Lan Zhan kept his word. He woke Wei Wuxian after he'd slept long enough to burn through only a few sticks of incense.

Wei Wuxian thanked him, kissed him, and then promptly returned to Jiang Cheng's side.

Even in the short amount of time that he'd been gone, his condition had deteriorated. Jiang Cheng could hardly keep his eyes open. Every breath was a struggle. Wei Wuxian had to ask three times if he could hear him before he finally got a tap in answer.

"How long is he lasting now between donations?" Wei Wuxian asked Luo Qingyang.

"I don't know," she said. "Not long. He's going to need another soon."

The number of doctors in the room had gone back up to three. Wei Wuxian could hear them deliberating over whether or not to call for a fourth.

"I have some more bad news to share with you," Luo Qingyang said.

"Great. Let's hear it."

"The alchemist came not long after you left. He did manage to reverse engineer the dagger and made an antidote for his hemorrhage."

Wei Wuxian frowned. "I think you misunderstand the meaning of 'bad news'. That sounds good to me. Now he just needs time to regenerate his own blood."

"That's the trouble," she replied, still scowling after he'd suggested she didn't know what bad news was. "The doctors fear he might not be able to. Each time they donate to him, they're having to make sacrifices. At first, they were small, like concentrating on his center and leaving his extremities. But the last few times they've told me they only had enough to support his mind. The rest of his body is failing. And, well, his mind isn't faring well either. I don't think he understands what we say to him."

"Sure he does," Wei Wuxian insisted. "He tapped my hand just now. Didn't you see?"

"That's all he does, though," Luo Qingyang said. "One tap. No matter the question."

"No, you weren't paying attention. Watch."

Wei Wuxian leaned forward and spoke clearly.

"Is Lan Wangji your favorite person?"

Jiang Cheng didn't answer. So, he repeated himself… and repeated himself… and repeated himself once more.

Tap.

Wei Wuxian laughed nervously. "No, remember? One tap means yes and two means no. Try it again."

No response.

"Try it again," Wei Wuxian said, practically yelling.

Tap.

"No, tap my hand twice, Jiang Cheng."

Tap.

"He doesn't understand you," Luo Qingyang said solemnly. "He can hear you, but he doesn't understand."

"Fuck," Wei Wuxian muttered, voice breaking. "Did he tell you what he wanted? Does he still want to try?"

"I didn't ask."

"Why not?! You could see he was getting worse, couldn't you?!"

"Don't yell at me, Wei Wuxian."

"Sorry."

Wei Wuxian propped his elbows on the edge of Jiang Cheng's bed and buried his face in his hands.

"What do we do?" he asked her.

"I think it's time to get Jin Ling," she said.

To hear her say that was like a sword through his gut. Could it really be time for a final decision? He'd wanted to call for Jin Ling before, but when Jiang Cheng had decided to stay, Wei Wuxian had committed to staying with him until he changed his mind.

But his mind was gone now. He could no longer tell them what he wanted.

Why hadn't Luo Qingyang just asked him one more time before he'd faded completely? Why?

"It's the middle of the night. He's sleeping."

"Maybe. But do you really want to wait until morning?" she asked. "He already looks horrible. It's going to be a nightmare for Jin Ling either way, but it'll be worse if we wait."

Wei Wuxian lifted his head and took Jiang Cheng's hand in both of his.

"Fine, you go get him if you know where he is."

"Qingqing told me where she left him," Luo Qingyang replied. "I think we should both go."

"Why?"

"Jin Ling might not want to believe what I tell him. And he knows that I have no love for Jiang Cheng."

"And you think he'll believe me?"

"I do."

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "I said I would stay with him."

"He doesn't know you're there."

"You don't know that."

"I do," she said softly. "And you do too."

Luo Qingyang walked around the bed to come stand beside him. She offered him a hand, which he ignored.

"I told him I would stay," he insisted.

"You did," she said. "You stayed as long as he did. Come on. Let's go find Jin Ling."

"I hate this."

"Me too."

He finally took her hand and together they made their way through the halls of Jinlintai. Wei Wuxian was disconnected from his own body. Nothing felt real.

And when they at last opened the door to the medical laboratory to find the three boys curled next to each other, Wei Wuxian didn't feel anything except dread.

"I can't do this," he whispered as he and Luo Qingyang crept inside, hoping only to wake Jin Ling.

"We have to."

When Fairy saw them coming, she rose and stepped off to the side. It was as if she knew they had something important to do and she didn't want to scare Wei Wuxian off.

He watched her for a moment, not trusting that she would stay where she was. But she didn't move a muscle.

Wei Wuxian bent and poked Jin Ling's leg. He didn't rouse easily, but when he did, he sat upright and stared at them wide-eyed.

Next to him, Jingyi and Sizhui shifted in their sleep. They didn't wake.

"What's happened?" Jin Ling asked.

"Come with us," Wei Wuxian said. "We'll explain in the hall."

He carefully wormed his way out of the blankets and followed them out. Wei Wuxian wiped his sweaty palms on his robe. Jin Ling's face was still pink from crying.

He couldn't do this. He really couldn't do this.

"Jin Ling," Luo Qingyang said in a soft, motherly voice.

He instantly knew something was wrong.

"No," Jin Ling breathed. "Don't say it. You can't say it."

"We need you to come tell the doctors to stop. It's time to stop."

"He's still alive?" Jin Ling asked. "There's still a chance for him? I can't tell them to stop when there's still a chance."

"There isn't, Jin Ling," Wei Wuxian said, finally working up the courage to speak. "He's not… there anymore. He's breathing, but he's not there."

"What do you mean? What does he mean?!"

His eyes were wild with terror as he looked to his advisor.

Luo Qingyang inclined her head. "The doctors are keeping him alive with qi donation, but they don't think his body has enough energy left to regenerate his blood. He's going to continue to decline."

"You don't know that," Jin Ling said. "You don't know what he's capable of."

"Do you need to see him? Would that help you?" she asked.

"Yes, I want to see him."

"Let's go."

Luo Qingyang started down the corridor, but Jin Ling didn't follow. Wei Wuxian watched him, noting how he clenched his jaw and how the corners of his eyes crinkled with pain.

"What does he look like?" Jin Ling asked, looking at Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "I doubt anything I say will prepare you for it."

Jin Ling went very pale.

"Are you coming?" Luo Qingyang asked.

"Yes," Jin Ling breathed.

His first steps were slow and filled with trepidation. But he picked up the pace as they went until they were struggling to keep up with him.

When Jin Ling reached for the door, Luo Qingyang hurriedly smacked his hand away.

"What the hell?"

"I need to know first, do you want us to come in with you or wait out here?" she asked.

Jin Ling seemed startled by the question. "Whatever you want. I don't care. Let me through."

She stepped aside and Jin Ling let himself in, all of his previous trepidation gone. But as soon as he laid eyes on Jiang Cheng, he froze.

Wei Wuxian could only imagine how frightening it must have been for him to see his uncle's chest rise and fall unevenly and to take in the sickly yellow-gray hue of his skin. Wei Wuxian had at least watched him steadily decline. Jin Ling was seeing it all at once.

"Jiujiu?" he called in a small voice as the doctors bowed to him. "Jiujiu, can you hear me?"

Jiang Cheng's haggard breathing was his only response.

Jin Ling trembled in the doorway.

"His eyes are open," he said. "Why can't he hear me?"

"He might be able to hear you," Luo Qingyang said, "but he can't understand what you're saying."

"Why? What does that mean? What did they do to him?!"

The doctors began to stammer out defenses, but Luo Qingyang cut them off.

"They've been following your orders," she said. "They've done absolutely everything they could to keep him alive. They will continue to keep him alive unless you tell them to stop."

Jin Ling took a shaky step forward. Then, he dashed to Jiang Cheng's side. He seized his hand and pressed it to his cheek.

"He's cold!" he cried. "Why aren't you warming him? Light a fire or something!"

"Jin Ling, there's no blood to warm him," Luo Qingyang said. "You can warm him all you want. It isn't going to fix the problem."

"I'll give him my blood! Find a way to mimic the dagger!"

A young female doctor stepped forward then and inclined her head.

"We've been trying," she said. "The alchemist destroyed the only one we had in order to make an antidote for his hemorrhage. We are using his notes to try to create something like it. Inventions take time and demonic cultivation is generally to be avoided. We're trying to find another method."

"He doesn't have time!" Jin Ling screamed. "Look at him!"

"I know," the doctor said, bowing her head again.

"I don't care if you use demonic cultivation! Save him!"

"We still don't know how to use demonic cultivation to solve this either. Plus, there's no guarantee that if he received the blood he needs now that he would recover."

"Why?!"

"His body is failing," the doctor said. "Once it's too far gone, no amount of blood or spiritual energy will keep him going."

Jin Ling laced his fingers with his uncle's. Tears splashed on Jiang Cheng's bare forearm.

"I can't say goodbye," Jin Ling whimpered. "I can't."

He put Jiang Cheng's hand back down on the bed and went very still.

"What's this?" he asked, voice still thick with grief.

He was staring at the dark circle around his uncle's wrist.

"Did you-?"

He got to his feet and walked around to the other side of the bed. He furiously pulled loose the rope binding Jiang Cheng.

"Why would you have tied him like that? He's barely moving! You tied it too tight! Look!"

"It wasn't too tight," the young doctor said. "He wasn't lying still before. He did that to himself."

It rubbed Wei Wuxian the wrong way to hear her blame him for the bruises on his wrists. Jiang Cheng hated to be restrained like that. How could they blame him for resisting?

But Wei Wuxian said nothing. Arguing would serve no purpose. And bringing up the fact that Jiang Cheng loathed having his wrists bound would give Jin Ling no peace.

"Where's his ring?" Jin Ling demanded.

The doctors were confused. They shuffled their feet and looked questioningly at one another. Everyone knew about the infamous Zidian. No one had noticed it was missing.

"Where is it?! Who took it?!"

"No one took it," Wei Wuxian said, pulling his jade talisman from under his robes. "Zidian can't easily be stolen. I have it."

Jin Ling rounded on him. Instantly, all that misplaced anger was thrown in his direction.

"So you thought that because I didn't accept it, you could take it for yourself?!"

"Of course not," Wei Wuxian said. "I hate this thing. But Jiang Cheng asked me to take it, so I did."

"Why would he give it to you?"

Wei Wuxian shrugged. "Because you refused it, I guess."

"Hand it over."

"Gladly."

Wei Wuxian untied the cord of his talisman and slipped Zidian off into his hand. He passed it to Jin Ling, who then replaced it on Jiang Cheng's finger.

"Jin Ling," Wei Wuxian said pleadingly, "he has no use for it. Take it. He meant it for you."

"No," Jin Ling said, shaking his head vigorously. "It's his."

"Please, Jin Ling. I know it's hard."

"I can't," he said, face shining and nose red. "I need more time."

"There isn't more time," Luo Qingyang said. "You have to let go, for his sake and yours."

"I can't."

"You must."

Jin Ling hugged his uncle's arm to his body. "I need more time."

"Ji-"

"Go," he said firmly. "Everyone go. I need more time."

The three doctors bowed and started to take their leave, but the young woman turned back around.

She said to Jin Ling's agitated expression, "Allow me to give you more time," and then skirted around him to touch her palm to Jiang Cheng's forehead.

Her fingers glowed gold until she swayed where she stood. When she took her hand away, Jiang Cheng's breathing was a little more even. Only a little.

She bowed to him again and followed her colleagues out the door.

Luo Qingyang and Wei Wuxian hadn't moved.

"You too," Jin Ling said. "Leave me."

"Ji-" Luo Qingyang started to say.

But Wei Wuxian put a hand on her shoulder and guided her toward the exit. She didn't fight him. They followed the doctors into the corridor and closed off Jiang Cheng's room behind them.

"Daylight is fast approaching," Luo Qingyang said as Wei Wuxian sank to the floor. "These halls will be busier. Jin Ling isn't going to want to deal with that. I think I'll go see about blocking off this area. I don't think they fully heeded Zewu-jun or Hanguang-jun when they requested it before."

She turned on her heel and headed off to find an official.

With the silencing talisman on the door, Wei Wuxian couldn't hear anything happening inside. He tried not to imagine it either.

Wei Wuxian closed his eyes, tipped his head back, and exhaled deeply. He was so tired, down to his very bones.

"Wei-qianbei!" Sizhui called.

Wei Wuxian sat up and looked around. Sizhui and Jingyi were hurrying toward him from the other end of the hall. Jingyi looked angry as the two stopped in front of him.

"Where is Jin Ling?" he asked hotly.

"Advisor Luo and I collected him earlier," Wei Wuxian answered. He tilted his head toward the door. "He's inside."

Sizhui flushed red, but Jingyi didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest that Wei Wuxian would have seen the three of them cuddled together. He was livid.

"Why didn't you wake us too?" he asked, hands on his hips. "We could have gone with him. We should have gone with him."

"This has nothing to do with you two," Wei Wuxian said, not unkindly. "Knowing him, Jin Ling would have wanted to do this alone anyway."

"Do what alone?" Sizhui asked, though the fear in his voice made it clear he already knew the answer. "Wei-qianbei, how is Sect Leader Jiang?"

"Jin Ling is saying goodbye."

The boys looked as though someone had punched them in the stomach. They both leaned forward slightly and their gaze dropped to the ground. If Wei Wuxian wasn't mistaken, Jingyi's eyes were watering.

"He doesn't want anyone with him?" Jingyi asked in a trembling voice.

Wei Wuxian shook his head. "He sent all of us away, the doctors too."

"I'm staying right here then," Jingyi said forcefully. He folded his arms and stamped his foot to emphasize his commitment to waiting.

"There's no guarantee he'll want company after," Wei Wuxian said.

"If he doesn't, I'll leave him alone. If he does, we're going to be right here. Right, Sizhui?"

Sizhui swallowed hard and nodded.

The two of them sat on the other side of the door. They didn't speak. They didn't fidget. There wasn't a doubt in Wei Wuxian's mind that they would stay there for hours if needed.

He was thankful for their silence, though. He leaned his head back again and waited for Lan Zhan to come find him there.

Time passed like a dream, or perhaps more like a nightmare. Wei Wuxian had no idea how long they'd been there, waiting for Jiang Cheng to die. There were no windows to see if the sun had risen and the thoughts running through his head flashed by so fast, it felt like he'd been sitting there forever.

Shouting nearby caught his attention.

"Let me through!" cried an unfamiliar voice.

"You can't come this way," someone else said. "This area has been closed off until further notice by order of Advisor Luo."

"You don't understand," the visitor insisted. "I was sent by Sect Leader Nie. I have strict orders to deliver this to the Yiling Patriarch and no one else. Please let me through! I've been looking everywhere for him!"

Wei Wuxian was already on his feet and headed toward the commotion.

"Nie Huaisang," he growled under his breath, "you can't stay out of anyone's business, can you?"

His hands curled into tight fists. Wei Wuxian was in a towering rage by the time he reached the desperate Nie Sect disciple and the two Jins who had blocked him.

"What the fuck does Huaisang want from me?" he snarled at the poor Nie disciple. "I told him to stay the hell away from my family."

"I think he understands that, sir," the Nie disciple said timidly, cowering. "He told me to deliver this letter and this." He held out an envelope with the silver beast wax seal of the Nie Sect and one of Jin Guangyao's golden daggers. "He says they are for you to do with as you see fit. Will you accept them? May I please go?"

"Why did he send you?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Sect Leader Nie said he had matters at home to attend to and was not welcome in Jinlintai for the time-being," the disciple said, looking anxious as Wei Wuxian still didn't take the offered items from him. "He also told me to tell you that he is respecting your wishes and that there will be no repercussions for the Jins due to your actions."

" My actions?"

The Nie disciple cowered more.

"Tell Huaisang he's a real vindictive asshole to even consider retribution. And tell him-"

"Respectfully, sir," the Nie disciple squeaked. "Do I actually have to say these things to him?"

"No," Wei Wuxian said begrudgingly. He didn't think Huaisang was the type to shoot his own messenger, but what did he really know about him anymore?

The disciple let out a relieved sigh before asking, "Will you take these?"

"Fine."

Reluctantly, Wei Wuxian snatched the items from the Nie disciple's hands. The disciple bowed deeply and jogged away.

He imagined the letter would have some scathing retort for the things that Wei Wuxian had said before. The dagger was probably given just to rub salt in the wound. Wei Wuxian could experiment on it to see if he could reactivate its power… not that it would do any good. It would take too much time and Jiang Cheng couldn't be long for death now.

Curiosity got the best of him (as it often did), and against his better judgment, Wei Wuxian opened Huaisang's letter.

He read a little past the first paragraph but didn't bother to finish reading the rest. He shoved the letter down the front of his robe for later and took off down the corridor.

Please don't be too late, he thought frantically. I can't be too late. Please.

"Wei-qianbei? What-?"

"Wei Ying?"

Wei Wuxian ignored both Sizhui and Lan Zhan.

He threw open the door to Jiang Cheng's room. Jin Ling's head snapped up from resting in his arms.

"What the hell?" he snarled. His face, red from crying, contorted in rage. "I told you to get out."

"Is he alive?" Wei Wuxian asked while covertly hiding the dagger up his sleeve.

If Jiang Cheng was already dead, it would do Jin Ling no good to know how close he'd come to being saved.

"I told you to get out!"

"ANSWER ME!"

Before Jin Ling could do or say anything, Wei Wuxian shifted his attention to Jiang Cheng.

Was he breathing? He had to be breathing. Please…

He watched, his own breath held, until Jiang Cheng released a weak, shuddering exhale.

"Thank the heavens!" Wei Wuxian cried.

He leapt across the threshold and sprinted to his bedside.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Jin Ling shouted. "I don't want you here!"

"I'm saving his life! Sit down and shut up!"

Jin Ling quieted immediately. Wei Wuxian paid him no mind.

He pulled the dagger from his sleeve and without hesitation, clamped his hand around the blade, allowing it to bite deeply into his skin. Crimson rivulets crept up the handle, but they yet had nowhere to go.

Wei Wuxian unceremoniously shoved the hilt into Jiang Cheng's limp hand. Rivulets of blood became a solid sheen that raced from the blade to the hilt.

He'd expected instant gratification – for Jiang Cheng to sit up and start telling him off for allowing Jin Ling to see him when he'd expressly said he didn't want him to.

But he didn't.

Some color returned to his skin and his breathing became less ragged, but he didn't open his eyes.

"Get the doctors!" Wei Wuxian yelled.

It was unnecessary. Jin Ling had already risen and started to run for the door.

"Someone find a doctor!" Jin Ling shouted to the group outside.

There were no follow-up questions and he didn't yell at them again, so Wei Wuxian assumed they'd done as ordered.

He put the back of his hand against Jiang Cheng's forehead. He was warmer – a lot warmer. But still, he didn't rouse.

"What's wrong?" Wei Wuxian muttered as the wooziness began to set in. "Why won't you wake up?"

"Jiujiu?"

Jin Ling tentatively pushed on Jiang Cheng's shoulder, but he didn't respond. Was his skin turning yellow or was Wei Wuxian's dizziness starting to affect his vision?

"Jiujiu?" Jin Ling said again.

This time, he furrowed his brow slightly.

"Jiang Cheng?!" Wei Wuxian said excitedly. "Jiang Cheng?! Can you hear us?!"

His finger twitched against the bloodied dagger handle. He scrunched his face again.

"Thank goodness," Wei Wuxian whispered before promptly slumping onto the edge of the bed. His head was spinning. But he didn't let go of the blade.

He closed his eyes, just to rest for a little while, and heard footsteps approach him from around the bed.

"Give me that," Jin Ling said, knocking into Wei Wuxian's shoulder and tapping the hand he had still wrapped around the blade. "You look like a corpse. I'm taking over."

"Whatever," Wei Wuxian said dazedly.

He released the knife and scooted to the side so Jin Ling could kneel beside him.

Stars danced on the insides of his eyelids. Transferring so much blood to Jiang Cheng coupled with the relief he felt now that it seemed Jiang Cheng was going to be all right left Wei Wuxian with less than no strength.

"Sect Leader, what are you doing?"

Wei Wuxian peeked through his eyelashes to see a pair of doctors standing in the doorway.

"I'm using this dagger to give him my blood," Jin Ling said. "Wei Wuxian must have found a working one somewhere. I don't know. I don't care. I'm saving him."

"We must be careful, Sect Leader," one of the doctors said as the pair let themselves into the room. "His body has been without blood for a long time. Giving it all back at once may cause problems."

Jiang Cheng groaned.

Great, Wei Wuxian thought, just when I could finally relax.

"He's not handling it well, Sect Leader," said the other doctor. "I advise you stop for now and allow us to take over for a while."

"You'd better not check his meridians," Wei Wuxian mumbled as Jin Ling sat back.

"How else will we-?"

"Listen to him," Jin Ling said crossly.

"Yes, Sect Leader," the doctors said in unison.

Wei Wuxian partially lifted his head. One of the doctors held his hand in the air a few inches above Jiang Cheng's wound while the other was lifting Jiang Cheng's eyelids for some reason.

"He's turning yellow," said the second doctor. "Focus your attention here for now."

He pointed near the bottom of Jiang Cheng's ribcage. The first doctor moved there instead, funneling qi without pause.

"What does that mean?" Jin Ling asked.

"His body isn't ready to handle more blood," said the second doctor. "He needs time to adjust."

"Will he be all right?"

Jiang Cheng groaned again and opened and closed his fists. The second doctor watched him.

"I think so," he said. "We need to be careful, though."

Wei Wuxian put his head back down. But when someone touched his shoulder, he was forced to look up again.

"You should go get treatment for yourself," Jin Ling said. "You're covered in burns. I'll stay here."

"Jiang Cheng didn't want you to see him like this," Wei Wuxian muttered. "If he wakes up and sees you here, he's gonna be mad."

"He can't always have what he wants. You and Luo Qingyang need to rest. I'll make sure no one checks his meridians."

"Mm," Wei Wuxian moaned. "He's gonna kill me."

"Unlikely," Jin Ling said. "Stop being a baby and get out of here."

"All right, all right."

Sluggishly, Wei Wuxian rose and excused himself from the room. As soon as he stepped out into the hall, he was bombarded with questions.

"What's happening in there?" Jingyi asked.

"Is everything all right?" asked Sizhui.

"Wei Ying, do you need to sit down?" Lan Zhan asked gently. "You're very pale."

Wei Wuxian nodded, answering only Lan Zhan's question. He pressed his hand against his pounding head while Lan Zhan snaked his arm under Wei Wuxian's and helped guide him to the floor.

"Jin Ling told me to go treat my burns," Wei Wuxian said tiredly. "Can you believe that? He's ordering me around now."

"You should have them treated," Lan Zhan said. "You were already told to do so by the doctor."

"Yeah, whatever."

"I'll go get someone," Sizhui said.

He gave a quick bow and headed off down the hall.

Jingyi knelt down to be closer to them. "What's happened? Why did you call for help?"

Wei Wuxian pulled Huaisang's letter from the front of his robe and slapped it down into Jingyi's offered hand. He read it aloud quietly so Lan Zhan didn't have to crane his neck to read over his shoulder.

"I hope I'm not too late," Jingyi murmured as Wei Wuxian fought against his nausea. "I spent the night trying to figure out how to make this stupid knife work. I'm sure you would have thought of a solution much quicker. Turns out, I needed to use Jin Guangyao's gold tally, which is a long story that I'll skip for now."

"Hm," Lan Zhan said in a heated tone.

"What's he talking about?" Jingyi asked.

Wei Wuxian just shook his head.

So, he went on, "The point is, the power of this dagger has been restored. I want you to use it to buy Jia-" Jingyi caught himself and corrected to say, "-Sect Leader Jiang as much time as he needs. It probably won't take you long to figure out a way to heal him."

Jingyi looked up again, confused. "I didn't see you bring anything in there with you. Did he give you one of Jin Guangyao's daggers?"

Wei Wuxian nodded.

"Oh." He returned to the letter. "I hope you believe me when I say I'm sorry for everything. And I'm sorry if I'm too late.

"Why's he sorry?" Jingyi asked, folding up the letter and handing it back to Wei Wuxian. "It's not like he's the one who hurt Sect Leader Jiang. He shouldn't have run away like he did, but I don't understand that part."

"Don't worry about it," Wei Wuxian said.

"But I-"

Jingyi stopped talking when Lan Zhan slipped his arm under Wei Wuxian's knees and lifted him from the floor.

"Don't be silly," Wei Wuxian said, eyes barely open. "I can walk."

"Mn," said Lan Zhan without putting him down.

"I guess this works too."

"Where are you going?" Jingyi asked. "Sizhui was going to get you a doctor."

"Send him to us," Lan Zhan said.

He somehow opened the door to the room Sizhui had stayed in without setting Wei Wuxian down. He carried him in, closed the door, and laid him carefully on the bed.

"Don't look so worried," Wei Wuxian mumbled. "I'm tired. That's all."

"You shouldn't have given so much blood to Jiang Wanyin," Lan Zhan said. "You've lost a lot yourself."

"What are you gonna do about it?"

Lan Zhan leaned over and tenderly kissed his forehead. Wei Wuxian laughed.

"That'll teach me for sure."

"Mn."

They waited for Sizhui. Wei Wuxian had started to drift off by the time he knocked on the door.

Lan Zhan let him in. Sizhui apologized for how long it had taken him to find someone. Apparently most of the doctors were still recovering to some degree from helping Jiang Cheng. They were only willing to spare their apprentices for less emergent issues.

So, that's who Sizhui had brought.

Apprentice or no, he did a good job. He provided Wei Wuxian with some pills and carefully debrided the blackened tissue from his torso and arms. It hurt a lot, but it looked much better once he was done.

He then covered the freshened edges of Wei Wuxian's skin with a green paste, which he assumed was the same that had been used on Sizhui.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" the apprentice asked politely.

"You've done enough," Wei Wuxian said, skin stinging. "Thanks."

"Very well," the apprentice said. He got to his feet and pointed at the burlap pouch of pills he'd already given to Wei Wuxian. "Take one of those in the morning and at night to help with the pain."

"Can I take one now?" Wei Wuxian asked jokingly.

"You've already had one."

"Damn."

The apprentice bowed to them and left. As soon as he was gone, Sizhui was fidgeting.

"You don't need to stay here," Wei Wuxian said to him. "You can go back to Jingyi if you want."

"You don't need anything else?" Sizhui asked.

"No, I'm all right," Wei Wuxian assured him. "Where is Wen Ning?"

Sizhui shrugged with a sad expression. "You know he doesn't like to be in places like this. He doesn't feel welcome."

"I know. Did he say where he was going?"

"He said he would stay nearby," Sizhui said. "He wants me to keep him updated on what's happening."

"Be sure to do that then."

"I will."

Sizhui politely excused himself. As soon as he was outside, Wei Wuxian could hear Jingyi chattering away about Huaisang's letter.

"Do you think those boys have anything more than friendship between them?" Wei Wuxian asked Lan Zhan casually.

"Mn," Lan Zhan said.

"Which ones do you think? Just those two or do you think Jin Ling is in there somehow?"

"It doesn't matter to me," Lan Zhan said. "As long as they're happy."

"Yes, obviously," Wei Wuxian said. "But come on! Speculate with me!"

"Why?"

"Because it's fun!"

"Mn. You should sleep."

"Nooo," Wei Wuxian whined. "I know you Lans aren't supposed to gossip, but I'm not gonna tell anyone!"

Lan Zhan sighed. "I don't have an answer for you."

"Well, I saw all three of them huddled up together when I went to collect Jin Ling. So I have no idea either. But it's interesting, no?"

"No."

"No?!"

"I don't care as long as they're happy."

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes and waved him away dismissively. "You're no fun sometimes, you know that?"

"Mn."

Lan Zhan leaned over and kissed him. Wei Wuxian smiled, but he wouldn't be lulled into sleep so easily. Now that things were maybe taking a turn for the better, he finally had time to process the more entertaining happenings.

"What do you think about Jiang Cheng and your brother?"

Lan Zhan's reaction was as expected. His jaw clenched and his gaze became frosty.

"I would prefer not to think about it," he said coolly.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "You might not have a choice! If Jiang Cheng recovers, they might-!"

He swallowed the rest of his words at Lan Zhan's quelling look.

Instead, he chose to look out the window at the rising sun. Red, pink, and orange colored the Lanling sky. Birds tweeted merrily in the trees.

"I wonder how long this peace will last," Wei Wuxian mused as he watched two squirrels chase each other in the grass.

Lan Zhan didn't comment. He stood and bent over to push the hair from Wei Wuxian's face.

"Where are you going?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"I need to speak with my brother," he said.

"Oh! No one told him the news!"

"That's what I intend to do."

"Great! I'll come with you!"

Lan Zhan pushed him down when he tried to sit up.

"No," he said. "Stay. Rest."

"I've already rested! I want to see his reaction!"

"No."

"Come on, Lan Zhan!"

Lan Zhan kissed him again, this time lingering. Wei Wuxian relaxed subconsciously. When they parted, he was lying flat on his back.

"Please rest," Lan Zhan said.

Wei Wuxian let out a long suffering sigh. Why did he have to care about him so much?

"All right," he said, disappointed. "But you have to promise to tell me his reaction later."

"Mn."

Wei Wuxian knew he wasn't going to tell him, but he let him go anyway, watching his perfect form glide across the floor.

"I love you," he said after Lan Zhan was already far out of earshot.

It didn't matter that he didn't hear it. He knew it already.