Wei Ying's POV:

"Wei Ying?"

"Hm?"

"You're burning up. What's wrong?" His concerned voice rouses me from my troubled sleep.

"Lan Zhan..." I could hear myself groan "feel...ing hot. Ugh..." Pushing the covers aside, I try to roll away from the bed when Lan Zhan's arms lift my body and a moment later, he gently places me inside the tub filled with cool water.

Ah... Heaven!

It's takes a few good moments to assimilate my thoughts and look around. The room is elegant yet simple. An ornate round bathtub that has space for two people comfortably. Xiao Zhan knows to pamper his guests.

"Lan Zhan." I look at him mischeviously.

"Hm?" He on the other hand does not spare me a glance and goes about to pour some liquids inside the tub.

Not the liquids I am expecting.

"Come join me" I pout. Raising his eyebrows he enquires "Only if you tell me where have you been? Why has your spiritual powers diminished?" He pauses and softly questions "Will they be back?"

Smiling at his trail of thoughts, I call out "Lan Zhan."

"Hm?"

"Look at me!"

"What-" before he could say more, cupping his cheeks I kiss him sweetly. To say his ears turned red is not a joke, it's quite rare to see my husband affected by my kisses. To see him blush, makes my heart beat erratically. I truly love this man.

"I love you, Lan Zhan." Smiling cheekily, I slide back into the water as he huffs and gathering my hair he ties a knot at top of the head. "You never asked me where I was for those 13 years, Lan Zhan. Why?" His fingers still and I turn back to look at him. "Why have you never questioned me? Why haven't you ever asked me about those years when we were apart? Why didn't you ever seek answers to your pain, Lan Zhan?

"I know you'll never ask me those questions, but Lan Zhan, you're the only one who has the right to ask me those questions. Never think for once that you don't have any authority. You do. Only you. So ask me, Lan Zhan. Let your heart seek answers for those innumerable Inquiry that you've played."

"Where were you for those 13 years, Wei Ying?" I close my eyes with content as he finally questions me. My heart for some reason feels a lot lighter.

"Waiting for a chance to come back, Lan Zhan. To be honest, this soul was dispersed and did not even have a slightest clue for a secret yearning it had for another soul, but when it heard a cry of despair, this soul wanted a second chance, Lan Zhan. I am sorry. I never expressed my feelings back then. So involved was I in my own grief, never did I stop to think that another life was connected with me.

"I never thought about you nor your feelings for me. Sorry, my love.

"As true it was that my soul was floating around aimlessly in abyss, but not everything was lost. He found me. A lone soul responsible to give me shelter when I had no hope of revival. Hua Cheng."

"Hua Cheng?" Lan Zhan enquires and I smile warmly at those memories.

"He's the Ghost King Supreme of his realm, Lan Zhan. When we met, he posed only two questions. Contented with my answer, Hua Cheng took me to his house and for next few  years nurtured my soul. Not once did he ever ask me who I was. Hua Cheng let me live at peace in his abode. Over the course of time my soul became stronger and soon it was time for me to take my leave, it was then that I had promised him, if he ever needed my help, to let me know and I would help him out. No questions asked. This time when Hua Cheng sought me, I had to leave, Lan Zhan."

"What were those two questions?" Lan Zhan peers into my soul as I answer truthfully "He asked me 'Do you wish to live?' and my answer was 'Yes'. His second question was 'Why?' and my reply was for 'Him'. Those were his two questions."

"Who is 'Him', Wei Ying?" Gaping at my husband's obliviousness, I ask "What do you mean who is him? Him is you, Lan Zhan. Always you. I wanted to come back for you."

Before I could open my mouth, in one swift moment he enters the tub and cradles me in his arms and kisses me with vehemence.

"It's cold in here" ignoring my caution he enquires, "So you liked me back then?" His eyes shimmers of hope and this bewildered me.

"Lan Zhan, I know when it came to loving you and expressing my love or even acknowledging them, I have been obtuse, but don't forget, it has always been you that this soul has thought about.

"Did you forget that I went out of the way to annoy you? Remember that adult book I dared to exchange with your rule books?"
Laughing at that memory I kiss his jaw. "Agreed at that point of our lives, I never realised that it was you, who has always been a permanent resident in my heart, but you can't fault with me either. I just didn't want people to hurt those innocent souls, Lan Zhan. They were being punished for no fault of theirs. Someone had to protect them. Had those incidents not occurred, maybe you and I would have been lovers back then," turning to face him, I grin, "or you'd never have had the courage to pursue me and I'd have married Mian Mian and you -" with a growl he captures my lips and we both fall into the water. He places his hand behind my head for it to not crash against the tub as his other kneads my hips where they make me moan inside him mouth.

Coming up for air, I cough out "Lan Zhan!"

"Don't ever dream of having another soul in your life. I can wait for 1000 years, hoping, praying and pleading for you to come back, what I can't witness is seeing you with someone who is not me. You're mine as I am yours. Even if I hadn't lost you back then, this Lan Zhan would have found a way to woo his Wei Ying."

Sitting astride on his lap, I clasp his hair and kiss him with passion "I know, Lan Zhan. Your Wei Ying is yours as you are mine and by the way" with a grin I move opposite to him and rest my back against the tub facing him "you're much prettier than Mian Mian. Oh, I wonder how her kid is?"

"Get back to the story Wei Ying!" He growls and I laugh.

"You would like Hua Cheng, he had been waiting for his lover, Xie Lian for over 800 years. Lan Zhan, Hua Cheng was a human in his former life and Xie Lian, is an Immortal God. Hua Cheng sacrificed his mortal life for his love and became a Ghost King Supreme.

"Did you know like our world, there are many parallel universes? I was unaware of it until Hua Cheng found me all those years ago. When Hua Cheng sacrificed his life for Xie Lian, his soul dispersed into many fragments and he needed a superior being to help him. A year ago, when I was playing Chenqing, he sought my help and we had to find a way to collect his soul. I started cultivating a device to travel to different dimensions and that's when I came across Xiao Zhan.

"He helped me study various possibilities and outcomes. Each time I came here, I could travel to Hua Cheng's world and help him gather his soul. It took me a little less than a year and when we knew it was time, I requested Xiao Zhan to help you and Sizhui."

"You knew we'd follow?"

"Obviously. I know you Lan Zhan. You'll follow me to the depths of this earth. You were safe here and that made me peaceful."

"What were your chances?" Time stood still at his question. I knew he'd ask me this and one of the reason to not tell him before was, I didn't want Lan Zhan to suffer like before.

"Lan Zhan... leave it."

"What were the chances Wei Ying!?" His voice though is calm as an ocean, but I knew he isn't. I could read the word rage in his eyes.

"Lan Zh-"

"What were the chances WEI YING!?" this time I knew there is no escape. Never before has Lan Zhan ever raised his voice against me.

"Less than 10 percent. Lan Zh-" before I could complete, he was out of the tub and without looking back, he walks away. Fuck.

I could hear him play Wangji, his Zither. My ears perk at the tune. His soul is crying. Lan Zhan.

Waiting for him to play his verses, as he starts with a new one, donning a bathrobe, walking over to where he is sitting on the balcony, kneeling behind him, I cover him with a blanket and whisper "I am sorry, Lan Zhan."

"Wei Ying, how would you feel if one day I disappear without informing you of my plans? Imagine a day where you won't be able to sense me, nor my warmth, nor my music. The bed next to you would be empty and there would be no one to call your own?" Every word of his pierced my heart.

"Lan Zhan" I let my tears roll as his back bends forward and I knew he was trying to rein in his emotions.

"Wei Ying, why didn't you take me with you?"

"It wasn't safe."

"Why?"

"I wasn't sure of my life. This soul couldn't jeopardize yours too."

"This is where you're wrong Wei Ying. There is no life for me without you." At his words I gasp and quickly move away to kneel before him. His eyes were red and this moment will forever be embedded within me. "My soul is connected to yours, Wei Ying and without you, there is no meaning for my soul. I start with you. I end with you."

Unable to hear more, I pull him for an urgent embrace and keep kissing his head.
"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." That was all I could mutter.

I don't know for how long we were hugging eachother, but somewhere in middle of the night, all our emotions were barred for the other to see, this time, he wasn't gentle with me when we sought eachother's body. His bites were carnal and my moans were fierce just for him to hear.

"Never leave me again!" He grunts next to my ear as my body is taut stretched like his Zither. "Never let me worry about where you are. If you go somewhere, take me!" He pushes in deeper and I claw the bedsheet below me. "I don't care about my life, if we're together, then we are whole!" Another plunge and I moan out his name. "Promise me, Wei Ying!"

He slows down his pace and I groan in frustration "Lan Zhan!" He doesn't relent. He slows down and almost stops when my release is so close.

"Lan-" he thrusts again but stops when I moan. Pulling his body on top of mine I bite his neck, willing him to give me what I need.
"Please..."

"Promise me Wei Ying!" His eyes seeks mine and my eyes trail at all the marks that I have left behind on his skin.

"I promise Lan Zhan, but by accompanying me, if it is going to put your life in danger, then forget me ever taking up such steps. You're most important. So Lan Zhan, this soul is going be your shadow."

A moment later he increases his speed and together we chase our release.

That night he held me tightly in his arms. I knew Lan Zhan is scared, but the promise is real. If me leaving meant that his life will be in danger, then this Wei Ying promises Lan Zhan to never leave him behind.

I love you, Lan Zhan. Only you.