprit."

That might be, Wei Ying thinks, striding out of there, but he doesn't have to face anyone now.

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

He's not hiding.

Wei Ying just happened to see a particularly interesting caterpillar at the base of this tree, so he's crouching down by it to get a better look. It's got nothing to do with the voices he heard of some students going by.

"Did you see the Yiling Laozu? I hear he cured Lan Laoshi, and that's why they're making everyone take their robes off in the training grounds!"

"He looks younger than I thought," another voice chimes in.

"Someone that terrifying shouldn't be so beautiful!"

"Looks don't mean he's a good guy. Otherwise, why would our esteemed Second Jade reject him so openly?"

The wounds of the past are ripped open just like that.

Wei Ying thinks belatedly that wasn't gossip forbidden in the Cloud Recesses? And yet, these youngsters seem quite well-informed. His butt lands on the ground, hoping to wait it out here in obscurity until the lockdown is over, then he can just slink away and forget about today. He's good at hiding from himself by now.

"Yeah, I heard that as well! Do you think that's why he was cursed? Was it the Yiling Laozu who did it?"

"Of course it was! Who else could perform such a terrible deed without repentance? If I was rejected so publicly, I, too, would try to get revenge!"

"Ambitious of you to think anyone would want to marry you in the first place," someone laughs, and their voices start fading away amid more ribbing amongst themselves.

Wei Ying is stunned.

What they were saying, did they really mean it? Lan Zhan had been cursed?

He shoots up immediately out of the bushes and comes face to face with a pair of anxious golden eyes, attached to the most beautiful face he has ever seen in his life.