The brewing tea was diffusing a soothing aroma into the calm and cold air. Rustling of clothes, creaks of bed, few footsteps; and the day began with another peaceful morning of this now blissful life.

"Wei Ying, wake up love." The naked man wrapped in layers of soft blanket whined and snuggled harder against the pillow that scented of old sandalwood.

"I am getting married to Lady Xuer today, Wei Ying. Time for you to leave Cloud Recess. Please do not squander with my time."

The voice was dense and authoritative. The words, cold and sharp.

Wei Wuxian's eyes opened with a jolt and he bolted away from the bed, falling on the floor unceremoniously.

"Owww... Shit!"

An usually empty and lonely morning Jingshi greeted him along with a crawling pain on his butt that just hit the floor. A chilly wind blew over the room and his unclothed body shivered violently. Quickly returning to bed, he cocooned himself up inside the pile of blankets.

The words he heard perhaps... in his dream? was making his heart thump loudly. Unpleasantly. A dry pout found it's way on his lips.

He could not fall asleep once again as he usually does, but got off the bed and readied himself up in the attire of decency in his refined black clothes.

There was no food on the table. Unlike other days.

What should he do now?

The sun seemed to be pretty high in the sky and he was left alone.

Sprinting out of the cold Jingshi, he scuttled towards the magnolia garden and sat himself on the soft, wet grass under a lushful tree. The warm sunrays felt pleasant against his cold skin.

His heart felt empty to a large stretch.

Cloud Recess was as silent as a monastery, and not even a glimpse of a soul could be felt in his vicinity.

Should I go and look for my husband?

Not a good idea probably. It will only make the other displeased from the predicament meted out from his part. The younger Jade must be busy in imparting precious knowledge into the young Lans. Knowledge, for which he is worshipped. The very knowledge, for which he himself is despised paradoxically.

He sighed.

Hanguang Jun is the light bearing Lord. And he is a notorious soul who casually creates objects that are used by the common people who claim them to be so-called 'useful'.

Another sigh.

A few years ago, he really had absolute freedom of mind and spirit. Freedom doesn't mean having your way with your dear life. But also having your dear ones close to you, have the liberty to spend time with the ones you cherish. Devote your time to feel their warmth and presence. Unhindered by the hurdles of  life.

He knows that he is a family person- deep down to the bones.

But alas! The old man Lan had not only added dozens of rules after his entry into Cloud Recess, but even went as far as prohibiting any communication between the Juniors and Wei Wuxian.

He misses the sweet, young boys and their clumsy ways of youthful life.

After spending an hour in the garden, he finally gathered the enthusiasm to walk into the main quarters... well, his room, because the Lans could barely tolerate him.

What a menace of a in-laws house he has! God have some mercy on this person.

He felt an overwhelming burden of loneliness. The best he could do to overcome this was by going to a solo venture and return home by night. Since he could not associate with the Juniors.

But this is what he has been doing for what feel like ages, and he is tired of it. He is also tired of rotting himself up in the immersion of unhindered venture of inventing new objects day and night.

He needs fresh air.

He needs a fragrant lotus pond.

He needs an unhindered session of passionate swimming amid the sweet, fully bloomed, flushed lotuses.

He needs home.

Lan Wangji's face began to flash in his mind and he felt a strong urge to jump into his husband's arms and steal few kisses. But unfortunately, that is only limited to the threshold of urges. His husband is the chief cultivator now. He could not hinder the venerated one's path so casually.

It will only tarnish his husband's reputation. After all, the light bearing Lord had married the notorious Yiling Patriarch. He doesn't have the heart to paint more stains of abhorrence on his husband's reputation.

Also, his husband won't tolerate that either. He knows, his man is working hard to prove to the world his worthiness, and that the so-called 'notorious Yiling Patriarch' is only accelerating his capacities, and not degrading him as a Taoist companion.

Lan Wangji never fails to promote his inventions to the world and prove with all the measures that they are for benefits of the people and not evil objects that attract ghosts and corpses.

But amid all these courses of banal life, they are loosing their private times of bliss and peace. They could barely harness any time for themselves. The 'Everyday' activities have been toned down to once in a blue moon.

The chief cultivator becomes a overused log by the time he reaches Jingshi at night.

He has even stopped showing his inventions to his husband. Well knowing that once he does, his husband will only acquire the extra burden of proving the usefulness of them to the world. Eventually, his husband had also stopped asking about them.

He could even count the few times they had meals together in these uncountable months.

No one else is there to talk with him. And he of course, is not a teenager anymore who could loiter around and make friends with his bright smile and overflowing words out in the playground or fields.

Also, he is still the Yiling Patriarch. Who has the guts to approach him so casually?

"Have you heard? Lady Xuer is coming today to meet Hanguang Jun. Master Lan has ordered to prepare special herbal meals for her. Guess we have to go to the back mountains to collect the herbs."

Wei Wuxian froze in his place.

Xuer? Why does this name sound familiar? And then like a deja vu, he recalled his dream. Not only in the dream, he has heard this name before, hushed under the murmurs of the Lan disciples here and there.

Who is this lady?

"Lady Xuer looks good with Hanguang-jun."  Another voice asserted.

His heart twitched in an apprehensive fashion and his throat was running out of moisture.

What on earth are these people talking about?
.
.
.

He will never go tired of waiting for his husband. Even if it means gradually succumbing to an exhausted sleep without getting a glimpse of the man. Today however, the door creaked open after few hours of waiting, and it was a little before the midnight approached.

He will never get over the fact that Hanguang-jun has completely disrupted his sleeping schedule.

"Welcome home!" He chirped and jumped into the man's awaiting arms.

"Night hunt again?" Wei Wuxian asked and pressed his face against his husband's chest.

"Mm."

A very unfazed reply came from the voice above him. A very feminine smell hit his nose and his brows furrowed. As he looked up, his eyes turned sharp.

Lan Wangji's lips were swollen and blushed. Not from a cut or punch, but most probably from sucking. He is familiar with this thing.

The Lan did not spare any moment to spend with him and went to other side of the screen. Wei Wuxian sprinted towards the screen and stood in front of his husband with cold eyes.

"Remove your clothes. I need to inspect something. I will not demand anything else." He said, heart going cold and dry gradually.

Lan Wangji didn't look at him ever since he returned. His demeanor seemed distant and aloof. As if Wei Wuxian is the stranger in the room. He removed his robes wordlessly.

Wei Wuxian's lips went dry.

Much to his dread, there was no other bruise on his husband's body. Not even a single cut on the flawless skin. Only the old whip marks were etched on the back's skin like marks of unsolicited mistakes.

"Were you attacked by any beast or spirit?" Wei Wuxian asked coldly. Lan Wangji was about to say something but he interrupted his husband. "No right? You were attacked by no beast."

Lan Wangji frowned. Looking much annoyed. Saying - 'please leave me alone' silently.

"If you may excuse me, I want to take a bath. I am tired. You can go to bed if you want." Lan Wangji said rigidly, sounding exhausted.

A wave of coldness froze his heart into a wounded fixture.

How much the equation of their relationship had changed. Let alone taking baths together, Lan Wangji barely asks if he had taken his meals.

How did they come down to this?

He took a hidden glance at Lan Wangji's lips and his eyes went moist. His lips wobbled slightly and he fled from the arena of his husband's company, feeling a strong urge to escape Jingshi, and escape the suffocating air of Cloud Recess.

Home. He needs his home.

Where is his home?

To be continued...

Do not forget to vote and comment