Work Text:
"A-Ling, aren’t you excited? Xian-Jiujiu is coming here to visit you tomorrow."
The young woman was cradling the baby in her arms with a tender and loving gaze, lulling him softly. She had graceful features and a warm smile. The elegant and flowing dress was made by the finest silk found in Lanling. Her husband’s gift, of course.
"I can’t wait for you to meet A-Xian. He’s going to love you the moment he sees you, my darling."
Jiang Yanli carefully placed a soft kiss on Jin Ling’s forehead. The baby stared at her with curiosity, his eyes wide open.
"A-Li."
A gentle voice came from the doorstep. A man dressed in golden robes walked into the room at a slow pace, as if he’d feared to break the peaceful atmosphere around the two. After his wife nodded kindly to reassure him, he sat beside her on the bed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders with tenderness.
"I’ve never seen you so joyful before. The sight of such a wide smile on your face… It warms my heart in a way you can’t even imagine. All I want is for you to be happy, my love."
"I am." Jiang Yanli answered, so moved her voice was almost broken.
Jin Zixuan could look at her for hours and hours without moving his gaze, but he eventually glanced down at the small creature she was holding in her arms. He gently caressed his baby son’s face with the back of his hand: the pale, delicate skin brushed against Jin Ling’s puffy cheeks. As if he’d recognised his father’s touch, the baby’s eyes lit up and he started waving his little clenched fists as a sign of excitement.
The child’s goofy gestures and his cuteness made the couple giggle. Jin Zixuan put his other arm around baby Jin Ling, careful not to tighten his grasp too much, and wrapped his family into a warm hug, as if he wanted to protect them from everything that could hurt them.
"You’re everything I hold dearest in the world." he whispered to both of them. "I love you so much."
Jiang Yanli looked at him and noticed his teary eyes. Her heart melted at the sight, and she cupped his chin in the palm of her hand.
"A-Xuan, you’re my home now. I’m so proud of the man you have become, and I’m already proud of the wonderful father you will be. We love you too." she spoke in a soft voice.
It was in little, emotional moments like these that Jiang Yanli felt like she was over the moon, and her heart warmed even more at the thought of her beloved brother coming to visit them the following day.
***
The spring breeze made the red ribbon twirl in the air. The man, in truth none more than a boy who was forced to grow up too fast, walked the stairs of Jinlin Tower with his usual confidence. He held up his head high, the sunlight shining on his elegant black robes. The infamous flute named Chenqing was secured by his side. He was sure there was no need to use it on this occasion, but he always kept it on himself anyway, like a part of him he couldn’t leave behind.
When Wei Wuxian reached the top, the first thing he saw was a slim figure donning light purple robes. She technically wasn’t part of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan anymore, but she wanted to make her brother feel at home, so she chose to wear clothes that would remind him of the familiar moments they had passed together at Lotus Pier.
"Shijie!!" he screamed, his heart pounding.
"A-Xian!"
Jiang Yanli opened her arms and pulled her younger brother into a warm hug. Wei Wuxian held her tight, as if he was afraid to let her go even for a moment. He had been dreaming of that embrace for months, he had longed for it so much he couldn’t believe he was finally in his sister’s arms.
"I missed you, Xianxian."
"I missed you too, Shijie. It’s so good to see you again."
He gently put his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. If he could, he would have frozen time and stayed forever like that, hugging his dear sister. She slowly caressed his back, stroking his long black hair.
Jiang Yanli could seem like a weak, feeble girl, but in reality she was quite strong, both in mind and in body, so she kindly pulled away from Wei Wuxian’s tight hug to look at the smiling face she had missed so much.
"How have you been, A-Xian?"
"I’m alright. Life isn’t so bad at Burial Mounds. Did you know I managed to grow lotus plants? You should be proud of your Shidi!" he boasted with a grin.
"I am always proud of my Shidi, you should already know that."
"Aww Shijie, don’t make me too emotional before I even walk the entrance door and see my nephew. Where is he, by the way? I bet he’s eager to meet his Jiujiu."
***
There seemed to be no way of stopping Jin Ling from crying. His mother tried to hold him and lull him, but he kept on screaming; his father tried to put some toys in his cradle, and he even tried to make him hold his sword Suihua, which usually seemed to bring him comfort, but he failed as well. Wei Wuxian was confused and worried: he never saw a baby throw such a tantrum. He wanted to help, but he felt useless.
"A-Xuan, please go call the nanny! I really don’t know how to make him stop! I fed him an hour ago, he doesn’t seem to be hungry…"
"Maybe he had a nightmare?" Wei Wuxian suggested.
"Do babies even dream?" Jin Zixuan said with visible frustration.
"Zixuan, please!"
"Sorry, sorry! Don’t worry A-Li, I’ll be back in a moment!"
Wei Wuxian couldn’t bear watching his sister struggle helplessly. All of a sudden, the melodious tune of a flute echoed in the room. Jin Ling’s shrieks were no longer the only thing Jiang Yanli’s ears could hear: the sweet tune Wei Wuxian was playing was pleasing to hear, and it seemed to have a calming effect on the child. After a couple of minutes, Jin Ling’s cries turned into groans, and finally the room was silent, except for the melody played by Chenqing. It seemed impossible that the flute whose fame was tied to the dark path of demonic cultivation could play such a sweet-sounding song.
"That’s lovely, A-Xian. It’s such a beautiful melody. Did you write it?" Jiang Yanli whispered, careful not to wake up the child, who seemed to have found peace again and was sleeping silently in his mother’s arms.
Wei Wuxian blushed lightly, and then he nodded.
"Yes, I wrote it myself. It’s called “Lian Hua Wu”. I wanted it to sound like home."
Jiang Yanli’s soft smile widened.
"Oh, A-Xian. It does really remind me of our home…"
They stayed silent for a while, thinking of the place where they grew up together and shared many happy moments. The two lingered on those heavenly memories for some minutes, while Jin Ling slept peacefully.
"Thank you for playing it for A-Ling. It seems it had a magical effect on him, I think he appreciated your musical talent."
Wei Wuxian let out a little laughter, a bright smile on his face. Jiang Yanli had dreamed to see it again, that comforting and carefree smile her brother always had on his face, even if inside him there was a hidden, unspeakable pain. No matter what life threw at him, Wei Wuxian always smiled.
"I can’t wait to see your husband’s face when he comes back and he finds out that it’s me he has to thank for saving the day."
Jiang Yanli giggled and placed a soft kiss on her brother’s cheek.
***
The light evening breeze brushed against Jiang Yanli’s cheeks like a tender caress, as if the wind felt the bitterness in her heart and wanted to comfort her. She had to say goodbye to her brother just a few hours after seeing him again. He said he couldn’t stay for the night, that the people at Burial Mounds needed him, but he also promised to come back soon.
Even if she knew that his promise was sincere, Jiang Yanli couldn’t help but feel unsettled. The days spent alongside her brothers seemed so distant, like they were beginning to fade in her memory. Days with no goodbyes, no separations, no worries, no griefs. Days where they used to sit side by side on a little creaky boat, laughing and chatting freely without restraints. She missed the blue sky of Yunmeng, the great lakes around Lotus Pier, the familiar sound of the waves breaking on the shore, the fireflies dancing in the moonlight.
Jin Zixuan approached his wife with discretion. The more time he spent with her, the more he learned about how she manifested her emotions. He knew that when her hands trembled, she was worried. He knew that when she lowered her eyes without speaking, she wanted to say something but she held herself back. He looked at her, standing on the porch and gazing at the horizon with a sad look, and he immediately understood something wasn’t right.
"A-Li… Are you alright? I can feel that something makes you sad. Do you want to talk about it?" he whispered in a concerned tone.
Jiang Yanli slowly shook her head. There were too many emotions inside her at the moment, and she didn’t know how to explain them, even if she knew that the man beside her would listen carefully and comfort her.
Jin Zixuan hated feeling useless, he hated seeing the love of his life suffer, and he hated not being able to do anything. He clenched his fists. Then he had an idea.
"Yanli, would you please take my hand and follow me for a moment?"
The couple walked for some minutes through the halls of Jinlin Tower, then they went up a long flight of stairs, and finally they reached the top.
"Where are you taking me, Zixuan?"
"Just wait and see. Oh, here we are."
They had arrived on a balcony near the rooftop of Jinlin Tower. Below them, they could see the buildings, the elegant pavilions, the gardens of Jinlin Tower and the city of Lanling. Above them, a breathtaking sight: the pitch-black night sky was dotted with hundreds of shining stars, little diamonds in a sea of darkness. Jiang Yanli was speechless.
"Zixuan… This is wonderful… It’s such a heavenly view!"
Jin Zixuan was relieved.
"I had this spot built so that we could have a view on the city and, on the rare occasion of a clear night sky, on the beautiful stars above our heads. Do you like it? Do you feel dizzy? Oh Heavens, I didn’t even consider you could be afraid of heights…"
"A-Xuan, this is perfect. I am more than fine, and I absolutely love this place."
Jiang Yanli was overwhelmed. She couldn’t believe the ways in which the love of her life kept surprising her. First the lotus pond, and now this. All of that to make her feel at home, to make her comfortable and happy. Tears filled her eyes as she recalled the moment when she saw Jin Zixuan tirelessly working on the lotus pond for the first time, his muddy face, his determination, but also the fear of letting her down. “I know this isn’t Lotus Pier”, he said, “but I’m willing to build another Lotus Pier for you”.
"And I absolutely love you, of course."
She cupped her husband’s cheek with her thin hand, a gentle touch that made Jin Zixuan blush immediately.
"Yanli, I… I love you too, I can’t even begin to explain how much you mean to me. It’s the most fortunate thing in three incarnations to have you in my life."
Jiang Yanli was struck by Jin Zixuan’s cute words: the warmth that she felt inside her was like a tender wave. She pulled him close and kissed him softly. They embraced each other under the starlight, both of them silently vowing to protect their soulmate, to accompany them forever and to never fail to give them support and affection. A promise sealed in the silence of the night, and kept for the rest of their lives, until the white hairs of old age.