Bab 4: The Scum Is A Family Man

Meditation Hall, west mountain.

Fan Wen quietly opened the doors of the inner chamber. The empty and quiet space welcomed him. The drapes are fluttering around, concealing the tall and lean man standing in the middle of the room and waiting for him.

Fan Wen suddenly heard the fabrics rustling. His eyes narrowed as he became alert. When a hand came out of the drapes he immediately dodged and caught the hand. However, another hand came out and snaked around his waist, pulling him. He yelped in surprise when he lost his balance after being caught off-guard. He waited for his face to hit the floor, only to be met by a familiar scent that had been around him for almost a century. "Lan…" he muttered when he felt the familiar warmth and embrace. He closed his eyes as he comfortably leaned on Xie Lan's chest.

The drapes fell on the ground, revealing the room. What one person standing in the center became two. "Wen." Xie Lan called, his voice deep and husky as his hand held by Fan Wen interlocked his fingers with Fan Wen's. his other hand holding Fan Wen's waist tightened as he pulled him closer, feeling his beloved's warmth that he missed. "I missed you…" he said, his voice hoarse as his hand held the back of Fan Wen, burying the other in his embrace. He lowered his head, his nose and lips resting on Fan Wen's temple. He shivered when he felt his lips touch Fan Wen's fair skin. "I really missed you…" he whispered as he closed his eyes, savoring this reunion after ten years of not seeing each other.

Fan Wen smiled. "I missed you, too." He said as he hugged Xie Lan tight. I really missed you… he thought, feeling tears coming out of his eyes.

"… maybe we should've come here later." Cheng Sheng whispered to Fei Yin who stood by the doorway, his feet rooted on the floor. Cheng Sheng saw how the two hugged each other tight.

"… we should've." Fei Yin agreed as he blankly stared at their founder and shifu hugging each other.

Fan Wen felt his face burned as he immediately let go of Xie Lan and fixed himself. Xie Lan chuckled as he subtly rubbed his lips on the top of Fan Wen's head. Fan Wen is half a head shorter than he is and so it was very convenient for him to do the act. "Hello, kids." Xie Lan grinned as he looked at Fei Yin and Cheng Sheng.

Cheng Sheng felt all the hairs on his body rose when he saw Xie Lan's grin. "… founder." He called, his voice as small as possible and then he bowed. Fei Yin followed after him.

"So you still remember me, Xiao Sheng." Xie Lan told Cheng Sheng who broke a sweat and grimaced.

Cheng Sheng wiped off his nonexistent sweat. "I will never forget founder…" he said as he looked away when he saw Xie Lan's piercing gaze.

Xie Lan let him off and turned to Fei Yin. "You must have earned a brain tumor for always dealing with that brat's troubles." He said.

Fei Yin shook his head and respectfully bowed. "It is perfunctory, founder." He answered and stood upright like a jade tree.

What perfunctory? Cheng Sheng thought and frowned. Of course, it's perfunctory! He thought and smirked, but immediately fixed his expression when he saw Fan Wen's stern gaze. He coughed as he stood properly, his hands on his back like Fei Yin.

"Where's Xiao Tian and Xiao Mo?" Xie Lan asked when he didn't see Li Tian and Feng Mo.

"I asked for these two first to show you the corpse they caught last night." Fan Wen explained.

"Ah. The problems can come later." Xie Lan said as he grabbed Fan Wen by the shoulders and pushed him out of the room. Cheng Sheng and Fei Yin immediately cleared the way for the two to pass. "Let's gather first as a family." He told Fan Wen.

"Yeah." Fan Wen answered absent-mindedly when he felt Xie Lan squeezed his shoulders. Was that necessary? He thought but decided to ignore it as they walked out of the Meditation Hall.

Afar is the wide empty area for the disciples to practice their spells. However, there was no one around. Xinfaxian Sect is a new sect and was founded fifteen years ago when Xie Lan and Fan Wen were wandering around the world to find a place to set their home. They came upon a nameless land with a small number of inhabitants. Then, he named the land and he and Fan Wen made it as their love nest… ehem. A base camp. Their home.

Right now, there are only less than a hundred disciples in the Xinfaxian, including Cheng Sheng, Fei Yin, Li Tian, and Feng Mo. Xinfaxian is a newly discovered land, and it's hidden by the four mountains surrounding it. There are only a few citizens interested in immortality, and so they have this number in their sect. it's convenient for Xie Lan and Fan Wen, since there's only Fan Wen and Xie Lan acting as the elders, and it is mostly Fan Wen who is teaching the disciples. Their sect is peaceful and less stressed this way.

"Yes, yes." Xie Lan said as he carelessly threw his jade in the air and turned it into a sword. He made his sword bigger and took Fan Wen's hand. "Our kids should be waiting at home…" Xie Lan mindlessly remarked as he looked at the bright sky, smiling brightly. He can clearly see his and Fan Wen's future…

Fei Yin and Cheng Sheng who mounted their sword stopped and turned to their founder and teacher. Fan Wen, who was about to board Xie Lan's sword, froze. He turned to Xie Lan, his forehead furrowed in confusion. "What kids?" Fan Wen asked as he looked at Xie Lan. "You've met someone during your seclusion?" he asked, surprised.

Xie Lan felt his whole body freeze. He slowly turned to Fan Wen. "… Wen. I had been here the whole time in Meditation Hall. How can I meet with someone?" he asked, his face blank as he stared at Fan Wen's confused expression. And I already met my only one. He thought, his gaze boring onto Fan Wen's face.

Fan Wen, whose fair and smooth skin was as thick as the Great Wall, didn't feel Xie Lan's gaze. His brows knit as he pondered. "Then what are these kids you're talking about?" he asked and looked at Xie Lan, his eyes asking.

Fei Yin and Cheng Sheng, who clearly heard the word 'our' before the word 'kids' that Xie Lan spoke, acted as spectators of their founder and their teacher. Xie Lan, who was unintentionally wronged by the oblivious Fan Wen, choked back the mouthful of blood he wanted to cough. "The disciples. They are kids." He just said and pressed his lips tight, holding back not to smother this airheaded but cute guy.

"Oh." Fan Wen said as he finally boarded Xie Lan's sword.

Xie Lan, who was one-sidedly consoled when Fan Wen went with him to fly, his mood lit up. He smiled smugly at Fei Yin and Cheng Sheng, then happily flew away together with the forever oblivious Fan Wen.

"… should I still light a candle for him?" Cheng Sheng asked as they watched Xie Lan and Fan Wen fly up in the sky. Xie Lan would obviously make a detour since he's with Fan Wen.

"… I think he can always manage himself." Fei Yin answered, referring to Xie Lan loving Fan Wen secretly.

The two who clearly heard the change from 'our' to 'are' of Xie Lan, went to the market when Cheng Sheng asked Fei Yin to accompany him to buy something. Only to eat when Cheng Sheng saw a new flavor of steamed buns – his favorite.

And here goes another lovelorn person secretly loving his unknowing friend.