It was hard getting away from his husband, but Wei Ying finally managed to. His excuse was a visit with little Li Li, and Lan Zhan had hummed his approval in exchange for a few kisses, and if he hadn't left then, the entire afternoon would have passed...doing other things.

In reality, Wei Ying wanted to talk to XiChen-Ge, mostly about Lan Zhan, and what he wanted to say, couldn't be broached in front of him. So he hurried to the Hanshi, and knocked on the door.

Luckily, XiChen-Ge opened it, holding Li Li.

Wei Ying squealed with delight, earning another robust chuckle as the baby held out her arms wanting to go to him.

XiChen smiled at both of them and handed her over.

"Who's a pretty girl?Li Li, that's who!" Wei Ying cooed at her and sat down at the table.

"Did you only come to visit with us...or is something on your mind?" XiChen beamed at them both.

"You know me so well, XiChen-Ge!" Wei Ying became serious. "There's a couple of things, I wanted to ask about, and most of it concerns Lan Zhan...and you know how he is...that's why I had to find a way to come without him."

"I understand. What would you like to know?" XiChen-Ge smiled kindly at him.

"Any news on the Soul Bond? It's just that we're worried too." He asked, first thing on his list.

"We are going through the library now, even the Forbidden room. The moment we find anything, I will inform you both and Uncle, too."

"Okay, this next one is tougher." He smiled down at Li Li who gurgled with happiness.

"You know, you can tell me anything, Brother Wei." XiChen smiled encouragingly. "Is it about Didi?"

"Yes." Wei Ying took a deep breath to steady himself. "He only told me that day we returned, how he felt about coming back. I could feel something changing in him, as we were walking back, like he wanted to make our time away count for longer, and then...he finally explained. I didn't know he felt that way." He sighed. "You must understand, XiChen-Ge, that for us, even a moment spent away from each other is almost unbearable. Now...after our Bonding, it seems to be a stronger feeling."

"That's understandable." XiChen told him. "I have always regretted many things in the way Didi was brought up, but as an adult, he's had to bear much responsibility. Many times without my aid."

"I think he's tired of it. Never really having a break. When I asked him what he most wanted, he said it was to go away somewhere with me." Wei Ying reached out with his free hand to cover XiChen's shaking one. "Don't get me wrong, I'd never encourage him to do something so drastic, even because I know that ultimately, it wouldn't make him happy. But he's a stubborn person, maybe more than me." Wei Ying let out a helpless laugh.

"He loves you very much, Brother Wei. You know what he's been through, trying to prove it." XiChen didn't mean to be unkind, and he winced at the look of pain that crossed over Wei Ying's face. "I don't mean to make you feel guilty, or hurt. It's just I don't want you to take his sacrifices lightly."

Wei Ying felt as if his heart was being stomped on. He pushed back the tears and waited for his voice to sound normal before he attempted to speak. After all, XiChen had the most right to be angry at him for everything Lan Zhan had suffered.

It was not unreasonable, from his point of view. Up until the incident at the Guanyin Temple, when XiChen had spelled it out for him, being outraged at his flippancy over Lan Zhan's feelings, when the opposite was true. If his suffering and that of Lan Zhan's were to be put on a weighing scale to be judged, they would be equal, there was no doubt in his mind about that. The most difference was that Lan Zhan had to fight his family and then the rest of the Cultivation world, and his own doubts and beliefs.

Wei Ying was luckier in that, it was only Jiang Cheng and the Cultivation world, the clans who wanted to see him dead before he cleared his name.

"I would never take him away from his family." He promised. "But right now, he needs a break, and you can make that happen, right?"

"What do you suggest?"

"Give him two weeks, maybe three? He'll come back by himself. He's just scared of not being able to be with me, of us not being together. And to be fair, I know I'm responsible for that. His problem is not anything you can pinpoint and say, this is it, this is what's wrong. And I can definitely make him feel better. We heal each other."

"Hmm. It's a good idea. But, Brother Wei, may I ask you a question? It's a rather difficult one, but I've always wanted to know."

Wei Ying nodded, but he braced himself. XiChen had a way with words; they could as cooling as a balm on a burn, or they could scrape flesh from bone in sharpness...and it was his baby brother they had just been talking about.

"I've always felt as if you have a wandering soul. The type that is never settled, or content to stay in one place. Are you happy to stay here, with us?"

Wei Ying had to think deeply about this. Was that how everyone saw him? And more importantly, was it true?

Did he want to go travelling? All the time? But hadn't he been happy, all this time?

"I'm happy wherever Lan Zhan is." He said finally, realising the truth of his words. "It doesn't matter to me where we are...but I cannot live without him. Not just because of our bond, I think this is something that has always been true."

XiChen nodded, apparently happy to accept his answer.

Wei Ying felt...relieved.

He left soon after, kissing Li Li and hugging XiChen.

"Thank you, XiChen-Ge."

"For what?" XiChen looked confused.

"For making me understand myself. I knew it already, but you made me see myself better. You told me things I needed to hear."

"Then I am happy for you." XiChen hugged him back.

Wei Ying made his way back to the Jingshi. On the path that happened to go past Uncle Qiren's quarters, he was surprised to see a sapling growing from the seed they had planted. It was already knee high, and emitting a wonderful scent. It had emerald green heart shaped leaves, just a few at the moment, but in his mind's eye, he saw what it would look like in the future.

"Grow well, my friend." He whispered.

The door of the Jingshi stood open just before Lan Zhan was about to rush out, and Wei Ying hurried to him.

"Where were you going?" He asked, playfully.

Lan Zhan did not answer, only pulled him into his arms to hold him tightly.

"Lan Zhan?" His words were muffled, his head pressed against a warm shoulder.

"Coming to find Wei Ying."

"I'm right here." His own arms came around to hold Lan Zhan, hugging him just as tightly.

A happiness grew slowly encompassing the both of them, humming in their chests. Peaceful calmness spread through their bodies and Wei Ying realised this restlessness had grown since his departure from Lan Zhan, escalating to a desperate level only abating now, with this single touch.

"I don't care what they say, Lan Zhan. Curse or no curse, how can what we have, be a bad thing? I refuse to accept that." Wei Ying said, the truth surging up from the depths of his soul. He knew it like the truth of rain, nourishing and uplifting. It was right.

"Mn. Never bad. Cannot be." Lan Zhan agreed. He kissed his temple.

"What would you like to do now?" Wei Ying leaned back, smiling and feeling so much better.

"Mn?"

"Let's spend the rest of the day together. We can do whatever you want."

"Mn. Together." Lan Zhan seemed to be immensely pleased at this.

He even smiled, and Wei Ying decided he looked so adorable, he reached up and kissed the side of his mouth.

Not satisfied with just that, Lan Zhan pushed him up against the wall of the Jingshi and really kissed him, until they were both starved of breath.

"That's it?" Wei Ying panted, looking at him through hooded eyes, bent over.

Lan Zhan straightened his robes and smirked. "Three, two. To me."

"Wait! That's not fair! I thought we had stopped that!"

Lan Zhan gave him a blinding smile.

"Never."

*******

A/N

Hello Readers,

Got my mojo back and I am raring to go!!!

Just waiting on my niece to finish the cover of the new book! So until then, please look forward to a few more chapters of this and definitely bonus chapters, because I love them more than cliffhangers...

Stay happy and stay well and accept all the gifts from the Universe today.