Chapter 14:
Soft
— Part 1 —
“LAN ZHAN…” Wei Wuxian murmured.
He reached out and grabbed one of Lan Zhan’s sleeves. Lan Wangji, who had been keeping watch by his side, immediately leaned over to answer him softly.
“I am here.”
Wei Wuxian was not quite awake. His eyes were tightly shut, but his grip on Lan Wangji did not loosen. He seemed to be dreaming and mumbling in his sleep.
“…Don’t…don’t be mad…”
Lan Wangji was slightly taken aback. In a gentle voice, he replied, “I am not.”
“…Oh,” Wei Wuxian murmured. He seemed to be reassured by hearing that and released his grip.
Lan Wangji sat down by Wei Wuxian’s side. When Wei Wuxian had stilled once more, he made to get up but was stopped by Wei Wuxian grabbing hold of him again.
Wei Wuxian clung to his arm and pleaded urgently, “I’ll return with you. Hurry up and take me back home with you!”
Lan Wangji’s eyes widened.
Wei Wuxian seemed to have woken himself up with that shout. His long lashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes. The dazed
confusion in his eyes gradually cleared, and he suddenly realized he was clinging to Lan Wangji with both arms like he were a lifeline, or driftwood in water.
He immediately withdrew his hands and made to roll away, but the exaggerated movement aggravated the wound on his abdomen. He muttered an “ouch” and wrinkled his brow, only now remembering that he was still wounded. His vision flared with sparks from the pain, and faces flashed before his eyes: Jin Ling, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, Jiang Fengmian, Madam Yu…
Lan Wangji held him down to steady him. “Your stomach wound?”
“Wound? I’m fine, it doesn’t hurt…”
Lan Wangji firmly held him down and loosened his robes. His abdomen had been properly bandaged, but Lan Wangji unraveled them to check the injuries beneath. Surprisingly enough, the wound had already healed. When Lan Wangji checked his leg, the curse mark there had vanished as well.
“How long have I been out?” Wei Wuxian asked.
Lan Wangji released him only after confirming that his wound was indeed fine.
“Four days.”
Jin Ling’s aim had been unerring. And the wound hadn’t been shallow either. That the injury had healed without leaving the slightest scar was all thanks to the top-grade medicinal pills of the Lan Clan.
Wei Wuxian gave his thanks and followed up with a self-deprecating jibe. “I might have been reborn, but this new body is so fragile. One little stab and I’m laid low.”
“Anyone would be laid low if they were run through by a sword,” Lan Wangji replied evenly.
“Not necessarily,” Wei Wuxian stated. “Had I been in my old body, even if half of my intestines were hanging out, I’d be able to stuff ’em back in and continue brawling for another three hundred rounds.”
Seeing him spouting such nonsense so soon after waking, Lan Wangji shook his head. He turned away, and assuming he was going to leave, Wei Wuxian quickly called for him.
“Lan Zhan, Lan Zhan! Don’t go. I was babbling nonsense, my bad. Don’t ignore me.”
“You are afraid of being ignored?”
“Yes, yes.”
It’d been a long time since he last experienced someone watching over him as he slept off an injury.
Lan Wangji wore two swords at his waist. He removed Suibian and handed it to him.
“Your sword.”
Wei Wuxian was briefly taken aback at the sight of the sword. After a pause, he said, “Thank you.”
He grasped the hilt and slowly drew the shining blade, which reflected a pair of eyes. Wei Wuxian stared at the pair of eyes for a moment, then inserted Suibian back into its sheath.
“Did it really seal itself off?”
Lan Wangji also grasped the hilt of Suibian and pulled, but it didn’t budge in the slightest. Wei Wuxian sighed and patted the sword.
I knew it. Jin Guangyao wouldn’t dare make something like that up without thinking it through… I can’t believe it really sealed itself off. I just had to be the one to experience this kind of one-in-a-million event. Just great. This is conclusive evidence—whoever pulls out the sword must be Wei Wuxian, period. I couldn’t deny it even if I wanted to.
He looked around. They were in a simple, tidy room lit only by a single paper lantern in a corner.
“Where is this?” Wei Wuxian asked.
“The Cloud Recesses,” Lan Wangji replied.
“You took me back to the Cloud Recesses? What if your brother finds out?”
“I already have.”
A man dressed in white and wearing a forehead ribbon walked out from behind the screen. His face was like beautiful jade, and his expression was solemn.
Wei Wuxian had yet to be arrested by the Jin Clan of Lanling despite spending four days recuperating in the Cloud Recesses, so it could be reasonably assumed Lan Xichen didn’t pose a threat. Also, Lan Wangji was by his side, so Wei Wuxian wasn’t wary.
He suddenly recalled an important matter. “Where is Chifeng-zun’s body?”
“The sects all saw da-ge’s body with their own eyes,” Lan Xichen said. “At present, it is in Huaisang’s custody. I have also sent people I can trust to look after it.”
Wei Wuxian felt slightly reassured. “And Jin Guangyao’s reaction?”
“Flawless,” Lan Wangji confirmed.
Wei Wuxian had known that Jin Guangyao would put on a perfect act. It wasn’t worth worrying about, as long as there was no way he could destroy the body to get rid of the evidence.
“He said he will get to the bottom of the matter and that he will provide us all with an explanation,” Lan Xichen stated slowly. “And since Wei-gongzi has now come around…Wangji, should you not provide me with an explanation as well?”
Lan Wangji rose to his feet. “Xiongzhang.”
Lan Xichen heaved a long sigh. “Wangji, what am I to do with you?”
“Xiongzhang,” Lan Wangji said. “It is a fact that Chifeng-zun’s head is in Jin Guangyao’s possession.”
“You personally saw it?” Lan Xichen asked.
“He did.”
“You believe him?” Lan Xichen asked.
“I do.”
Lan Wangji answered without the slightest hint of hesitation. Wei Wuxian felt warmth bloom in his heart.