The Lonely Bridge (WangXian Fan fiction)✔️

A Confession

As they sit to have their dinner, Wei Ying asks the midwife about her family and she happily talks about her children and grandchildren.
She is smart so she never asks any personal questions to the young men sitting at the table.

Wei Ying tells her about how he bugged Lan Zhan till he finally befriended him.  He tells how he had stunned everyone with his perfect archery skills once upon a time.

Then Wei Ying asks what he actually wanted to from the moment they had sat down to have dinner, "Madam, have you ever been to Lotus Cove?"

The midwife is surprised at being asked this and say, " No, I haven't. But I have a few friends who work in their kitchens. They tell me that since Clan leader Cheng took over Lotus Cove things have become much more difficult for them. They can't slack off either. Clan Leader is always angry. They tell me that he has earned the nickname 'Angry Lotus' because of his attitude."

'Well that's not surprising.' Wei Ying thinks smiling to himself.

The midwife continues, "By the way... I am not sure if it's completely true but I heard a rather odd rumor the other day."

Wei Ying looks at her questioningly and asks her to proceed.

The midwife continues her story, "You see, my friend who works in the kitchen heard rumors that a girl  had come to visit her brother who was studying at Lotus Cove. The siblings met and the brother even took her out to show her around. When they came back they were very happy. He told everyone how his sister was going to get married to a very accomplished cultivator from the Lan sect."  she pauses and sighs, then continues, "The night before she was to leave for home, shouts were heard from her room. You see she was staying in one of the guest rooms at the far eastern end of Lotus Cove."
The midwife stops and pours Lotus root and pork rib soup in the bowls and serves it to them.
"And? " Wei Ying asks unable to control himself.

The midwife continues again, "My friend said that the girl had died before the guards got there. As to how the girl died is still a mystery....but that's not all. When the Clan leader was informed about the incident he personally went to inform the young man about what had happened to his sister. To their surprise the young man had gone missing as well. The last anyone saw him was earlier that same night. After searching for half a day he was finally found by a maid...all my friend could get out of her was that he too was found dead."

Wei Ying's curiosity is peaked he asked, "Where was he found?.. And what was the cause of death?"

"Now that is the other suspicious thing. The maid who found him was paid handsomely and relieved of her duty. My friend had tried to talk to her into revealing some details but she kept her mouth shut. And the same day she left Yunmeng...Isn't that surprising young Master? Also very suspicious..if you ask me" the midwife says finishing the bowl of soup and looking up at the two men.
There is disbelief on Wei Ying's face and Lan Zhan is looking at his friend with a worried expression.

Looking at the impact her story had had on the wounded young master the midwife tries to lighten the mood,  "Young Master, if you ask me personally I would say that I don't believe it. My friend though very good, likes to make up things very often just to attract attention...that is her one flaw, ...so it is very likely that this time too it was just her attempt at sounding interesting." she finishes and gives Wei Ying's hands a gentle squeeze.

Lan Zhan sees this . His face becomes doused in vinegar. He doesn't understand why people keep touching his Wei Ying so casually ...and Wei Ying allows it.

Wei Ying smiles at the midwife, "So what you mean to say is that it's not a confirmed news? ".

The midwife shakes her head.
"You see I was curious so I asked around some more. I also asked my other acquaintances who work at Lotus Cove too but they said that they had heard nothing about the matter. And some days ago when I asked her if she had any news on the matter she just changed the topic. She hasn't mentioned it afterwards." the midwife shrugs her shoulders and starts clearing the table.

Lan Zhan helps the lady while Wei Ying continues to sit on the chair and stares at his friend.
'So domestic...' Wei Ying thinks and starts to blush. Wei Ying doesn't know why he is blushing while looking at Lan Zhan doing perfectly mundane things.

Once the chores are done, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan thank their host lady. She gives them a smile and retires to her room.

Wei Ying closed the door and stands facing Lan Zhan with eyes full of questions.
"What?", Lan Zhan asks.
Wei Ying walks to the bed taking the other man's hand and sits them down. He faces Wangji. He licks his lips and starts, "Lan Zhan, there is something that I need to confess to you ...for sometime now."

Lan Zhan looks his friend in the eyes and nods.
"But before I do so you have to promise me two things." Wei Ying pleads with his eyes and Wangji nods.
"First, I need you to promise me that you will listen to me and respect my wishes. "

Hearing this Lan Zhan gets a bad feeling. He knows whatever it is that his friend wants to tell him is serious, but he nods.

"Second, you will not abandon me." he says with tears in his eyes.
Looking at his friend's sad eyes Lan Zhan's heart feels like it has been ripped in half.
"Wei Ying.. " he starts to say but his friend put his finger on his lips.

"Lan Zhan...just answer me in yes or no. " he says and removes his finger from Lan Zhan's lips.

Lan Zhan nods.

"Don't forget your promise Hanguang Jun." he says and continues speaking.
"Lan Zhan, you must have wondered back then why I turned to this path of demonic cultivation? Why I don't carry my sword on me anymore. Why I would rather be insulted than have a sword fight?".
"Why I refused your help? Why I ignored you words? And why the thought of coming back to Gusu was unacceptable to me?"

Lan Zhan's heart is sinking hearing these words. He had indeed thought about them numerous times over the years.

"The truth is...Lan Zhan... I can't yield Subian anymore. That powerful sword is just a sharp piece of metal in my hands now." Wei Ying says look down.

"I lost my Golden Core Lan Zhan. I didn't have it from the time I came back from burial mounds." Wei Ying says, still looking down.
A few minutes pass but there are still no words from Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan feels like a ton of bricks are crushing his heart. His feels like he can't breathe. He wants this confession to be just a nightmare... Or a joke... but he knows it's not. He knows Wei Ying will never joke about such a serious matter.
Slowly the realization of what Wei Ying just confessed , sinks in.

{Note :- As mentioned earlier the story diverges from canon so things happen differently here.
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Have a nice day }