Chapter 9: Broken Marriage, Fixed Relationship
"Shijie!...Shijie! I'm back!" Wei Wuxian shouts to the young female at the pier. The two male cultivator dismounted from the boat "Shijie, I missed you so much" he spoke as they approached her.
Yanli looks to the silent boy "You must be Jie Xue, it's a pleasure to finally meet you" he salutes "Lady Jiang"
"I thought it'd be a year, why are you back so soon?" Wei Wuxian hesitates "Because I... missed you a lot. And he wanted to see his sister"
Xue's gaze wanders before a look of disappointment made it's way to his face "You must be looking for A-Chun. We weren't informed that you were coming here as well"
Fengmian, "Where's your mom?"
"At...the drill grounds"
Yunmeng disciples including Chun, were lined up doing a squat as they had to lift two cement weights under the scorching sun, some even trembled at its intensity.
"Hold it!"
"Yes Ma'am"
"If you can't deal with something as simple as this, what will you do with fierce spirits? Do you want to die?" Ziyuan fidgets on her ring "Practice for 2 more hours! You should focus on improving your skills, not fooling around" she looks at Chun "Look, even a lady can keep it together more than all of you combined. Don't end up being like that good for nothing Wei Wuxian"
Chun didn't like what she heard "Wei Ying isn't a good for nothing. He's smart, resourceful, and talented in his own ways even if he may act foolish" Ziyuan knew that this girl didn't want anyone she care for to be talked down "We sent him to Gusu yet he managed to stir up trouble. Are you following his lead?" she suggestively questioned from when she first came here "Whatever trouble he caused now to be sent back here must have a good reason"
"You-"
"Mom" a gentle voice interrupts her "Yanli" behind her was 3 men.
Wei Wuxian and Xue salutes "Madam Jiang" immediately her face was filled with disapproval.
"Xue?! You're here?!" Chun tosses the weights as if it's nothing and ran up to her brother. She hesitated on hugging him but he gave a soft smile which was a go signal for her "I missed you so much!" She pulls away "Why are you suddenly here? I told you to finish studying at Gusu"
Wei Wuxian intervenes "We got kicked out...?" her expression darkens and for the first time they saw her mad at Wei Wuxian who she would always willingly defend "What trouble did you drag my brother into?" Xue sigh and placed his hand on her shoulder "I was the one to make trouble for myself" she looks at Fengmian for proof and he nods.
Fengmian, "You've overexerting them. What level these children can reach is their own destiny. Pushing them too much won't help" Ziyuan stood from her seat "Always defending them would make them achieve nothing. Look at Wei Wuxian picking fights and you always have to clean after his mess"
Xue and Chun saw Wei Wuxian's discomfort so they stood on either side of him "I have never seen such impudence"
"Madam Jiang" Ziyuan glares at Chun "Am I wrong? He caused disgrace for us in Gusu and he knows that Yanli and Zixuan are engaged, but he still fought with him!" Unable to contain herself, her gaze falls to Xue "Your sister talks highly of you yet you're also influenced by this insolent brat"
Chun's hands clenched "There is no need for my brother to be dragged into this and for Wei Ying to be blamed" Xue tightly holds onto his sister's hand to calm her. The air was getting more tense as the time pass.
"Mom, there's no need to be angry. They say Jiang Cheng has been well and was even praised by Master Lan" Yanli dissipates tension and held her mother's hand. Ziyuan sighed and left with her two personal servants.
"Xue! I have something to show you!" Chun's mood took a 180 and started dragging her brother.
When they make into the forest, Chun made sure noone was near "What's with the rush?" Xue noticed how giddy his sister was "Okay okay just watch" she unwraps her ribbon at a certain length as she backs away.
A glowing ring appeared under her feet "So that time, it wasn't the trick of light" Xue breathes out "Yeah! And I can somewhat control if enough when I'm focused" she expanded the ring and Xue felt a surge of energy making him shiver "Don't strain yourself" Xue reminds her.
She proceeds to break objects with her ribbons while the circle was still activated "Can you still see it?" Xue looks on the ground, it was appearing and disappearing "Is it unstable? It goes on and off" Chun stops what she was doing "So you can still see it"
"What do you mean?"
"Yanli-jie saw it for only a split second and it was when I activated it but after that, she sees nothing" she stops.
"Then how can I see it?"
"I don't know..."
"Now that I think about it, we're stuck in the same situation. Remember this mark" Xue pulls his lapel to the side to reveal his collarbone that had a marking on it "You said you can barely see it but it's there. What if these two things are related" Chun nods "Is it because we're not actually from here?"
Xue sigh "It is a possibility...but will this help us get back?" Chun froze in place "..Do you not like it here?"
"..compared to our life before, I feel much comfortable here but Chun we can't risk distorting anything" they lay beside each other "I just think that we shouldn't go back...atleast here we can have proper living"
Ziyuan and Fengmian were conversing in the Gazebo "Leader Jin and I decided to call off the marriage" her eyes widened "Why would you do that?"
"I thought the two children loved each other but I was wrong...we shouldn't force it" Ziyuan gave him a sharp glance "Yanli likes him. They've met several times..Did Zixuan say something rude?" she stood up "He's too young to understand. Yanli is a great girl, he'll realize once he gets to know her. The alliance between us will strengthen once they get married"
"Marriage means they'll spend their lives together. If they get married to just further family interest-" Fengmian was cut off by Ziyuan's bitter voice "Just like us, right?" He got up "Ziyuan, that's not what I meant"
She glanced at him "Wei Ying causes all sorts of trouble wherever he goes" he sighs "There you go blaming the kid for everything" she slams her hand on the table "I shouldn't blame him?! If he hadn't fought with Zixuan, the marriage wouldn't be ruined! Ever since you took him in, it's as if your son never existed! You always favored that child over your own"
"Ziyuan"
"He got in between of Yanli and Zixuan's marriage. Who knows what he's capable of doing next?" unknown to the married couple that they were being watched from afar by a certain troublemaker and a meek boy who tries to comfort him as they left the scene.
"But it's okay, since you'll always clean up after him" she was about to pass Fengmian but he hugged her from behind "I love you, Ziyuan never doubt it. I love you and our children" she tried to struggle from his iron grip but he could only tighten his arm around her "I've realized my mistake but subconsciously ignored it....until the girl arrived. Now I see clearly that I have been doing Jiang Cheng wrong and I'm doing my best to make up to him as a father and to you as a husband"
A tear falls from Ziyuan, she had never felt such assurance and comfort from him "What?! If that girl didn't arrive, you wouldn't acknowledge it?!" she was pushing him away "I want to be honest with you! I was unfair and would've never realized that I was putting Jiang Cheng off! I was too selfish but thankful that in a way you and her made me realize it completely. So please Ziyuan" she faced him and his eyes shined with sincerity and love.
'Has that measly girl really manage to help me...to help us? No background yet she spoke as if she knows what to say' both of them had calmed down as they stay cuddled "I love you Ziyuan"
---
The two young male cultivator were silently walking, Ziyuan's words still repeated in Wei Wuxian's mind "Shijie.." Xue felt the sadness and regret from his voice "You did it because you cared, it isn't wrong to protect someone from what can harm them..If they were meant to be then fate will find its way" Wei Wuxian gave him a small smile "You and Chun are undoubtedly siblings" he chuckled.
They halted out a patio where Chun and Yanli were sitting "Yanli-jie, you seem to really have fancied Young Master Jin" she held the girl's hands "You said that you've met him before but never really got the time to bond. Both of you were raised differently, all of us are so there is always room for misunderstandings and what not" Yanli nods "I just know that there are other girls who suit him more than I do" Chun clicks her tongue "What did I tell you? Girls are powerful and special in their own ways, you think any girl could cook and care as good you? Brave whenever it is right yet be so kind and forgiving? That's an ideal person"
"The right person would love you for who you are" Xue added
The two walks up to them but Wei Wuxian had a guilty expression "I'm sorry"
"Silly boy, it's not your fault" he still stood there as Xue sits beside Chun "But I...made you sad" Yanli gently smiles at him "A-xian, sit down first" the two started conversing of the incident and how Yanli is able to wait for the right person"
The Jies on the other hand, "I still hadn't asked you why you got in trouble" Chun hand her brother some tea "It's nothing, I was just caught up trying to pull off Wei Wuxian" she nods "You should be careful. Did you get hurt?" He shook his head "Unless it's death, it's just a scratch" Chun stared at him "Whoever you heard that from please don't associate with them ever again" Xue laughs
"I'm sure Huaisang and Jiang Cheng keeps you updated of what I do. But I never knew how you've been" she moves closer and hugs him "Besides what I showed you, I just keep training day and night. It takes my mind off things since I miss you a lot and even if Wan- Jiang Cheng and Huaisang does update me, I still can't help but worry"
Yanli giggles at the interaction "A-Chun, have you forgotten something?" Chun pulls away from Xue and hand him something "A..bracelete?" She happily nods "I had Yanli-jie help me make it! I just wanted to give you something as a peace offering" Xue pats her head "I'm not mad. I just needed time to process things but it's all good now"
"A-Xue, your sister never stops talking about you. She said your really talented and smart. She keeps on telling us stories from your guys' childhood"
The four continues to chat with a much livelier mood and light heart.
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