Red Rose [Never Let You Go, Again Book 3]

44: Zhan-Er's Mama

"A-Zhan," Wei Ying smiled.

Lan Zhan was still unsure. Was this a dream? Or was this...

"What? Do I look like a ghost? Want proof?" Wei Ying chuckled cheekily and grabbed Lan Zhan by the neck, pulling him down to his face and kissing him delicately. "Enough proof?" He laughed, sitting up on the grass in front of Lan Zhan.

"You came!"

"Aww, mighty old Hanguang-Jun looks like a baby who just got chocolate!" Wei Ying squeezed his cheeks. "Of course, I'm back! How could I leave you?"

Lan Zhan smiled, wide and bright for the first time in his life, his grin reaching the tips of his ears in delight. Happy tears streamed down his jade face.

"A-Zhan, darling, no more crying, alright?" Wei Ying hugged him close. Lan Zhan crushed him to breathlessness with his arms wrapped tight. "Darling..." he patted the sinewy back, stroking it to still the incessant sobs.

"A-Ying's back... A-Ying's back..."

Wei Ying chuckled softly before pulling away and cupping his husband's face. "A-Zhan, I'm back, alright? I'm back."

"Mn."

The two sucked on each other's lips, all the days of yearning and longing that had felt like years, taking their toll, sucking the life out of them. For the first time, it was Lan Zhan who pulled back first, Wei Ying desperately trying to cling onto his tongue.

"Mmmm, Lan Zhaaaan, a bit more, pwetty pwease? I missed you!" 

"A-Ying?"

"Yes, love?"

"Are you better now?"

"Healed. Grandma healed me. My core's back and it's healed too. I'm back to the Xingguang Xian I was. Back to being your sweet, silly, sneaky, sacrificing husband."

Lan Zhan shook his head and kissed his forehead. "Smart." He pecked the sharp nose. "Splendid." And smooched the lips ever-so lovingly. "Sacred."

"Sacred? Treasure me that much?"

"Mn."

"A-Zhan..." Wei Ying smiled and kissed him again. This time, it was calmer, shorter.

"Your Grandma healed you? Baoshan Sanren?"

"Yeps!" Wei Wuxian beamed. "Oh, that reminds me. Ten minutes are uuuuup!" He tossed his head back and shouted into the sky.

"Sheesh, what are you shouting for? I'm right here," Cangse Sanren chuckled from the Jingshi. "I was just going through your bedding, it's an utter mess! Ying-Er, don't you know to clean your house?"

"I... Mama... Not now," he pouted.

"Fine, fine. Wait, don't tell me you make him clean the house!"

"Of course not! He goes to work! My teaching starts later so I do it most of the time. If not, it's a servant. Mama, why were you checking the bedding?" Wei Ying's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, nothing, just smelled like sandalwood and lotuses blended together. Beautiful pillows!"

"A-Zhan got them!" He grinned, standing with his husband and hugging his arm.

Lan Zhan was... speechless. From the minute he had heard Cangse Sanren calling out from within the Jingshi, he had kept staring at the door, shocked, amazed, mind blown. At first, he had recalled Madam Lan, his own mother. But then the merriness in the voice was too much like Wei Ying. The silver eyes and summery smile made him realise this was his mother-in-law. He hadn't been able to meet her the last time she came to Cloud Recesses...