Wanning walks in the medical building. He takes a look around to spot some cultivators, some disciple and a few others. But no Tanlang. He must be busy or in the far back.
Wanning shrugs it off. Not like he wanted to see the man anyway. All the better for him not to be here.
With that in mind Wanning looks around for one of his disciples, one that isn't working. He spots one, the young disciple looking at paper. Wanning clears his throat stepping forward. Not aware Mo Ran has followed him inside. Remember soft and gentle. Wanning opens his mouth to tell this disciple why he's there, hand already reaching for the star but the disciple is faster.
"Yuheng elder!" He shouts staring wide eyed at Wanning. Mo Ran eyebrow twitch at the disciple loudness. Wanning blinks, he's sure it is a shock to see him like this and here, everyone knows Wanning doesn't like being here... or Tanlang.
"Give this to Tanlang. It's more pink dust just in case." Wanning says as soft as he can make his voice. Hopefully it works. He watches the disciple take the star without breaking eye contact. Oh no! Is he frowning? It's become a habit that he does it without realizing it sometimes. Soft! Soft! Relax his facial muscles.
"I'll get it to him but stay, we were about to send someone for you. Shizun wants to speak to you." He explains putting the star in his own sleeve. He motion to a couple chairs lining the wall, a potted plant resting between a couple. "Please sit, I'll be back with him."
"Mm." Wanning nods in agreement sitting down in one of the seats. The disciple walks away as Wanning sit with a blank face. Others staring at the Beidou Immirtal in his full glory, wondering what such a person would be thinking about.
In his mind he's reeling. He doesn't know what went wrong but he knows he messed up somewhere. How can he fuck up handing someone a paper folded into a star? There must be something wrong with him. He's hopeless. The disciple is probably telling Tanlang about the rudeness. Tanlang is going to make fun of him for it. The disciple is most likely scared. Wanning ran them off like everyone he talks to. Maybe he should give up, he's going to be alone forever. Maybe he should get a pet. A couple cats don't seem bad. No, dogs. He's always liked dogs more than cats.
"I wonder what Tanlang elder wants?" Mo Ran wonders standing next to Wanning seeing the slight jump and eyes widening. Wanning looks at him with wide eyes for a second before his expression goes back to neutral and calm.
"I... don't know." Wanning says looking at Mo Ran suspiciously. Why is he still around? He can't really ask, it's not as if the medical ward belongs to him. Maybe Mo Ran came here for a reason. But what reason can that be? Maybe...
"Yuheng," a deep annoyed voice comes from the side. Turning their heads Wanning and Mo Ran spot Tanlang walking to him, Shi Mei following behind, looking a little excited. Maybe that's why Mo Ran is here. Wanning stands. Tanlang takes a look over Wanning, Mo Ran almost snaps. Almost. After Tanlang lets out a long sigh. "So it didn't just fade away." He mutters annoyed, at who or what is anyone's guess. "Any luck finding out who caused this?" He asks motioning to all of Wanning, whose eyes narrow. He really hates this man.
"No. As far as the trail goes the box was handed to a man to deliver it to the next town over. Again and again until it reaches here. It traveling around so much that it took five years to get here. We can't determine where or who it originated from." Wanning explains coldly, arms crossing over his now blush chest.
"Well that's not my expertise but here. This is what I called you for." Tanlang pulls out a ball, the size of a marble. "I made this, it should turn you back. Not permanently. I'm still in the process of trying to find the ingredients of the dust but with the help of Shi Mei we came up with this." He explains as Wanning takes it.
Wanning looks at it. He schools his face but he wants to frown. It must be bitter. And it's large. The fact it's not permanent kind of feels useless. He doesn't mind staying like this until there is a permanent cure. He gives a small smile to Shi Mei, as jealous as he is of the beautiful man he's still thankful for the thought. He must have been working hard with Tanlang.
"Well?" Tanlang says. Wanning snaps his head to him, eyebrow slightly raised.
"Huh?" Wanning says. Tanlang rolls his eyes.
"Are you going to stare at it all day or are you going to take it?"
"Now?" Wanning wonders because he sort of doesn't want to. Not in front of so many people.
"Yes." Tanlang says exasperated, one hand reaching up to rub his temple. "I'd like to see how fast it works. You must tell me how long it last." He says.
Wanning frowns as he takes one more looks at the large round pill in hand. Why does it have to be the size of a marble? Closing his eyes Wanning swallows the marble. Really having to force it down. He keeps his face cool but he wants to spit it out. In order not to keep it in, and stay down, his hand cover his mouth. He's right, it's bitter! It taste nasty.
Mo Ran covers his mouth with his hand, not wanting to show his fat grin. Wanning is truly adorable. From that pout he calls a frown. The childishness in closing eyes. The slight twitch in his eyebrows. Or the fact he is keeping a hand over his mouth, Mo Ran knows the pill must be bitter.
After a long silence Wanning opens his eyes and lowers his hand, the bitterness is still on his tongue but he can wash it down later with something sweet. He looks down at his hands. Still small. Still has breast. His lower region is also still missing the manly parts.
Wanning looks up at Tanlang, "nothing happen." He states blank. Tanlang frowns down at Wanning.
"I can see that." Tanlang says angry reaching to grab Wanning wrist. Feeling his meridians. "Mmm." He hums thinking. He lets Wanning arm go, letting the appendage slap back to his side. Wanning hateful glare getting dangerous at the rough treatment. "Still the same." Tanlang says.
"Did we get the measurements wrong?" Shi Mei asks worried looking at Wanning then Tanlang. Beautiful face twisted with worry. Wanning wants to smooth it out but he doesn't know what to say. He's not good at reassuring others, or making them feel better.
"If not then it could be the ingredients themselves." Tanlang says thinking as he turns to walk away. Wanning shrugs it off. Nothing's changed.
"Sorry shizun." Shi Mei says looking down. He's taller than Wanning now but still feels like a little kid. The corner of Wanning lips twitch.
"It's fine." Wanning says patting his shoulders, hoping it doesn't scare him. "Excuse me." Wanning says turning to leave. Not aware of Mo Ran jaw tightening. Those words; it's fine. He hates when Wanning says them. Sometimes he's not fine but will say it anyway to not worry them. But someone needs to. Especially when Wanning is very prone to injury or sickness.
Mo Ran shakes out of it. "See ya Shi Mei." Mo Ran blurts over his shoulder as he rushes after shizun.
"Ah wait!" Shi Mei shouts but too late. He rushes after them, lucky that Wanning wasn't running but walking leisurely. Thinking about where to go now that he's out.
Shi Mei catches up to them as Mo Ran smiles at Wanning, he really has changed. "... join me to eat with auntie?" He asks.
Wanning thinks about it. He wouldn't mind a few more talks about how to be approachable. Plus he's overdue for a check with madam Wang. He's been avoiding her. He can not look her in the eye after the talk and last check she did for him. Wanning feels violated, she touched and prod... his privates. Of course Wanning knew madam Wang was just checking on him but the fact he had to get mostly naked in front of someone made him uncomfortable. And she had to get in between his legs. Wanning has never been fully naked in front of someone since he can remember.
Wanning can't avoid it. "Sure, I'll join." Wanning answers shocking both Mo Ran and Shi Mei. They thought Wanning would decline, he always does.
"T-then can I join too? I was going to invite shizun for a snack." Shi Mei says meek. Wanning looks at Mo Ran, it's not his place to refuse or not.
"Okay." Mo Ran answers with no enthusiasm to it. Wanning blinks. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting. Shouldn't Mo Ran be happy, overly chipper and gushing all over Shi Mei. "Let's go." Mo Ran says smiling at Wanning. Wanning starts walking with the two joining him. Actually walking besides him. Not behind as they whisper behind his back thinking he can't hear them.
They make small talk. In Wanning case he attempts to make small talk, though, he thinks he comes off as rude with his short answers.
"How has your day been?"
"Good."
"How was your first mission back?"
"It was successful."
"How has this body been for you?"
"Nothing's really changed."
But he genuinely doesn't know what else to add. Is there a book at the library he can read?
Maybe he should check.
"Yuheng!" Madam Wang exclaims happily at the sight of them.
"I know it's just a date for us auntie but I brought some more company." Mo Ran says rubbing his neck.
Madam Wang smile doesn't falter. "No, the more the merrier." She says clapping her hands together. She is already in her seat at the table, dishes already set out. Mo Ran quickly asks for some simple foods for Wanning.
They sit, Shi Mei and Wanning sitting next to each other while madam Wang and Mo Ran sit across from them. She smiles at Wanning who sits drinking the tea that was served as he thinks about how to get through this meal without embarrassing himself. All the foods are red, a deep bright red, and the smell is already tingling his nose. His eyes are already starting to water.
"So tell me more about this mission? Meng-er told me some details but it's not clear." Madam Wang asks as they begin to eat. In time for a few more simple dishes to be served. Wanning blinks stunned. He looks up to find Mo Ran grinning, very proud of himself.
"What did he tell you?" Wanning wonders happy to be able to eat something, though he's not going to acknowledge Mo Ran, he still doesn't understand the other man's motives.
"Nothing much other than its shocking and no ghosts were involved." Madam Wang says.
Shi Mei perks at this. "I also asked, his face just went pale and he shuttered. Then walked away, was it bad?" He asks looking at Wanning and Mo Ran for answers.
"It was a duo of men, they were serial killers. The older one raised the younger one and was teaching him." Wanning explains more focus on the food. He may have missed breakfast.
"What happened? How'd you find him?"
"Shizun went as bait. It was really hard and worrying. We thought it was a ghost so we investigated but came up with nothing. As a last resort, with no clues besides where the victims were taken and the fact that they were all woman shizun went as bait." Madam Wang and Shi Mei look at Wanning surprised and concerned, though he's fine since he's there with them but still.
Wanning nods, "mm," he confirms thinking that's why they are looking at him, mouth full with food so he can't talk.
Mo Ran continues for them. He can talk enough for them both which Wanning doesn't mind. He knows he shouldn't rely on Mo Ran though, he needs practice. He needs to talk for himself but with the conversation with Tanlang's disciple still in his head he is a tiny bit afraid.
"What did he do with them?" Shi Mei asks, both him and madam Wang invested.
"He ate them." Mo Ran says. Both listeners shiver, face scrunch in disgust and horror. Mo Ran smiles, this is kind of fun. No wonder people tell ghost stories.
"That's... horrible." Madam Wang says, face pale.
"All of them?" Shi Mei asks in disbelief, no way that's true.
"As much as they eat from a human body." Mo Ran says. "We never found bodies." Mo Ran says, turning to Wanning who has been silent most of the story. "Right?" He asks. He takes a second to see Wanning hunched a bit forward, hand over his mouth, face pale. "Are you okay shizun?" Mo Ran asks worried. "Oh, sorry you must not want to remember considering you were almost a victim." Mo Ran says flashing a grin.
Wanning looks at him, Mo Ran eyes go straight to the others lip, usually pink seem red now. "I'm... fine." Wanning says though it's comes out strained and garbled as a mouthful of blood escapes his lips. All three sit up, alert.
"Yuheng!" Madam Wang shouts.
"Shizun!" Shi Mei and Mo Ran shout. Wanning face scrunches up in pain as he opens his mouth again for more blood to expel from his mouth. Wanning starts tilting, eyes hazy as he falls. Shi Mei catching him.
"Was it the food?" Madam Wang wonders but that can't be it. Who'd do this?
"Maybe it was the pill Tanlang had him take?" Mo Ran thinks out loud. No way the food was the problem. The only thing that stands out is that. Madam Wang looks at Mo Ran then at Wanning whose eyes have closed, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, laying limp in Shi Mei arms.
"Let's take him to Tanlang." Madam Wang declares.
"Right I'll just-" Mo Ran reaches for Wanning but Shi Mei stands carry Wanning bridal style. The two walk out the room heading for the medical building. Mo Ran just stands in place arms out like an idiot.
Never thought there would be a day he'd be jealous of Shi Mei.