Dear Wei,

In a world of darkness,
You're my paradise.
My love knows no bounds,
It's you that,
This heart desires.

Your,
Lan Zhan.

"Hang-Jun" Sizhui grins as he peeks from behind the wooden screen of Jingshi. I glare at him. This kid is being influenced by another brat, and he too doesn't disappoint me. Pushing Sizhui inside, Jingyi smiles as he brings one of the rabbits with him.

"Hang-jun, look Toothy is so furry" he pets the rabbit. Should I even ask?

"Toothy?" I succumb to their innocence when they look at me with those big eyes and Sizhui nods "Yes, see he has a big tooth, so his name is Toothy!"

Poor bunny.

"Why are you two here?" I enquire not looking at their direction as I continue to clean my Bichen.

"Oh yeah" Jingyi places the rabbit down in hurry, who happily hops away. Wish I could too.

"ZewuJun, is taking few of us on a night hunt!" He exclaims all excited and my fingers halt at the tip of Bichen.

Night Hunt?

"I have heard it's fun, we'll get to see so many new places, right Sizhui?" Who eagerly agrees to what Jingyi says.

"Hang-jun, do you want us to get you anything?" Sizhui enquires innocently and Jingyi pops up in search of the bunny.

I shake my head.

Waving me goodbye, he too hops and follows Jingyi.

"What are you thinking, Lan Zhan?" Wei whispers. 

"Nothing" I turn my attention back to cleaning Bichen.

"Brother"

"Wangji, come in" he smiles as he places Liebing on his lap "you want to join us on the night hunt, don't you?"

He always knows what I want. I nod.

"Those two informed you, didn't they?"

"Hm"

He smiles "I knew the moment I tell them, they would run to you."

"Night Hunt?" Unable to curb my worry, I enquire.

"Don't worry, unlike when we go on Night Hunts, this is for them to assimilate themselves to the night outside Cloud Recess".

I nod and he pours me a cup of tea "You worry too much about them".

How could I not?

"Brother?"

"Hm"

"I heard fresh new batch of walking corpses were annihilated by Yunmeng Sect recently" I comment taking a sip of the sweet tea.

"Yes, is something bothering you?" Brother notices my apprehension and I nod.

"Do you remember Xue Yang?" I question and my brother's curiosity peeks "yes".

"I remember you telling me how he annihilated an entire clan and Xiao XingChen" I pause remembering him from our time before "captured him and handed Xue Yang to the LanLing Jin Sect"

"Yes"

"Is there any trace of the Stygian Tiger Seal still being in force?" I contemplate. These walking corpses, the resentful energy behind them, knowing that Wei Ying has nothing to do with them, the last piece could be that the seal was not completely destroyed.

"No, A Yao personally executed Xue Yang and destroyed the seal" brother's voice holds conviction in them and I look into his eyes. He beleives that man and I have nothing to prove against him.

Not wanting to press the matter too much, I look away just as rest of the children walk in and bow.

"Hang-jun" Jingyi grins mischievously "are you going to join us too?"

"Hm"

"Oops, all the ghost would run away" He comments as if it were a fact.

"Why?" another child questions with a serious face.

"Well look at him, he could scare anyone" they all laugh and brother joins them.

I glare. 

"Hang-jun is scary" the child from before comments when Jingyi pushes him "Hey, he's Hanguang-Jun for you".

"But you call him Hang-jun!"

"So? He's our Hang-jun!" Sizhui pouts "for others, he's Hanguang-Jun!"

This is ridiculous!

"Why don't you all call me Hanguang-Jun?" I glare at them but as usual that has no effect, they're still bickering amongst themselves.

A hand pats my shoulders and I see the glee in my brother's eyes.

Sighing, I leave them to their own mess and walk away.

Feeling a tug on my sleeve, I look down and watch Jingyi, walking close to me, almost as if he were clinging to me.

"Hang-jun" he whispers "are there any ghosts nearby?" He weary eyes look around.
Yes, if you continue to call me Hang-jun, I shall personally see to it, that a ghost appears in front of you.

"Walk properly" I command and walk ahead.

"Lan Zhan, be kind to the child" Wei snickers and I scowl inwardly.

"Wangji, how about we take a boat? It would be a different experience for the kids too" brother suggests as we reach the dock. Looking at the vast river in front of us, I remember the time Wei and I took a boat.

Tugging brothers sleeves the kids rejoice the fact that they would be setting foot on a boat, probably for the first time in their lives.

As we wait for our turn, a small hand envelops mine and I look down. Sizhui, placing his palm in mine, looks at the lantern adorned boats eagerly.

Trust. That is what this child is an epitome of.

Clutching his hand in mine, I help him climb on board and we set off, on a journey, that none of us knew would bring us even closer.

Something wasn't right, the surroundings became foggy.

"Wangji" brother's warning was evident and I huddled the children towards the back.

"Stay here and don't come out till I come to get you" they nod and I stand by my brother's side.

"What do you think it is?" He questions.

"Water based monster" Bichen in my hand, we gear up for a fight when suddenly a sea weed attacks us from the side.

Slashing them quickly, we use our power when all of a sudden, I watch a weed shoot up and curl itself to Sizhui's leg. Without much thought I run towards it, lurch mid air, clutch Sizhui to me, turn and cast an incantation on the monster, destroy it and we both fall into the river.

"Wangji!" I hear my brother yell as we break the surface. Pulling us up, I watch Sizhui faint in my arms and the blood within me freezes.

No. No. No.

"Go" my brother orders and I quickly mount my Bichen.

"How is he?" I question the medical practitioner in the infirmary.

"Fatigue and shock has set in but other than that, with some medicine and good sleep, he should be alright soon"

"Then I'll take him with me for the night and bring him tomorrow for a check up" the medical practitioner's eyes widen but with a bow he leaves us. I pick up Sizhui in my arms and walk by the snow covered path that leads us to Jingshi.

Placing gently the precious child on the bed, I cover him with a thick blanket.

"Don't worry Lan Zhan, he will be alright" Wei assures me and I close my eyes.

How could I not worry? He is the last precious soul I have of you, my Wei.

A soft timid knock on my door, shakes me from my despair. Opening the door, I find Jingyi standing there. He looks up at me and quickly pushing me aside, he runs inside.

What?

But before I could stop him, a moment at the gates of Jingshi at my peripheral makes me seek it and I turn towards her.

Lady Zhi Ruo.

Walking towards her, I realise, giving my privacy and word respect, she didn't enter Jingshi at this hour.

Bowing down, I give her my salutation "Lady Zhi Ruo"

"Wangji" she smiles "I apologise, to bring young Jingyi at this hour, but he wasn't ready to be away from Sizhui" she pauses "and he seems too disturbed with the events of tonight".

"It's alright, let him spend the night here"

"I'll take your leave, good night" she turns to leave when my words stop her.

"Do you want me to walk you back?"

Smiling, she shakes her head "Don't be too chivalrous, Wangji" bowing she leaves and I walk back to my chamber.

"Don't they look cute?" Wei whispers and I agree. Watching the two peas cuddled up together, peaceful and safe, a certain warmth settles within me.

Smiling, I tuck them in and play the melody of healing softly on Wangji.

"Good Morning, Hang-jun" Jingyi grins as he sits by my side on the porch. Apparently, Toothy comes to greet him and he laughs.

"Hang-jun?"

"Hm"

"Was it the Yiling Patriarch who attacked us last night?" his question is innocent but my heart is ripped apart.

"What?" My voice trembles but he doesn't take notice of it.

"I heard one of the elders scolding us the other day, that if  we do not behave, the Yiling Patriarch would harm us" he looks up "was it him?"

"No"

"How do you know?"

How can I not know?

"Do you know him?" He inquires out of curiosity but before I could answer, he turns to Sizhui calling his name and sprints inside.

A soft wind blows and I close my eyes.

'Do you know him?'

How can one deny not knowing his soul? Yiling Patriarch is not someone I simply know.

He is me.

I am him.