Chapter 16
As they caught their breath, Sizhui turned to Jingyi with a grin. "Nice teamwork, little bro!" Jingyi chuckled, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah, we make a pretty good team!" Jiang Cheng ruffled Jin Ling's hair, a proud smile on his face. "And you, kiddo, are a natural-born hunter!" Since Lan Zhan and Wei Ying had ditched them, they continued on their own. As they walked back to their homes, the forest grew quiet once again.
Many months had passed, and Lan Zhan and Wei Ying had been married for almost two years. Lan Xichen remained in seclusion, with no signs of emerging anytime soon. Lan Zhan had taken on the role of Sect Leader, though not for long. Wei Ying had been busy helping with various tasks, such as combining talismans for different uses, teaching archery, and occasionally testing the disciples' strength through sword fighting.
Wei Ying turned to Lan Zhan with a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, my love, I think it's time we started training the next generation in the art of night hunting." Lan Zhan raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile spreading across his face. "Oh? And who exactly did you have in mind?" Wei Ying's eyes locked onto their sons, who were walking ahead of them, laughing and joking together. "Well, I think Sizhui and Jingyi, along with some other disciples, are ready for their first dangerous hunt. And we can request Wen Ying to accompany them; I think they'll do just fine." Lan Zhan's eyes shone with excitement. "I couldn't agree more, my love. Let's do it!"
The two of them shared a quick kiss, their hearts full of joy and anticipation for the next adventure that awaited their family.
The night of the hunt arrived, and Sizhui and Jingyi, along with other disciples, stood nervously in the training ground. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan emerged, their faces serious but their eyes shining with pride. "Remember, boys," Wei Ying said, handing them each a small pouch containing a special potion. "This is a test of your skills, but also a test of your trust in each other. Work together, and you'll succeed." Lan Zhan nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "And don't forget, the Serpent's scales are said to have powerful healing properties. If you can bring back a few, it would be a great accomplishment."
Sizhui and Jingyi nodded, their faces set with determination. With a final nod from their parents, they set off into the forest, ready to face whatever lay ahead. Wen Ying followed closely behind them as they crossed the ivory pillars of Claud Recesess. As they disappeared into the darkness, Wei Ying turned to Lan Zhan with a smile. "I think they'll do just fine, don't you?" Lan Zhan nodded, his eyes shining with pride. "I have no doubt they will. After all, they're our children."
The two of them shared a warm embrace, their hearts full of love and anticipation for their sons' return. As the night wore on, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan waited anxiously for their sons' return. They had prepared a small celebration feast, complete with lanterns and traditional dishes, to commemorate the boys' first deadly hunt.
Just as the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Sizhui and Jingyi emerged from the forest, their faces flushed with excitement and their eyes shining with pride. "Father! Baba!" Sizhui called out, holding up a small pouch filled with shimmering scales. "We did it! We got the Serpent's scales!" Jingyi grinned, his eyes sparkling. "And we worked together like a well-oiled machine! Just like you taught us, Father!"
Wei Ying and Lan Zhan exchanged a warm glance, their hearts full of joy and pride. They embraced their sons, congratulating them on their success. As they sat down to the feast, Lan Zhan raised his cup in a toast. "To our sons and our brave disciples, who have proven themselves to be brave and capable hunters! May their future be bright, and their hearts always be filled with love and courage!" The family clinked their cups together, savoring the warmth and love that filled their little circle.
Wei Ying hissed low when Lan Zhan mistakenly pressed his abdomen with his hand. Seeing Lan Zhan looking at him with those beautiful golden eyes, he smiled and wanted to hide everything he was feeling, so he let out a sigh and smiled at him with all his teeth showing.
Lan Zhan knows his husband inside and out, so even though Wei Ying is trying to hide his feelings, he knows that something isn't right with him. He rubs his abdomen again and wants to know what he feels. "Wei Ying..." Lan Zhan calls his name. Their eyes meet, and he doesn't wait for an answer before continuing. "Is something wrong with you, Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan rubs the area again and stares at it. "Why is it so hard and raised a little? It seems that when I press, you can feel the pain," Lan Zhan says.
"Ah, Lan Zhan, don't worry, it's nothing," Wei Ying says, trying to downplay his discomfort. He wants them to stop talking, but Lan Zhan gets up and gets down on the bed, putting his garments back on. "Lan Zhan, where are you going? We were in the middle of something..." Wei Ying says, trying to distract him.
"You need to visit the Healer, something is wrong with you. I have to take care of your health," Lan Zhan says, his concern evident in his voice.
Wei Ying quickly gets up, not bothering to put on any clothes, and grabs Lan Zhan's hand, laughing. "Lan Zhan, my lovely husband, believe me, you have nothing to worry about." Lan Zhan doesn't believe his words and continues to put on his robes. Wei Ying pulls him tightly, and they fall on the bed. He climbs over Lan Zhan's body and stops him from getting up.
"Lan Zhan, when I said I'm fine, I mean it. Stop worrying too much. I promise if I feel pain, I will talk. Maybe I just got hit by something, and that's why I feel pain and it's raised a little."
"Did you promise, Wei Ying?" Lan Zhan asks, putting back the hair covering Wei Ying's face.
"I promise, my love," Wei Ying says, smiling. "Now, where were we?" he asks with a mischievous smile on his face, his naughty hands untying the strings of Lan Zhan's inner robe. Lan Zhan rolls his eyes a little before flipping them over, and now Lan Zhan is on top of Wei Ying. Wei Ying giggles when Lan Zhan starts showering his face with kisses.
Wei Ying woke up with a start, his heart racing and his body drenched in sweat.
He scanned the room frantically, his dry throat constricting as he struggled to swallow. Relief washed over him as he realized it was just a dream - a nightmare he hoped would never come true.
In his dream, he had seen his husband, Lan Zhan, with a beautiful young woman from the Lan Clan, trying to get close to him. But Lan Zhan had sent her warning glares, protecting their relationship.
Determined to find his husband and ease his troubled mind, Wei Ying got up and set out to search for Lan Zhan. He couldn't rest until he saw his love.
On his way, he met Sizhui and Jingyi, who had just come in from outside. Jingyi, excited to see his father, ran towards Wei Ying, ignoring Sizhui's reminder that running was forbidden. "Baba, I miss you! I haven't seen you since yesterday morning," Jingyi exclaimed, throwing his arms around Wei Ying's waist.
Wei Ying smiled warmly, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as he embraced both his sons, holding them close.
"SiZhui, did you see your father Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked, releasing his sons and kissing them on the head. Jingyi quickly responded, "Oh, Father, we saw him enter the library!" Sizhui nodded in confirmation.
Wei Ying patted their heads before heading to the library.
Upon entering, he found Lan Zhan in a state of fury, throwing everything within reach. Wei Ying's heart raced violently, as he had never seen Lan Zhan so angry before. Lan Zhan was typically a composed and careful man, never showing his rage like this. Something was definitely amiss.
"Lan Zhan," Wei Ying called out loudly. Lan Zhan turned around, saw Wei Ying's worried expression, and immediately composed himself, as if nothing was wrong. "Wei Ying..." he said slowly, then began picking up the items he had thrown, avoiding Wei Ying's concerned gaze.
Wei Ying joined him, helping with the cleanup, his eyes fixed on Lan Zhan's face, which was trying to avoid eye contact. "Lan Zhan," Wei Ying whispered, but Lan Zhan refused to meet his gaze.
Wei Ying grasped Lan Zhan's hands, stopping him from picking up more items. "My love, what's wrong?
Why are you so angry? Is everything alright?" Lan Zhan just hugged Wei Ying tightly, clearly indicating he didn't want to talk about it. Wei Ying had to let it go, so he hugged him back even tighter, circling his back to soothe him.