Wei Ying eventually healed, although his mind was the last thing to mend. He slowly recuperated because the pneumonia he caught after the tragedy was lengthy. He was visited a lot by his parents, relatives and friends, the Lans as well. Yet the void made by the death of Lan Zhan was vast and eternal. Worn and debilitated themselves, the three remaining members of the once happy family came because it seemed to ease their other son's grief.

 Lan Xi Chen. also wounded beyond measure, could not find his way out of this morass of heartache. His baby brother was gone, and he mentally flailed himself for not being there to save them both. Ridiculous, the older boy knew, but it was how he felt, and he suffered as much as his parents and Wei Ying. The grief that they felt for their departed boy as they watched the tiny figure struggle to survive in the hospital room, was almost too much, but the Weis needed them, so they endured.   After the sacrifice made by a mere ten-year-old boy, they could do no less.

Wei Ying grew somber, remote and after his recovery, he seldom ventured outside of his circle in order to engage with others. Impeccably polite, gracious and as kind as ever, he could not bear to allow anyone else close to him. He treasured those he had but added few else near his heart 

A year after Lan Zhan died, the Lans noticed a disturbance whenever they left their house. After adding extra cameras to their Ring, they also searched high and low for access to their home and discovered a small screen missing from a third-floor window. Little shoe prints were spotted at the foot of the oak tree under the window. They had their suspicions, especially when a slight depression about Wei Ying's size was found on Lan Zhan's bed. The next time they went away, they left things neat and tidy. When they came back there was the same faint body imprint on the bottom bunk. Lan Zhan's mother had tears in her eyes as they watched the playback from the camera set up secretly in the bedroom that had belonged to the dead boy. 

Wei Ying crept in and opened the door of the closet. He sat cross-legged in the center on the floor as if meditating, eyes closed. His lips moved. paused. moved again. He looked as if he was trying to call out, or engage, someone. After a long while he lay down on Lan Zhan's bed and fell asleep. Tjey were silent as they watched and Lan XiChen heard his mother whisper between quiet tears. "Poor baby. What can anyone do? He is so lost."

"Mother, may I ask you and Father's permission for something I have been wanting to do?" Lan Xi Chen was not an impulsive boy. Mature beyond his fourteen years, he was more like an adult in the way he looked at the world. Popular, respected among piers, he commanded attention at an early age and people were naturally drawn to him. Devoted to Lan Zhan, the passing of his baby brother torn him apart, as did the sudden vulnerability of his parents. And the Weis, and little Wei Ying were breaking his heart all over again.

His father said, "Of course. We will listen."

"I would like to fill some of the hole the loss of Lan Zhan made in Wei Ying's life. He grieves too deeply and blames himself too much." 

They looked at thier lovely older son in astonishment and pride.

"What a beautiful idea, Son," answered his mother in a choked voice. "And perhaps fill the void a little in your own soul?"

The soft brown eyes clouded over. "Nobody can do that fully, Mother. My Didi is gone, and I must learn to accept that. Selfishly, though, yes, I think it could help me as well. But I can not stand watching Wei Ying like this any longer. They have never been separated after such a short lifespan."

They were stunned. "You have seen this? How? We have never wnted either of you burdened in this way so we chose to let youdiscover ..."

"I am not sure how, but I did, and I know Lan Zhan was beginning to recognize their strong bond. Not entirely and never fully, but he was not able to resist this relationship, even at this stage. But I began to remember things from the distant past, another time. And I saw them. I could not save them then and I was to blame in many ways. And I was not there to help them when they needed me the most. Now Wei Ying needs my help. I will not fail them this time."

They gazed with pride at the young man beside them, unnaturally mature and compassionate.

His father spoke. "What do you have in mind? I will approach Ying's father and see if they approve."