The drive back to Baoshan Sanren's place is quiet, with both men lost in thought. Lan Zhan drives on autopilot, only realising where they are when there's a tap on his window, startling Wei Ying, too.

Xiao XingChen is waiting for them, and that small act has made Lan Zhan's irritation flare up unreasonably. He's out of the car in a flash, and over to Wei Ying's side, having opened the door.

"Come along...Honey."

Wei Ying chokes out a shocked laugh. He can't keep a straight face, all throughout the silent elevator ride down to his grandmother. He keeps tittering, and Xiao XingChen keeps glaring at both of them, which Lan Zhan pointedly ignores, enjoying the spluttering chuckles that come from Wei Ying's mouth every time he even accidentally looks in his direction.

Worth it.

Lan Zhan's hands are full, one arm around Wei Ying's waist and the other holding his tote bag. Again, he wonders at the nonexistent weight of the armour in the bag, shocked because from what it looks like, it should be as heavy as an anvil. But he can barely feel it.

Baoshan Sanren is waiting for them by the doors.

"I was worried. Your text said you were going to be late, but not why." She folds her arms around Wei Ying immediately in a warm hug.

"Uh, sorry Grandmother. I should have been clearer." Wei Ying smiles, hugging her back. "But wait till you see what we found!"

The library feels welcoming and comfortable today, as they take turns telling her about their morning. She pours out hot, fresh tea sweetened with honey, while they talk, and the aroma it lets out feels welcoming.

Wei Ying is the most vocal, especially when taking out the items from Lan Zhan's bag, and they can tell she really wants to cry when she sees the book with Wei Ying's name on it, from the way her eyes become red-rimmed. She is in turn, amazed and shocked with their discoveries, not only with the book, but with the armour, too.

She scolds them for bringing it to her in a tote bag.

"Something like this should be brought with honour."

"We didn't have a choice." Wei Ying explains.

They tell her about the wards on the Lan residence and the inside protection, even about Da Tuzi and his mysterious saviour. But it's when they mention the box pertaining to Xue Yang, that Xiao XingChen perks up.

"If you don't mind, I would like to take a look, whenever you can."

Wei Ying nods in his direction. He's just about to answer when his stomach does it for him, instead.

"It's lunchtime." Lan Zhan says, looking at Xiao XingChen on purpose.

He's about to argue, when Baoshan Sanren says, "please?"

He stomps off, muttering under his breath, with words like "lackey" and "errand boy" reaching their ears.

"Why are you antagonising him?" Wei Ying asks Lan Zhan.

"He took Wei Ying away." Lan Zhan replies easily, still bristling about that.

"He also saved me." Wei Ying points out, unhelpfully.

Lan Zhan's shrug says it all, and Wei Ying knows there's no point in talking to Lan Zhan if he's already made his mind up about someone.

"Anyway, Grandma, what do you think about this? Did you know, Mama could also read grandfather's notes?" Wei Ying carries on talking to her. He pulls out Chenqing and the musical score.

Baoshan Sanren smiles at the familiar characters, and her glance falls on Lan Zhan's tote bag.

"Oh, are you watching that, too?" She asks him. "I've only just started it." She was referring to the show that Lan Zhan liked to watch.

"Only on episode 6 so far."

"Maybe we can watch it together?" She encourages.

"I'd like to join in." Wei Ying holds his hand up, eagerly.

"As long as you catch up." His grandmother laughs. "It's a sure thing." She turns her attention back to the notes in her hand and the letter from her daughter. "Can you play?" She gestures towards the dizi.

"Yes." Wei Ying nods enthusiastically. "Recorder in school, but my music teacher said I should try the flute."

"Let me rephrase, can you play well?" She cackles when he looks affronted.

"Wei Ying can do anything, perfectly." Lan Zhan jumps in, full of smug satisfaction.

Baoshan Sanren simply rolls her eyes, still smiling.

"The tune must be important, so try not to make any mistakes when playing it," she advises, handing them back to Wei Ying.

"I think so too, that's why I'm going to practise before I burn these, like Mama wanted."

"I really miss my daughter." Baoshan Sanren says, quietly, after a while. "When your grandfather passed away, it was so sudden, and then I was looking after your mother, so I didn't really have the time to miss him. But when they took my daughter from me, I felt that hard. If it turns out that either Jin GuanShan or Wen Rouhan had something to do with your parents' death, then we're gonna make them pay." Her beautiful silver eyes turn hard and cold like granite.

"We know that it's either one of them, but you're right, it could be both."

"I've never found the proof. Every time we got close, they would shut down and move on. But this time for sure, I can feel it in my bones." Her fists are clenched even tighter.

"But Grandmother, if we got proof, what does that even mean? We can't prosecute them, and if Wen Rouhan can't go to jail, then what?" Wei Ying asks her.

"My darling child, the proof is for me. The kind of justice I want, no court is going to approve. Besides, we'll be doing the world a favour. Trust me." Her gaze darkens.

Wei Ying shivers at the naked hunger in her eyes, a thirst for vengeance and the settling of old debts.

How terrible must it be, to know without a shadow of doubt about the killers of your husband and children, and yet be able to do nothing about it?

He had no doubts that his grandmother was a capable person.

If she wanted to take apart a person, Wei Ying wondered if anyone could stop her? She had an arsenal of weapons, most likely the skill to use them effectively, and really, the only thing stopping her was her infallible sense of justice.

It was infinitely more difficult to do something if the only person stopping you was yourself.

Wei Ying reaches over the table and takes her hand.

"We'll find out the truth, Grandma. We will." It is a promise that he takes seriously.

These past few days, they've been like returning home after a long time spent travelling. The same sense of comfort, safety and warmth are ever present here, with his grandmother. Wei Ying had long ago resigned himself to not having any family left on his side.

That he was alone.

This was before A-Yuan ever came into his life, and he often wondered if had he jumped at the chance to adopt his son, just so he wouldn't feel quite so alone? In this big, bad world, to have someone, no matter how small, standing by his side?

Guilt flares momentarily in his chest, swiftly chased away by the thought that no matter what, Wei Ying would do it again, because love had been the motivation.

That sweet, sweet child had looked at him with so much trust and unbridled joy! How could Wei Ying say no to that pudgy face, with his beautiful chubby cheeks, his fingers softly clutching at Wei Ying's leg, the cute little dimples that only babies have in the curve of his tiny fists?

Had A-Yuan stolen his heart? No...it had gone flying towards him without a thought, and A-Yuan had simply taken it away like a prized trophy, and never given it back.

Wei Ying thought about earlier today, when they had found the note about their children. The sudden fear that something could happen to them leaves him shaking and trembling. He can feel both his grandmother and Lan Zhan looking at him, but Wei Ying is momentarily paralysed with a coldness that seeps into his bones.

Any stranger taking his kids, they wouldn't care about the immediate distress it would cause him and the children. No, it would be a deliberate act, designed to cause maximum damage to his psyche. And that was just a stranger...what if it was a vampire? A bloodthirsty, savage out of control and hungry?

Wei Ying feels the blood roaring in his ears, his heart pounding like a mallet incessantly hitting concrete, and his breath stutters painfully in his lungs.

The sensation of being unable to breath through his panicking mind leaves him lightheaded and he thinks he's just about to pass out, when his balance leaves him.

Lan Zhan knew something was wrong as soon as he smelt the spike in Wei Ying's blood, alerting him to the cold fear spreading through his mate, and it's already too late - but just in time, he shoves Wei Ying's head between his own knees, effectively shutting down his panic attack.

One hand holds his neck down gently, while the other rubs Wei Ying's back in firm but slow turns, slowing his own breathing down and murmuring quietly, just for Wei Ying.

"In....out...that's right. Wei Ying is doing well," he encourages.

A good ten minutes later, Wei Ying leans into his touch, signalling his desire to sit up.

He blinks rapidly, aiming to prevent his spiralling thoughts.

"What happened?" His grandmother asks this, as if it was a normal occurrence.

It makes him feel better, that he can be absolutely honest here, no need to hide his thoughts.

"I thought about losing the children," he admits, apologetically glancing at Lan Zhan, when the latter gasps. "I'm sorry...it's just that I was thinking about you, how you must be feeling after...after first, grandfather and then, my mother and father. And I couldn't bear it if something happened to A-Yuan or A-Yi." He shakes his head desperately.

"Calm yourself," she says sharply, and it's just the thing he needs to nip another panic attack in the bud. "Firstly, explain why you think that's a possibility?"

They tell her about the yellow post-it they found on Lan Zhan's windshield that morning.

"Who do you think it could be? It's obviously either a Jin or a Wen, but which one?" She's picking up her phone as she's asking them this.

Wei Ying shrugs.

"I'm tempted to say Jin, because of that man who came after me in the alley behind the coffee shop...but the truth is, even Wen Chao or Wen Xu could just as easily have done it."

Baoshan Sanren nods at him, impatiently tapping her fingernails on the armrest of her chair, waiting for the person on the other end of her call to pick up.

"Hello?" She barks into her phone. "I want a guard of at least two soldiers on -" she goes on to give precise instructions to whoever is listening to her, not even pausing to stop her directions.

Then she turns to both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan after ending her call.

"You should have told me that when you came in. Those weasels are sneaky bastards. What if they posed as a nurse or something, and infiltrated the school? We wouldn't have known a thing, and I refuse to let another member of my family become one more victim of this silent war." Her admonishment is quiet and gentle, but all the more severe for it.

"You're right, grandmother. I promise to do better." Wei Ying blinks back tears.

She immediately softens, and standing up, she goes to him, pulling him up into her arms.

"It's okay. No harm, no foul. But we have to be one step ahead of them, if not five. Whatever we think they're capable of, they'll be sure to do worse, and we mustn't expose any kind of vulnerability. If they ever got their hands on our children, rest assured, there would be no giving them back."

She absorbs his shivers, holding him tighter and glancing at Lan Zhan's answering growl.

"I'm just warning you, that's all. We can only engage in a clean fight if we know for sure that everything is okay at home, that everyone else is safe. I have a proposal for you." She pulls away, but this time when she pushes Wei Ying down to sit, she sits next to him so Wei Ying is sandwiched between her and Lan Zhan.

She's still holding his hand, and she knows when Lan Zhan's arm comes around Wei Ying's waist. His other hand is clutching desperately to Lan Zhan in an attempt to bring calmness back into his being.

"What do you want us to do?" Wei Ying's silver eyes are huge in his suddenly pale face as he turns to her.

"What happens to the children when you're not home? I'm not worried about him," she gestures in Lan Zhan's direction. "Pretty sure he could cope with a couple of lowly vamps. But in the event you are both not at home, what then?"

"Someone's always with them. At the moment, it's PoPo...but yeah, I get it." Wei Ying smiles sheepishly. "What should we do?"

"Make sure they are protected at all times. My people are watching them for now." She taps her nose, thinking.

"Xiongzhang has got security officers in plain clothes watching them, too." Lan Zhan adds.

Her face shows what she's thinking about that.

"Tomorrow night, they're staying with Uncle Qiren." Wei Ying quickly interjects.

"What's happening tomorrow?" Baoshan Sanren asks them.

Lan Zhan explains about the Awards ceremony, and where it is.

"Hmm. It's good that they're at your home. You said your mother warded it, so that's probably best. But in future, and just until this conflict with the Wens is sorted out, either bring them here, or take them to the Lan home. We can't take any chances."

Wei Ying nods.

Xiao XingChen returns with food for the only one who needs it, and he settles down to eat then.

The rest of the afternoon is spent with more translating until it's time to go and collect the children from school.

"You should keep this here." Wei Ying tells her, giving her the armour. "It's not like I'm gonna need it."

She agrees to that.

"If you will permit me, I would like to go and visit where you found this, and your other treasures."

"Of course, Grandma, with pleasure. Though, I am wondering when my parents made that space. It's no easy thing to carve into stone, let alone make a secret room. It must have taken ages." Wei Ying ponders this. "Do you think Mama went back there, either before or after giving them the wards?"

"Your parents spent a long time looking for Xue Yang in this country...so I would imagine so. I am glad my daughter spent her time wisely." Baoshan Sanren stands up, to escort them to the elevator.

"Was she, like, could Mama see the future?" Wei Ying asks her, anticipating her answer. It's yet another tidbit about his mother, and Wei Ying feels like a sponge, soaking up everything he can find out about her.

"I asked her that, once."

Wei Ying is surprised when his grandmother gets into the lift with them.

"What did she say?" He asks her, eagerly.

"She said it was more like dreaming. She would see all sorts of things when she slept and she was constantly amazed when things started coming true, you know? But she also said it was hard for her to recall what she had dreamed about unless it was fresh in her mind. She took to keeping a blank notebook next to her bed all the time, so she could write it down, every time it happened. She was getting better at it, at predicting the future."

They all exit the lift and she walks with them to their car.

Wei Ying isn't sure that he wants to divulge the similar experience he had recently, with them. He's pretty sure that when he and Lan Zhan had seen the nearly rusted nail protruding out of the stone wall that morning, next to the heart shaped hole, his memory of a dream that told him exactly what needed to be done was what had helped him, and that was the same as what his mother had experienced, all those years ago.

The trouble was, he didn't know if it was a one time appearance or if it was going to become standard fare.

And he wanted to hug it to himself a little while longer.

For now, it was just his to think about, to cherish. To know that he hadn't just inherited his mother's silver eyes, but that she had inadvertently given him another gift as well, one that could be even more valuable.

To be able to know exactly, or even a vague idea of it, of what was going to happen, could prove to be priceless.

**************

Finally after much activity, of getting the children fed, bathed, in pyjamas and at last, asleep, PoPo settled down on the couch in the living room, they are alone in their bedroom.

Wei Ying walks in, towelling his hair dry after a shower, and Lan Zhan is sitting right where he left him, on the edge of their bed, with a box on his lap.

It's the one Da Tuzi had given him, with Lan Furen written on top in bold black ink.

Wei Ying had only gone to shower because he thought Lan Zhan might want some time alone to look through it, and getting that was difficult in a busy household. So he had exited the room hoping Lan Zhan would take advantage of his offer.

But Lan Zhan was still staring at the cardboard box like it held live scorpions.

Wei Ying takes it gently out of his hands and replaces it with himself.

Lan Zhan jolts to life, hugging him back with bone-crushing strength.

Wei Ying lets them have this, a coming back to themselves after a day filled with one shocking surprise after another.

They breathe in each other's scents and gradually relax, melting against one another.

As the seconds pass by slowly, it doesn't feel as if time is running away from them. It feels as if they are settled in a space that seems permanent and unmoving, and if one of them even breathes too loudly, it will shatter this fragile peace.

Here, in the warmth of their embrace, they don't have to think about anything.

Not the threat against their children.

Not other vampires.

Not Mr and Mrs Lan.

Not about messages from people who have long passed away.

Here, there is peace, a reprieve from having to be an adult, to take the responsibility thrust upon them.

They know they have to take it willingly, because not to do so results in it being given to them anyway, a forced weight that must be endured, even until they are crushed beneath the expectations of those who came before them.

"Are you alright, my love?" Wei Ying whispers it against his neck, where his sandalwood fragrance is the most potent.

"No." It is refreshing for Lan Zhan to admit it.

Wei Ying has given him an infinite freedom to be who he is, and he won't accept anything less. Lan Zhan respects his partner and what they have, too much, not to be completely honest.

"Why?"

"I was thinking about my mother."

Wei Ying lets his arms stroke Lan Zhan's back, providing a soothing motion and encouraging him to bare his soul.

"What about her?"

Lan Zhan takes time to answer.

"By opening that box, I am letting her go. I am admitting that she is no longer here. And I wish for it not to be true. I want her here, with me." Those are words choked out, barbs of pain hidden in the deepest recesses of his mind.

In the heart that no longer beats, but hurts like a phantom limb destined to cause pain forever.

"Oh...Sweetheart, of course you do. Of course you would want that!" Wei Ying hugs him tighter. "That's completely natural. You had such a great relationship with her, so it's good to know that, it's the best form of love." He sighs deeply, and he knows he has to give some of himself up so that Lan Zhan can heal from this. "When I was rattling around one foster home after another, in the beginning, I was angry at my parents. How dare they die?! How dare they leave me alone like that? Wasn't it better if I hadn't ever been born?"

This time, it's Lan Zhan who gasps, and pulls him even closer.

"No! Wei Ying must not think like that!"

"I know! I know that now!" Wei Ying calms him down. "But I was a very angry teenager. I expected things to improve when the Jiangs took me into their family. But when it became in some way worse than the strangers I had lived with, I reached my limit. I was walking off my anger, and I followed a path that led to a graveyard.

"It was actually a rather pretty one. Bereaved people had planted nice trees and looked after the garden of flowers planted alongside those who had passed. There was a purple wisteria tree that sheltered a bench where people could sit.

"There was an old man sitting there, and I still remember his chubby, friendly face. We got to talking and I ended up telling him about myself. He let me talk, until I was tired out. Then he said he was there to visit his wife, who was only a few feet away in her last resting place. He said, "I don't like to think about living without her. Sure, it's hard, but it's more productive and makes me happy to think about the little time I had with her." I asked him, how long have you been married? And he replied that they had just celebrated their diamond anniversary. That's sixty years together, by the way."

Lan Zhan's face wears an incredulous expression.

Wei Ying giggles at that, smiling.

"Exactly! That's what I thought, and I said as much. He replied, that time passes quickly when you're happy. A year feels like a day, but when you're sad, a day feels like a year. He said that no matter how much time he spent with his wife, it would never be enough. And he said it was the same for me. I should try and preserve any memories I had of my parents, and be glad that I had something, instead of thinking about what I lost out on. That conversation changed my life." Wei Ying sighs deeply. Looking at Lan Zhan, he kisses the side of his mouth. "The point is, you still had some time with your mother. Why not keep those memories instead? Then she will forever be with you, and there's no fear of accepting that she's gone?"

Lan Zhan thought about that.

Wei Ying was right, if he just changed his perspective, it wouldn't hurt so much.

The absence of his mother was a constant pain he learned to live with, over the years. Maybe this way of thinking would finally help him to heal.

And maybe he had been scared of doing this, because the fear that she would disappear from his life forever was actually not true. He could be in charge of his memories and letting go didn't mean forgetting her.

"Mn, Wei Ying is right."

The smile that Wei Ying gives him is full of light, hope and brightness.

"Then, my love, shall we open it together?"