"A-Ying!"

Lan Wangji picked his husband up, laid him on the bed, wiped his mouth with a cloth and sat beside him.

He gently stroked his hair, mind racing, heart shaking.

The brothers huddled around the bed. Huaisang and the three children instantly ran out, dragging the doctor back to the Jingshi.

Doctor Lan examined the now white Wei Wuxian. "He seems to have exerted himself too much. He is supposed to have rested!" Every person in the room looked down in shame.

Doctor Lan tried again. "Why did you not inform me he had woken up?" How could they answer this? To tell that none had had the time; that Yanli and Zixuan had suddenly come. These were delicate details. After all, this man was another Lan Elder — no risks must be taken.

The doctor shook his head. He continued to examine the Chief Cultivator's husband. "His pulse is slow. Did he do something tiring?" Huaisang and Jiang Cheng cleared throats exactly at the same time.

The doctor shook his head again. "Sect Leaders, Zewu-Jun, children, you of all people must understand what Master Wei goes through everyday."

Lan Wangji looked up from Wei Ying. Every last cultivator's eyes asked the question in his mind: What do you mean?

The kind physician smiled sadly. "He tires himself all the time. Teaching and protecting your children, while all the time trying to please the Lan Elders. Sect Leaders, Juniors, on behalf of this good man, I beg you. Give him a break." Sighing, he continued, "Also, I don't think physical exertion is the only thing Master Wei underwent." He pointed his index and middle fingers at Wei Wuxian's forehead, testing his spiritual power. "He seems to have gone on an emotional rollercoaster!" 

The elders standing looked at each other and the Chief Cultivator looked at his husband, sorrow brimming in all their eyes, knowing that no matter what anyone said, Wei Wuxian would never forgive himself.

Huaisang shook his head, whispering "Wei-xiong, ah, Wei-xiong."

Xichen wondered how his Didi could possibly bear all this.

Jiang Cheng gripped his robes. Right now, he badly wanted to slam Zidian at something.

The juniors just stared at Daddy, vowing to keep him smiling every minute of his life.

Wangji... just stared at Wei Ying. Even if he and Yanli-jie told Wei Ying every day that he was not at fault, Wei Ying would never pay heed. And Wangji knew it. That was what hurt —there was nothing he could do.

The physician watched it all, sad, but amused. To think the Yiling Patriarch would have so many people to love him so deeply... He smiled softly. "I won't ask what happened. But please, let him rest. One day should be enough." With that, he bowed to the Great cultivators, and left the Jingshi.

The children left with the doctor.

Sect Leader Jiang and Nie left together, having bid goodbye to the Jades.

Xichen sat beside his younger brothers, not knowing what to say, nor having the heart to leave. Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. Wangji barely heard it, so Xichen walked over to the door. 

Seeing merely the silhouette, Xichen was shocked. He opened the door.

Lan Qiren marched into the room and walked — as calmly as possible — straight to the sick man on the bed.

"Welcome back, Shufu," the Jades bowed to their uncle.

"Hm." Shufu barely heard them. He seemed more concerned about Wei Wuxian's situation.

Wait a minute, concerned? Xichen and Wangji exchanged round-eyed glances.

"How is he now?"

"Shufu, you knew?" Xichen asked.

Shufu gave him a look.

"Oh, well, he's better now, we gave him spiritual energy and medicine. He just exerted himself a while ago, so he's resting now," Xichen quickly explained.

"Hm, is that so..." Lan Qiren muttered, walked over to the unconscious Wei Wuxian and held his hand. "His pulse is so weak! Let him rest. Come," Qiren walked to the door.

"Shufu... I'd like to stay with Wei Ying." Wangji's request was barely a whisper.

"Of course you will stay. Xichen better come with me. The disciples from the night shift guarding the tomb have returned."

Neither Jade could speak. Was this really their cold-blooded Shufu? He certainly had the same goatee.

"Sure, Shufu. We'll interrogate them. Ask for any new incidents," Xichen prepared to leave. Suddenly he stopped. "Wangji, I think it's time. You need to be by his side now. I'll take over."

"Xiongzhang–"

"Wangji, I'm better now. I'm ready. Plus, I'm used to being Sect Leader. Didi needs you more."

Wangji looked at his uncle. Qiren just nodded. He was actually agreeing! Turns out, Wei Wuxian exerting himself to exhaustion didn't go down the drain!

"Mn. Thank you, xiongzhang." Wangji could not describe his joy, relief and gratitude.

"No 'thank you's between brothers and lovers! The Chief Cultivator's position better be given to someone else soon, Shufu, I can't go that far. Let's go, Shufu. Didi, please wake up soon!" He smiled at Wangji, stroked Wuxian's hair, and left with his uncle.

The moment the door shut behind them, a pair of tired eyes opened. "A-Zhan!"

Wangji smiled. "A-Ying, you were pretending?"

"Yes! I woke up sometime around when the doctor was here."

Lan Wangji cocked his head. "Then why did you not make it obvious?"

Wei Wuxian chuckled and blushed. "Let's just say I knew Xichen-ge would say that," he grinned.

Lan Zhan was mesmerised. "You mean... you did that so you could– so I could be freed?"

"Mn." Wei Wuxian nodded. His sweetheart had suffered enough, tiring himself out day and night. Wei Wuxian figured he wasn't the only one who needed a break. Hence the act. Which wasn't much of an act — he really had fainted, spitted blood, and been unconscious, not to mention the fact that his blood was still flowing at a snail's pace.

Wei Wuxian, too tired to speak, rolled over and patted the now empty side of the bed.

Lan Wangji, smiling, locked the door, climbed onto the bed, and laid himself down beside his dearest.

Both stared at the ceiling.

Both thought of Jin Zixuan. Funnily, the peacock had now left a greater impression than Yanli on their minds.

Wei Ying respected him, immensely, for many reasons.

One, he was A-Ling's biological father.

Two, he was the man who truly loved Shijie, who had made her his wife, who had given her the blissful blessing of motherhood. For this alone, he would forever be grateful.

Three, he could never forget how this man actually wished to invite the Yiling Patriarch to his son's one-month birthday celebration. Despite how the entire world, even his own Jin sect, had defied him — even Wei Wuxian's own brother almost rejected him — this one brother-in-law had trusted him.

And lastly, his own guilt. Wei Wuxian would never forget the feeling of responsibility for Zixuan's murder. And yet, to think this man had so nonchalantly forgiven him! 'That peacock really did deserve Shijie after all.'

Chuckling silently, Wei Wuxian rolled over in Lan Wangji's arms, his back facing his husband, snuggling.

Lan Wangji was thankful. Zixuan had successfully activated the old Wei Ying, even if for a moment. Moreover, Zixuan had also let Wangji know how much he had been on the clueless Wei Ying's mind back then — to the point of naming his nephew 'Rulan'. Orchid-like. Elegant, beautiful, gentle. Definitely not Jin Ling, but that was what Wei Wuxian had named him. Not Jin Ling, but Lan Zhan.

He felt satisfied. He had paid this debt by naming Sizhui similarly. 'Yuan'. Hope, desire. 'Sizhui'. Longing. 

Turns out, the two had confessed to each other long, long ago.

Lan Zhan turned over on his side, propped his head on his right hand, and stroked Wei Ying's hair with the other.

"A-Ying, promise me. Promise me you won't run into danger alone again."

Silence.

"A-Ying?"

No sound. 'He is asleep,' Lan Zhan thought.

"Good. Sleep." Lan Zhan shut his eyes.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the bed, two dark eyes stared at the wall. A lone tear dripped onto the pillow. Sighing, Wei Wuxian shut his eyes, succumbing to slumber.

The Chief Cultivator's husband, Pride of Yunmeng and Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian...

was never the one to make a promise he couldn't keep.

**********

A week later, Wei Ying was back up and teaching.

"Nie Xiuying!"

A tall girl in gold and grey clothes stood up. "Senior Wei!"

"Tell me, what is the best trick of the Lans to capture a beast or person?"

"Killer String."

"Good. Sit down. Lan Jingyi, name three legendary, monstrous beasts you can think of."

"Huh? Oh, er... The Demon Dragon Tiger, Mo Long Hu! Er... the White Tiger, Baihu! Oh, and the Black Tortoise, Xuanwu!"

"Not bad! So you know the Xuanwu. By the way, do you all know who killed it?"

"Senior Wei and Hanguang-Jun!" Everyone chorused.

Wei Wuxian chuckled, "So you all did remember me! Alright, next question! Jin Chan!"

Jin Chan just stood up when a black pigeon pecked at the window. It had a letter in its beak. "Sizhui, let it in."

Sizhui let the pigeon in, which flew straight to the senior. Wei Ying took the letter, thanked it, stroked its head, and let it go. Silently, he read the letter. A slight frown formed, followed by an evil Yiling-Patriarch-smirk.

"Jin Chan, read the passage on the Xuanwu, for you all to understand what kind of feats we could do when we were your age. I expect you all to be the same, maybe better. No noise while I am gone," he winked and left the room in a rush. 

"He means have as much as fun as we can!" Jingyi shouted in glee. 

"JINGYI! Yes, we can have fun, but don't forget Hanguang-Jun is in the next classroom!" Sizhui reminded. Everybody moaned.

Walking out into the compound, Wuxian met a Lan senior to take over his class. Then, he went to find Lan Zhan.

Standing in the middle of the classroom, he spoke, "Lan Zhan, I'll be going to Caiyi Town for a while. I came to tell you since you'll panic otherwise." He smiled at Lan Zhan, flew a kiss —  to the disciples' amusement — laughed at Lan Zhan's red ears and dashed away, waving goodbye at the grinning Lan disciples.

After a side-trip to the Jingshi, he ran out through the gates, waving Chenqing at the guards. The Lan guards waved him goodbye, exchanging glances behind his back — there was no red ribbon flapping behind him.

Once outside, Wei Wuxian took care to take a route through which he would not encounter Wen Ning's hut and took off into the night.