"A-Zhan!"

Wei Wuxian ran to the bedside to check on his husband. "Oh, darn, he's asleep. Xiangxiang, how was he?"

"He was a bit fidgety at first, Master. Think it's because you left. But then, Zewu-Jun came in with Doctor Lan and after the medicine, he fell asleep."

"Good," Wei Wuxian said, gently stroking the frizzled hair. As his fingers slides through the knots, straightening the once smooth hair, he continued. "Xiangxiang, gege..."

Xiangxiang smiled a smile that, for once, looked truly benevolent. "Zewu-Jun came right after he received your butterfly letter. He brought the doctor. Neither said anything against me. The doctor checked on Hanguang-Jun and tried to apply some ointment on his wounds. Hanguang-Jun wouldn't let him! Zewu-Jun talked to Hanguang-Jun, while the doctor instructed me. Of course, Hanguang-Jun wouldn't let me, either. So I resorted to asking the doctor to put him to sleep. The doctor gave a sleeping potion, saying it was to let him rest. While he slept, I treated the wounds on his hands and face with warm water and the doctor's gel," Xiao Xiang explained. Then, to Wei Wuxian's amusement, she crimsoned deeper than her scarlet robes and gazed at the floor, her fingers twisting her clothes. "But... Master... Forgive me, but I couldn't treat the other wounds."

"Oh? But why not?" Wei Wuxian asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Master..." Xiangxiang giggled. "If it was any other man, I wouldn't mind at all, you know me. But I can't treat Second Master Lan beyond this: he's a married man! Not just any married man, he's Master's husband!"

Now it was Wei Wuxian's turn to flush red. "Xiangxiang... you're becoming naughtier, you know that?" He grinned, while he turned his eyes to his sleeping husband. The sleeping beauty. Not so much of a beauty with all the scars but will be once he treated him. Right, I should be the nurse. I'm his partner, Wei Wuxian thought, grinning to himself in silent joy.

"Xiangxiang, thank you, ever so much."

"Master, this is nothing!" Xiangxiang said, round-eyed.

"This means my life. So, thank you."

Xiangxiang beamed. Being the Scarlet Seductress, never having felt such true and tender affection — in fact, never having felt anything purer than loyalty — she was always amazed by Master's divine affection. Such a strong aura of love and doting: was something Xiao Xiang would probably never understand. Nevertheless, the fact that her friend and Master felt such exquisite devotion was enough to keep her happy.

"Master, I'll take my leave then?" They needed all the time alone they could get, she thought, grinning.

"Mn. Xiangxiang, is there anything I can do?"

"MASTER! Please no! Nothing at all! I'm glad to have been of help!" Xiangxiang shouted, bewilderment flooding her expression. "I'll leave, Master," and without waiting for his reply, she quickly left.

Wei Wuxian chuckled and shook his head. This girl... hates me gifting anything. She keeps running away! Wei Wuxian, what happened to your once charismatic and irresistible self? Wei Wuxian wondered. This thought was immediately followed by a beaming glance at his husband. His wounded darling had hugged the lotus-marked pillow to sleep. The onlooker's heart melted, as he lightly rubbed the jade cheek. "See, I've lost my touch! All because of you!" He whispered, so as not to wake the other up.

Never would he have expected to suddenly pulled down and rolled over onto the bed.

"What's because of me?"

"LAN ZHAN!"

"A-Ying?"

"A-Zhan, let go! Do you even see all that I'm carrying on my back?"

Lan Zhan lifted his face to see behind Wei Ying's shoulder. Two swords and a flute. "You found Bichen?"

"Yes! Now get off!"

Lan Zhan stared at his long-lost husband for some time before slowly rolling back onto his earlier position.

Wei Wuxian clambered off the bed, dusted himself down, then gave Lan Zhan a once-over. He knew it. Lan Zhan was wincing.

"A-Zhan, you're scarred all over and you still want to toss me around? Lie down, quick. See, you're bleeding again," Wei Ying pointed at the older's robes, where scarlet was seeping.

Lan Zhan muffled a groan as he lay back down on the pillow. While he waited, Wei Wuxian took out another set of white robes. "Bichen, rest there." Bichen flew over to his usual stand and slept. "Suibian, stay here until I'm done with him," he spoke, resting Suibian beside a shelf. He placed Chenqing and a Qiankun pouch on the table.

Carrying the GusuLan dress in one hand, with a pot of light green ointment in the other hand, Wei Ying walked over to the bed. "Lan Zhan, is this what the doctor left?"

"Hm? Oh, yes."

Wei Ying sniffed the medicine. "Smells funny..." he dipped his fingers in and brought up a bit of the paste, and watched as the paste slithered back to the pot. "A gel? Aloe?"

"Must be," Lan Zhan asked, wondering what was going on in the younger's mind.

"Oh, dear Doctor, this will take a bit long!" Wei Wuxian mumbled. "But never mind, I'll put this on some of your wounds," he said, turning to Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan raised an eyebrow. What did Wei Ying mean?

Wei Ying ignored the expression and proceeded to carefully pull off the stained robes. He helped Lan Zhan stand up for a minute while he got rid of the robes, laid him back down and applied the aloe paste on all the minor cuts. Wei Wuxian was horrified to see that there was even a cut that sliced through the QishanWen brand mark. That rat... he really deserved that punishment.

Lan Zhan tenderly ran his fingers through Wei Ying's hair while the latter treated him for almost an hour — there were too many cuts! When all the small ones were done, Wei Ying stood up. He took a thick blanket and laid it over his bare husband, saying, "A-Zhan, give me a few minutes. I'll be right back."

Lan Zhan watched as he dashed out of the Jingshi. After a few minutes, as promised, he returned. Without a word, he walked back to where he sat earlier, threw away the blanket and continued to treat. But the minute he started applying the paste, Lan Zhan gripped the sheets and bit his lips to muffle the scream.

"A-Zhan?" Wei Ying stopped the treatment, kept the pot on the bedside table beside Lan Zhan's fresh robes and clutched his face. "A-Zhan!"

Lan Zhan quickly calmed down once the application stopped and looked at Wei Ying. "A-Ying? What was that?"

"Oh... does it pain? Well it should... but I didn't even add a single spice!" Wei Wuxian cried out, pouting at the pot.

Lan Zhan's eyes widened. "A-Ying, you made it?"

"Yes, it's a turmeric paste. Compared to aloe, turmeric's the fastest at healing. There are some really big cuts on your chest, Lan Zhan, so it's better to use this or it'll take weeks for the wounds to heal! But..." Wei Wuxian made the sad-child face again.

"A-Ying," Lan Zhan asked, mustering up a smile. "Since when are you a doctor?"

"Lan Zhan! I'm not a doctor! Shijie used to do this whenever A-Cheng or I got hurt. Even back then, it did hurt, especially if Madam Yu made it: she added some spice, cinnamon I think, saying it sped up the healing. I didn't add spices: or you won't be able to bear it. But it still burns?"

Lan Zhan was about to nod when he changed his mind. "It's fine. I'll bear it."

Wei Ying gave him with an Are-you-sure? glance. Lan Zhan nodded.

Wei Wuxian sighed and took the bowl in his hands again. Suddenly, his face lit up. "Right, Lan Zhan, it tastes good, just turmeric and water, want to try?"

Lan Zhan chuckled. "A-Ying, I don't eat ointment."

"Hmph! You really are Hanguang-Jun!" Wei Ying humphed and turned to the massive injuries and continued to treat, while Lan Zhan kept on biting his lip to prevent crying out. By the time the treatment was done, Wei Wuxian had to apply some aloe paste on the lips too, for they were bleeding. He laughed at the sight of the GusuLan Jade covered in turmeric and aloe. I'll get your back when I'm cured, Lan Zhan smirked through the agony.

**********

"Didi, you're back!" Xichen ran to his younger brother-in-law and hugged him.

"Ge, you're ch-choking me," Wei Wuxian giggled.

"Oh, sorry," Xichen let go and stepped back. Sitting down on the mat by the Jingshi's table, he went on. "You left us like that, I was afraid something would happen! How did things go? What happened? Why is Wangji like this?"

"Gege, Lan Zhan had been captured by that Zhen Xiuming."

"The Rebel Leader?"

"Yes. Captured, chained, whipped."

"WHAT?"

Wei Wuxian quickly laid his hand on the hand which was almost cracking Liebing into two. "Ge, don't worry, it's over."

"What do you mean it's over?"

"Lan Zhan's back!"

"But that rascal–"

"He's back, too."

"Huh? Back where?"

Wei Wuxian grinned. "Back in Hell. Back with his Master."

Xichen nodded. "I see. Good. Thank you, didi." Wei Wuxian nodded back, glad to see the thought of Jin Guangyao affected Xichen no more, and even gladder to see him accepting that that snake belonged in Hell.

"Didi, what about the Seal?" Xichen perked up, remembering the entire cause behind everything.

"Here!" Wei Wuxian grinned even wider as he held up the Qiankun pouch before Xichen's face.

Xichen was wholly amazed. "Didi, it's in here?"

"Of course it is! See?" Wei Wuxian casually opened the pouch and displayed a round black object. Seemingly inactive, but capable of reducing the world to ruins.

"Didi... we need to do something about this."

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Yes, ge. By now, all five pieces of Yin Iron have been found: three already destroyed, one in here within the Seal and one with Chenqing. I'll destroy every last trace of the Seal. Chenqing will have to stay, but as long as it is in my hands, we're good. I will find a way to destroy the Seal fully. No pieces, just dust. Then, we'll even let the dust vanish."

Lan Xichen smiled at Wei Wuxian. "Didi is the most righteous person I've known after Wangji," he said.

"Well, I'm glad at least gege understands what's right and wrong," Wei Wuxian smiled back.

"No, didi, not just me. There are many others now. Like Doctor Lan: he was more than fine with letting Xiangxiang be the nurse. And Shufu: you know, Wangji and I are starting to think he adores you more than us!" Xichen laughed.

"HUH?" Wei Wuxian dropped the Seal, which clattered and rolled on the table, stopping beside a teapot. Wei Wuxian quickly put it back in the pouch and looked again at Lan Xichen.

"Stop being so surprised, you've impressed him wonderfully! He didn't even say anything against Xiangxiang!"

"He knew?"

"Yes! When we left her here and returned to the Hall, he asked. Doctor told. He considered for quite a while, then let it off. He understands things better now."

Wei Wuxian let out a long sigh of relief. Smiling, he poured tea for his brother and himself, before standing up. "Ge, could you stay here a while?"

"Sure."

**********

After a while, Wei Wuxian returned, with a tray carrying a bowl of steaming soup.

He sat beside Lan Zhan and prepared a spoonful of soup. Suddenly stopping, he quickly drank the spoonful himself to test. "Hm... blergh! Not enough spice at all! Ah, alas, that's how he needs it!" And then, he took another spoonful and poured it into Lan Zhan's mouth.

As the delicious, warm soup trickled down his throat, Lan Zhan woke up. "A-Ying, what is this?"

"Shijie's soup, also yours now. Don't worry, no spices at all! Just a hint of ginger for the taste and for the health," Wei Wuxian smiled nervously. Would it be alright? I really didn't add more than a pinch of ginger powder. Is it not tasty?

"A-Ying, it's good, really."

Wei Wuxian raised his eyebrow, still uncertain: even he knew how intolerable his cooking usually is.

"Let me test!" Xichen walked over and had a sip. "Mn! I need this later, didi! No spice at all, for once!" He chuckled.

"I begged A-Cheng for the recipe, he said it's with A-Zhan, so I dug around the study. Found it!" Wei Wuxian beamed, momentarily pulling out an aged sheet of paper before stuffing it back in his sleeve.

"Not bad! You can feed him this, it's good," Xichen smiled. "You two rest then. I'll send for you later, didi: Huaisang's literature stocks and our own library might help you. Plus, Wanyin wants to see you." Wei Wuxian nodded eagerly with eyes shining with gratitude as he watched Zewu-Jun leave. 

"A-Zhan, here," Wei Wuxian raised the spoon to Lan Zhan's lips again.

"Give, I'll have it," Lan Zhan said, slowly pushing his hands against the bed to lift himself up. Wei Ying hurriedly placed the soup aside and helped him sit up. Once comfortably seated, Lan Zhan moved his hands towards the bedside table to take the soup.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian smacked his hand away.

"OUCH!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Wei Wuxian placed the hand on his lap and tapped it, stroked it, kissed it, soothing the pain down. "I really am sorry! But what did you do that for? I can feed you!"

"Why?" Lan Zhan grinned at Wei Ying's fear of him being in pain.

"You're hurt, you need rest, and your hands are still paining. I only applied the medicine hours ago and you're already being stubborn. You sit there, let me feed you."

"A-Ying–"

"If you can feed me when I'm sick, why can't I? Not fair!"

The mighty Hanguang-Jun had one weakness: Wei Ying's pout. With that hand which was throbbing red a moment ago, he pulled Wei Ying's face down to his, swallowing the pout away.

Wei Wuxian, his breath hitching in his throat, surrendered for a couple of minutes, before cautiously pushing himself away from Lan Zhan. Fixing his hair and wiping his lips with the back of his hand, he grinned. "The soup does taste good! But too dull. Just right for you Jades."

Lan Zhan smirked at first, but then sulked and looked away. Wei Wuxian watched him grumpily staring at the wall for some time before understanding. He began to laugh heartily. "Lan Zhan, I pulled away because you have to eat! This" — he patted Lan Zhan's tummy — "needs food! I can't help it if this" — he now patted the latter's chest — "wants something else! You better wait till you're cured for that! Now come."

Lan Zhan obstinately continued to frown at the wall. 

Wei Ying chuckled. "Alright, how about this? After you're cured, I shall not go anywhere, I shall sleep by your side for days on end, you do whatever you like, happy?"

The jade face twisted in his direction.

"But," Wei Ying grinned, "only if you behave now and eat this like a good boy."

Lan Zhan thought for some time, staring at the younger's face, before sighing happily and opening his mouth.

Wei Wuxian jumped with glee. He quickly took the bowl and began to feed. While Lan Zhan swallowed the soup, the talkative fellow went on. "A-Zhan, you know, you can be as cute as Sizhui and as stubborn as Rulan all at the same time! What a father! Oh, I should go see them, bring them here. Might cheer you up!"

Lan Zhan smiled at Wei Ying. "Wei Ying is enough for that."

Wei Ying blushed and smiled back, and continued to feed his husband.

**********

"Wuxian-di, where did you go? I came to find you, but you weren't in the Jingshi, and Wangji was asleep," Lan Huan spoke.

"Wei-xiong!" Huaisang joyfully waved his fan at Wei Wuxian, who was just walking into the compound.

"Huaisang! Gege!" He greeted back, waving an unsheathed Suibian at them. Water came flying at Huaisang who was rushing over to Wei Wuxian. He quickly slashed his fan across the air at the onslaught of water, before grabbing it back and dusting it off. Wei Wuxian laughed and flicked his hands at the unguarded Nie Huaisang's face.

"Aargh! Wei-xiong! So much for all the show!"

Wei Wuxian laughed as he wiped Suibian's water with a cloth and sheathed it. "Here," he said, handing the cloth to Huaisang who hastily wiped his face. Xichen chuckled and walked forth.

"Wuxian-di, what's this?"

"Oh, I just went to the springs to wash Suibian, gege."

"Wash Suibian? Why?"

"Blood."

Xichen and Huaisang stared. "Blood? That rascal's?"

"So you know?"

"Yes, Er-Ge told me. Wei-xiong, you didn't just kill him, did you?" He grinned evilly, pointing his fan at Wei Wuxian's face.

"Hmph. You expect me to go that easy on him?"

"Didi," Xichen asked, curious, not afraid, "what did you do?"

"Hei'An gave him a gift of lingchi, I only slit his throat."

Even Director Nie was shocked to the core. "L-lingchi? Wei-xiong, since when do you give gifts like that?"

"Oh, it crossed my mind as a good gift for anyone who harms A-Zhan, ever since Xue Yang spoke of it. Come, now, tell me what you're doing here," Wei Wuxian said, swiftly changing the topic.

Xichen smiled at this, but played along nonetheless. No matter how gentle he is, he couldn't disagree with that! "Huaisang came to help us out, to find ways to destroy that thing," Xichen said, pointing to the Qiankun pouch hanging from its creator's belt.

"Good, let's go to the Hall, then, too many juniors here," Wei WuXian said, pointing at Sizhui's class behind him.

"Didi, talk to them first, and Wanyin."

"They're coming here already! Children! Jiang-xiong!" Huaisang waved his fan again.

And so another reunion and retelling of tales — about a fierce-corpse saviour, a murderer's murder, a retrieved Seal, a bleeding Jade and his demonic nurse — took place.