Wanji remained silent as soon as he left the school with his son until he entered his room. Well, not that he is naturally silent. But, it was an unusual silence that even Sizhui and Xichen cannot even have a conversation starter.
He sat by the window and watch the beautiful full moon. A familiar silhouette blurred in his tearful eyes, looking at but cannot reach out. As if it was an unspeakable yearning.
He heaved a sigh, only to find himself still alone. He remembered the incident just this afternoon. He touched his lips, with the warmth still lingering.
His heart skipped a beat, and a flush of pink can be seen on his cheeks. He felt nervous at the same time the anticipation of wanting more. Desire eating his very conscious as if he wants to own nothing more than the man whom he had kissed.
He paused the moment as a flash of images came to his mind. A blindfolded dark-robed man lazily sat on a tree and a white-robed man carelessly approached claiming the lips of the dark-robed man. Sharing a passionate deep kiss under the dews.
His heart thumped, and he clenched his chest with all the fiber of his being screaming that he wants that man... That teacher.. that Wei Ying...
"Wei Ying.." he uttered. He felt pain and happiness just saying those words. So painful but the feeling gradually decreased as if it was a fleeting ecstasy. The agony of thousands of years disappeared as if it never existed. "Wei Ying..."
It was a sudden torturous reminiscence.
The void in his life has been filled by someone with whom he has so little interaction.
His momentum was cut by the three small knocks he heard, "come in."
Lan Qiren entered and worriedly looked at him, "Is something the matter Wangji?"
Wangji will never tire of watching his affectionate Uncle Qiren. It was always been the strict Uncle in his memories. So this change in attitude has become one of his favorites.
He merely shook his head at the expense of answering the question, Lan Qiren sat beside him and averted his gaze from the space
There was silence, a heartwarming silence.
"I've always wanted you to be happy..." Lan Qiren said, "when I knew what part I played in your life in my previous lives... The guilt inside me had always been pestering me.."
"But now... I truly wished for you to be happy... Meet the one you've always yearned for... I wanted you to enjoy the life you are given... I have never been a good uncle to you... It was evidenced by those 33 scars... Wangji..." Lan Qiren called, "you are no longer bound to the rules of the family... You can search for that person as you see fit... Remember, that this time... I will give you all my support..."
"I hope that someday... You'll be with that person..."
It was an ardent wish.
Lan Qiren never knew how would life be spectacular. Like the silk become tangled, like the shackles but decorated, bound by illusory and wanton promises. He only heard what he did in his past life. He knew his fault that time. But he cannot bring it up to the person who sat beside him. He cannot tell him everything...
Not until... That person tells Wangji the truth...
"Thank you, uncle..."
Lan Qiren knew that he never deserved those words of gratitude. Even if does not know everything, he knew he was part of this fake world. Nevertheless, he also knew how precious this person is to him.
'It has always been me making this child suffer." Lan Qiren thought.
[*****]
It was a Saturday morning, and Wangji decided to take a stroll. His brother was away for his work, his uncle had to attend to their family affairs, Jingyi and Sizhui are busy with their upcoming event and told him that they'll be having an overnight at Ouyang Zizhen house. Being alone and having nothing to do, might as well go out for a change.
He was wearing a white coat, blue shirt, dark pants, and sneakers, with his hair tied in a high bun. He took his cell phone in case his son contacted him and his wallet.
He placed his earphones on his ears and played instrumental music. Then he was off to go.
With all the walk around the metropolitan. He bought a sandwich and water from a stall and sat by the bench under the tree.
He saw an old man, sitting just the seat beside his. He could see that the old man was tired. He then reached for his sandwich to the old man.
"Young man... I do not have anything to give in return.." the old man cried.
But Wangji still reached the old man telling him to take the sandwich. The old man merely smiled and said, "thank you... May the heavens bless you with all goodwill..."
*I wish to protect the weak, the old, the children, with a clear conscience..* a sudden flash came to his mind, with the scenery of lanterns up the sky, with the same familiar silhouette he's always seeing.
"There are few people who would help an old man like me..." Then the old man reaches for an antique bracelet with a dark pearl to him, "this thing was something I have in all my life... When my wife passed and my children left me, this was the only thing that kept me going... There is only one pair of these... But I decided to give this to you..."
"You said... It was all you have..." Wangji replied.
"I have no more use for this..." The old man said, "I gave the other half to another young man... He also help me get to the hospital when I had an accident and even paid for it.. aside from him.. you are the only one who had extended his help to me..."
"This bracelet will lead you to someone... One that you'll hold dear for the rest of your life..." The old man said, "this heirloom never fails... I assure you that you'll meet your destined one.."
The old man stood up and left as Wangji watched him. He looked at the bracelet put on by the old man. He caressed it and smiled. His destiny... The endless yearning... A lost love he knew he never remembers even with his accursed life.
Yes, he never wanted to be immortal.
But when he woke up that time, he was already immortal.
He stood up and continued with his stroll. He stopped the moment he heard the same song... The same song he taught to Sizhui... It was the same song he made in his foolish years.
He ran and ran... Trying to find the source of the sound. Running and falling but always got up. The golden and orange color of the sunset set his memories in the hay. He remembered a dark place, a mountain, it was set on fire and the golden, red, and orange hues of fire spread throughout the night with cries, scream, and the roar of a monster. Moreover, the shrill sound of the flute that has taken over as if commanding all things in that mountain.
Until he saw a young clad in black playing a slow song he knew.
He grabbed that hand.
Only reality came into him.
His golden eyes met with the grey orbs of the high school teacher.
"Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying called, "wait! It hurts! Your grip is too tight!"
Awareness and guilt were present in his eyes. He slowly put his hand down.
It was the teacher.
He looked at the bruise he made on the other man.
"What are you doing here Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying asked.
"Walk." He answered.
"And why does a walk have turn to grabbing someone causing a bruise on his delicate body.."
"Shameless..." Wangji said.
"I've been hearing that compliment almost every day from my class... Care to change your compliment, Mr. Lan..."
"Extremely shameless.." said Lan Wangji with a very straight face.
Wei Ying just snorted changing the topic, "yeah right... walk.. right? Then where are you going now?"
"Somewhere.."
Wei Ying can't seem to act to that. He knew that Lan Zhan is no good when it comes to his speech. He even knew that this man would always make him speechless.
"How are you communicating with your wife?" He asked.
"No wife..." Wangji said, "never been married..."
"I adopted Sizhui... Still no wife..."
"Never in your life?" Wei Ying asked curiously.
Wangji replied, "no...—
~Wei Ying's heart skipped a beat...~
—I'm still waiting for someone..."
...to be continued...