"Lan Zhan...What kind of disciplinary whip is this?" Wei Wuxian muttered to himself as he hovered his hand over a back full of injuries. "It has been a year. But look at them. Not more than half are recovering." He sighed.

Every time Wei Wuxian looked at Lan Wangji's lacerations, he bore an indescribable weight that left his heart heavy and his lungs suffocated. "It must have hurt a lot, haven't it?" He choked on his words. "You have always been such a model disciple. I totally don't understand the reasons behind this cruel punishment." He frowned as he looked at the whip wounds one by one. Yet he couldn't look past the seventh gash as his vision started to blur with unshed tears. "How I wish I was there with you. To stop them from hurting you. Or at least, to shield your body with mine so we could just share the pain."

In Wei Wuxian's head, there were tons of I wish. He wished to time travel back to the forgotten past and got to the bottom of things. Or the very least, he wished someone could tell him something. Anything.

But it was fruitless. No one was able to see or hear him anymore. And that meant no one was able to give him the answers he seek.

A groan escaped from Lan Wangji's mouth as he stirred in his sleep. With proper care and rest for the past whole year, the fever was no longer pestering Lan Wangji. But the pain inflicted by the injuries were still there, with red gashes all over his white-skinned back. Though the blood was no longer oozing out angrily like freshet with a broken dam, it was still hurt to move. Lan Wangji had to restrain his movements to the minimum.

The sound of the door opened, accompanied by the ray of sunlight, made Lan Wangji opened his eyes with a brim. He could only make out a silhouette of a small boy carrying a tray full of bowls and plates, to which he assumed was his lunch.  

"Is it lunch time already?" he asked with a weak smile as the boy slowly approached his bed.

"Yes, it is." The boy returned the smile and nodded.

Using both his hands to bring himself up to a sitting position, he gritted his teeth during the process. The mission only became less painful and easier when an additional of two small hands joined in.

"Zewu-Jun said not to use too much strength, rich brother. Or your wounds will open up again." The boy said as he helped Lan Wangji's body up.

Lan Wangji looked at the boy, who was now kneeling on his bed next to him with a face full of worry. As an assurance, he gave the young boy another weak smile and patted his head softly. "I know, A-Yuan. Don't fret."

With a hesitating nod, A-Yuan jumped off the bed and walked towards a small table nearby. Picking up the tray where he had left earlier, he carried it back to bed and climbed up to resume his position next to Lan Wangji. Settling the tray on his lap properly, he grabbed the spoon to scoop a hot soup, and brought it to his mouth so he could cool it down as he blew it gently before directing the spoon back to Lan Wangji.

"I can eat by myself." Lan Wangji reached out his hand to take the spoon from the boy but the boy shook his head. His face clearly showed a sign of a sad protestation though he didn't say anything. To make the boy's happy face return, Lan Wangji decided to let go of his stubbornness. "You can continue to feed me then."

Those words made the boy's face lightened up with content. It had become a routine that A-Yuan took great care of Lan Wangji, which included feeding him meal thrice a day.

Though Lan Wangji had always been accustomed to Gusu Lan's food, recently, he found each bite so tasteless. The swallow was hard yet he had to endure it. He needed to stay alive for this boy. The only remaining memory between him and Wei Wuxian.

The boy giggled when Lan Wangji raised his hand to indicate that he was full.

"What's so funny?" Lan Wangji asked.

"I am happy that rich brother eats a lot today." he smiled widely.

Lan Wangji looked at the remaining food and realized he had finished three quarter of the portion today when he usually ate only half.

Twinges of pain appeared with the contractions of his heart as he looked at the smile on A-Yuan's face, for this wide smile really resembled someone he had been longing for. He fixated his gaze on the boy's face as if to capture that very smile into the depth of his memory. But the more he stared, the more he noticed something was off.

A-Yuan's eyes were red and swollen.

"A-Yuan, have you been crying?" he asked.

The boy's smile vanished, covered by a frightening countenance. "The medicine is soon to be ready, rich brother. I will go and bring it to you now." A-Yuan climbed down the bed and rushed out the door quickly to avoid answering.

Narrowing his eyes, he silently stared at the direction A-Yuan had just disappeared.

"I think something must've had happened to him." Wei Wuxian said as he returned to sit next to Lan Wangji, taking A-Yuan's empty spot.

"Something must've had happened." murmured Lan Wangji.

"Given the state of those red, puffy eyes, he must have been crying."

"He must have been crying."

"Why are you repeating after me?" Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. He became surprised in the next few seconds. "Wait. You can hear me?" He shot up to his feet and came to stand in front of  Lan Wangji as if to block him from the door's view. "Hey, can you?" He waved his hand.

No reaction. 

"Haha...that is impossible, right? You can't hear the dead. Well, unless you play the Inquiry. But you are not in the right state yet." He flumped into the bed. "Lan Zhan, heal faster alright? Then, play your Zither so we can talk. I am like a lunatic here. Talking by myself and all. It's boring."

But he knew so well that wasn't the precise reason.

"In fact, I just miss talking with you." he whispered his confession into the air.

~*~*~*~*~*|

This chapter is considered to be re-editing.