Uncle Qiren called another meeting.

Wei Ying wondered if there would ever be another time he wouldn't feel so apprehensive about going to see him. Lan Zhan kept a hold of his hand, even when they entered and sat down after bowing in greeting.

"It has been more than a week since the mirror has been in our possession." He launched right into it. "And we need to dispose of it soon."

"Dispose?" Wei Ying asked, feeling a weight settling on his shoulders.

"It should be deactivated and put into deep storage. We cannot afford keeping it out in the open for much longer." Uncle Qiren continued.

"Uncle is worried about if the other clans found out about it, what they might do." XiChen poured tea for everyone.

"What are your plans?" Uncle asked Wei Ying directly.

He seemed to sink further into his seat, thinking.

Lan Zhan squeezed his hand. But he didn't want to say out loud what he was thinking, fearful of the consequences. The last time he'd tried to share his thoughts had turned out horrendously, and he wasn't willing to go through that again.

"I am not sure." The words left his lips in a whisper.

Uncle Qiren watched him for a moment.

"Everyone leave. Not you." He stared pointedly at Wei Ying.

"Uncle-" XiChen tried to intervene.

"No." Lan Zhan straight up protesting.

Wei Ying couldn't let go of his hand, shaking all over.

"Just what do you think I'm going to do to him?" Uncle Qiren muttered, impatiently. "I only want to talk to him alone. He doesn't want to tell me in front of you both."

Lan Zhan turned to look at him then. Whatever he saw, had him get up immediately and leaving.

Wei Ying watched him go, dread curling in the pit of his stomach.

XiChen followed, after wordlessly asking him if he would be alright. Wei Ying nodded reluctantly.

"Now tell me what you couldn't say with them here." Uncle sipped his tea watching him over his cup.

Wei Ying downed his, wishing it was something stronger.

"You know about the dream. And...I can only think of one way to fix this." He said, finally.

"But?"

"Lan Zhan doesn't want me to do it. He's scared I won't be able to come back."

"You're talking about entering the mirror." He concluded.

"Yes, I think that's what they want me to do. And honestly, I think it's the only way." Wei Ying distractedly poured more tea into both cups. "I have been thinking and thinking, that maybe I could call on the leader through the mirror."

"Is that possible?" Uncle Qiren stroked his beard, thoughtfully.

"I don't know." Wei Ying admitted. "What if the mirror pulls me in anyway? We don't know enough about how it works. Experimenting with it might cause more problems with the same outcome. So if we have to do anything, it should be with the certain possibility that I will end up trapped inside it."

"Does my nephew know?"

"Yes."

He was silent for a while.

"I'm trying to find another solution, anything not to hurt him again, but I can't just leave those people to their fate. It doesn't seem right." Wei Ying finished, tired of all the multiple thoughts zinging around in his head.

Uncle Qiren cleared his throat. "You are a good man."

Wei Ying nearly fell off his mat.

"And my nephew loves you very much. I would advise you to think of that before anything else. You may go."

Wei Ying bowed clumsily, earning a trademark glower, before scrambling out of there.

He ran to the Jingshi, anxiously looking for Lan Zhan. He ran inside, only to be pulled into a bone crushing embrace.

"Lan Zhan!" His heart calmed down immediately, peace wafting through every pore.

"Is it true?" Lan Zhan's voice was muffled, his face buried in Wei Ying's hair.

"What's true?"

"Are you afraid to talk in front of me? Did you talk to Uncle after I left?"

Wei Ying played with the strands of his gorgeous hair, wondering how to answer. "I...I told him I'm looking for a way." It wasn't exactly a lie.

Lan Zhan pulled away, the fierce look in his eyes frightening Wei Ying.

"I never want that! I never want you to be scared of saying what you think. Please!" Without waiting for him to answer, he kissed him passionately, pouring his grief into every touch.

"I love you," Wei Ying told him when they parted. "And I..I promise to do better." He hugged him again. "It's just that last time-"

"Last time, I wasn't ready. I am still not. But I will support you unconditionally." Lan Zhan told him, holding him tighter. "I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to go." Wei Ying found himself crying.

Lan Zhan patted his back. "You are not alone. We can think of something. Together."

"I just want to sleep and forget about all this. If I could wake up with a solution that doesn't include me leaving you, that would be fantastic." Wei Ying mumbled, losing the fight against keeping his eyes open.

Lan Zhan picked him up and placed him on their bed. He was already asleep before his head touched the pillow.