Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! This chapter is a bit shorter than the ones before, but it ended at a good place so enjoy :)
- Chapter Start -
Master Lan didn't say anything more as he led the way to the guestrooms. Despite his resolve, he still walked at his usual sedate pace. The only differences were his heavy frown and pursed lips, both visible from his side profile, suggesting he was either deep in thought or busy composing an apology to Sisi.
Wen Qing thought it best not to antagonise him any further and followed two discreet steps behind. She could cite Healer rights in wanting to accompany him, but truth to tell, she was also... curious.
It looked like some of Wei WuXian's shameless behaviour had rubbed off on her after two years in the Burial Mounds.
When she and Master Lan reached the walkway where a grassy field separated the guestrooms from the main buildings, they saw Sisi standing at the other end of the walkway.
That was the good news. The bad news was, she wasn't alone.
ZeWu Jun and Jin GuangYao appeared to be comforting her, standing very close and speaking in low voices. Master Lan looked even more displeased at that, pursed lips all but disappeared with how hard he was compressing them.
Wen Qing supposed she couldn't blame him. If she had to apologise for anything, she wouldn't want any witnesses either.
"Ah! Uncle QiRen. Healer Wen." GuangYao saw them approaching first.
"What? Oh no, I... shouldn't - sorry!" Spinning around, Sisi presented her back to them and hurriedly pressed a sleeve to her eyes.
"Uncle. Healer Wen." ZeWu Jun looked solemn as he and GuangYao bowed in greeting as though they hadn't all sat down to lunch a few hours ago. "It seems something or someone has upset Madam Sisi."
Wen Qing returned their bows and saw Master Lan turning red out of the corner of her eye.
"Lan Zhan, look! Everyone's over there!"
Wen Qing bit back a smirk when Master Lan visibly started at that all too familiar voice before turning pale.
"Great minds think alike, huh, Wen Qing?" A beaming Wei WuXian strode up to them, tugging HanGuang Jun by the hand. "Of course we all want to visit Sisi-jie!"
... who still didn't turn around.
"Wei Ying." HanGuang Jun's voice was quiet.
Wei WuXian's smile faltered, lessened and finally vanished when he took in the solemn faces around him.
"What's wrong?"
"Uncle. Xiongzhang. Madam Sisi. Maiden Wen. GuangYao." HanGuang Jun offered a formal bow.
Wei WuXian sketched a quick bow as well even though his expression clearly said he didn't see the need to be so formal with family.
"Is everything alright?" He asked, eyes darting from one face to the other.
Master Lan looked like he was on the verge of a qi deviation, even shifting on his feet as if contemplating a hasty retreat. But maybe he wouldn't run. Maybe he would just order all of them to leave instead, or take Sisi somewhere else to apologise in private.
"Sisi-jie?" Wei WuXian sounded worried.
Slowly, Sisi turned around, showing a tear stained face with a pink bandage on her cheek. Master Lan actually winced at the sight.
"What happened?" Wei WuXian exclaimed.
Another tear slid down Sisi's cheek and disappeared into the soaked bandage.
"It's... not important, Young Master Wei," she choked out.
"Not important?" Wei WuXian echoed in disbelief. "Sisi-jie, you're upset enough to cry."
"She wants to leave Cloud Recesses," GuangYao fretted, adding fuel to the fire.
"What?" Wei WuXian and Wen Qing chorused.
"I..." Sisi's eyes slid in Master Lan's direction and then away. "It's a... a minor misunderstanding."
"If it's minor then you don't have to leave," GuangYao told her.
"Who was it with?" Wei WuXian demanded with a hint of anger in his voice.
Glancing at Master Lan, Wen Qing saw him exhale, rigid shoulders slumping under blue silk robes as he cleared his throat.
"It was me," he confessed.
Every head swiveled to him in shock, even Sisi's. HanGuang Jun's eyes were wider than usual.
"Madam Sisi." Placing his hands together, Master Lan gave a stiff bow, causing several mouths to fall open around him.
Sisi pressed trembling fingers to her mouth, her eyes huge.
"I apologise for raising my voice at you earlier," Master Lan said.
Sisi stared at him and then she glanced around their stunned audience.
"Senior Lan, a noted elder such as yourself shouldn't abase himself before someone like me."
"He should if he is ashamed of his behavior," Master Lan insisted.
"Ashamed?" Sisi echoed in shock and shook her head, one hand lifting halfway towards him. "Oh no, that's too much. Please don't say that."
"I also apologise for jumping to the wrong conclusion," Master Lan continued doggedly.
"Ah." Sisi gave a sheepish smile and let her hand drop back to her side, colour blooming in her cheeks. "It was partly my fault for not stating what I meant."
"But it was my fault for making the wrong assumption," Master Lan insisted.
Wen Qing couldn't help rolling her eyes a bit. Everyone was shamelessly listening in, heads turning from one to the other and back again. Wei WuXian was practically starry eyed.
"What assumption?" He wanted to know.
Sisi glanced at him and then at the others.
"It's not important, Young Master Wei. A... a minor misunderstanding, that's all."
Wen Qing ground her small teeth together, unsure if she should applaud Sisi's diplomacy or stick her with a needle. Before she could decide, Master Lan took a step forward.
"Madam Sisi, it is important. It's not minor at all."
"What is?" Wei WuXian was almost bouncing in place with curiosity, subsiding only when Master Lan turned to glare at him.
"Ah. Sorry, Uncle QiRen."
With a snort, Master Lan turned to Sisi again.
"Please accept my apology."
Sisi gulped, cheeks still flushed.
"Senior Lan, I truly didn't mean to offend you earlier. I wasn't offering my services."
There was a squeaked out 'What?!' from Wei WuXian.
"Well," Sisi gave an abashed shrug, "I had thought of repaying you that way at first, but ZeWu Jun and A-Yao assured me you would refuse."
"Of course I would!" Master Lan huffed.
"But I do apologise in turn for not explaining myself clearly." Sisi bowed her head.
Master Lan took another step forward.
"I will accept that if you accept my apologies," he offered gruffly.
"Of course I will." Sisi's smile was quite breathtaking as she held out her hands in an impulsive, rather sweet gesture.
Master Lan hesitated before grasping her hands, giving them a quick squeeze before releasing them.
"Ah. Right. In that case, I hope you will continue to stay here," he said.
When Sisi smiled again, Wen Qing saw the tips of Master Lan's ears turn pink again.
"Cloud Recesses is so beautiful, I would like nothing more. But I want to earn my keep and not live off charity."
"Madam Sisi, it's not necessary."
"Senior Lan, I insist. I don't mean to boast, but I can cook and sew quite well."
"No. You are above such menial tasks." Master Lan's reply was immediate and decisive. "Besides, Lan JiaYing, the Head Librarian, has been requesting for an assistant. If that is agreeable to you?"
Two more tears escaped Sisi's eyes and Master Lan twitched at the sight.
"I don't think I'm qualified, but thank you." Sisi said, her voice trembling. "Please be assured I will do my best."
When Master Lan closed the remaining gap between them with an impatient sounding 'tsk', ZeWu Jun and GuangYao hurriedly moved away from Sisi.
"Alright, that's enough now," Master Lan muttered as he pulled out a square of blue silk from his sleeve and began dabbing at Sisi's face.
Wen Qing's eyebrows and respect for Master Lan rose even more. Seeing the others still openly staring at them - with Wei WuXian being the most avid, coupled with a huge grin - she decided they had all intruded enough.
"Let's go," she said, making a note to stop by Sisi's guestroom later to check on the reopened cut.
"Aww, Wen Qing..."
"Now," she stated firmly, making Wei WuXian pout.
"Ah yes, Healer Wen is quite right," ZeWu Jun said, looking a bit sheepish as he took GuangYao's hand. "We can visit Madam Sisi tomorrow."
"Agreed." HanGuang Jun tugged at Wei Ying's hand.
As the five of them walked away with Wei WuXian and GuangYao still sneaking glances over their shoulders, Wen Qing allowed herself one last look as well.
Master Lan was still tut-tutting and dabbing at Sisi's tears while she, half laughing and half crying, was trying to grab the cloth from him.
Smiling, Wen Qing turned back and poked a grinning Wei WuXian in the side to get him moving again.
"Keep walking," she told him.
- Chapter End -
A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you found LQR's apology satisfactory :) Please leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter and take care!
