Xiao Zhan came to see Yibo off at the bus stop. The day went well but Yibo now feeling really listless. He wanted a fun journey. Now he was returning home like usual as he comes back from college. But so much absurd incidents, mainly the thoughts of Wei Wuxian bothering him.
He just put the earphone on. Not to get any disturbance from outside.

Wei Wuxian did not come that night. Yibo woke up late at night. And couldn't sleep any more.
He did not stay awake not because he wanted to. He has an upset stomach.

-----

The next morning, Xiao Zhan was returning from the market. Two robbers came in front of him with a knife. "Hand over everything."

"I don't have anything," Xiao Zhan said in a frightened voice. "Please leave me alone."

"Stop joking, hand over your purse, wrist-watch everything you have." They said in a harsh voice.

"I've only potatoes, tomatoes, brinjal ....aeeee" his voice stuck as they hold the knife just beside his throat. He took a gulp.

At that moment, a wind blew past  Xiao Zhan's ear, and two men in front of him were thrown far away.

Xiao Zhan looked at his back. Lan Wangji standing. He released strokes from his zither. Xiao Zhan grinned like a kid who saw a superhero.

Those two men have no idea, what happened. Who just threw them on the ground? They were looking at Xiao Zhan in fear.

They tried to stand up, Xiao Zhan found it's fun, so he gestured to made a rune in the air and threw it to them. They thought this person knew black magic, and they tried to run away. They struggled their feet and tripped over then crawled on the ground and finally somehow left the place.
It was so much fun seeing them.

Xiao Zhan was laughing hard, then Lan Wangji came near him. Xiao Zhan was about to thank him, he asked, "Where you learnt that?"

"What?"

"Drawing rune?"

"Oh, I saw this on tv."

Lan Wangji's face said he doesn't ok now what is TV.

Xiao Zhan explained it to him.
Lan Wangji was making sure if Wei Wuxian came to Xiao Zhan's body. But he believed when Xiao Zhan said that. He always did the same.

Xiao Zhan then asked, "Where were you yesterday? Yibo came here. Though Wei Wuxian did not."

"He was here yesterday." Lan Wangji said.

"Noh, Yibo lost him, we searched him for a long time, but he wasn't here."

"He returned to the other time"

"How do you know?"

"I felt it.".

" oh, so You didn't meet him too?"

Lan Wangji shook his head.
Xiao Zhan felt bad for him. He came to know Wei Wuxian was there but could not meet him.

....

On this side, Yibo did not go to university today. He just laid on the bed, pressing his belly.
When Wei Wuxian found Yibo like that, he tried to help him.

"Did you take any medicine?"

"No, I have none. We used to store the medicine at home. Mama always stocked those" Yibo said.

"It can't be helped then." Wei Wuxain went to the kitchen. It's time for Wei Wuxain's Special congee!!!!

The food looks really ugly, no smell no colour.
Yibo is not Lan Wangji. So, he refused to take the 2nd spoon after the first.

"Ahkkhnn  akkhnn!! Waaak!
What's in the world is this thing? How can Human eat this!!! Are you planning to kill me!!! Ahhh!! I'm not going to eat this!!!"

"How troublesome! Do I need to babysit him?" Wei Wuxain thought.

He sat beside Yibo. "You know, we did not have those medicines you use these days, we use medicinal plants and the proper food. Trust my cooking. Even if it tastes bad, it will definitely help you."

Yibo looked at him. His crinkly eye brew says he is trying to make the right decision. Then he turned his head. "I'm not eating, death is better."

That was his last chance.
"How dare you underestimate the food? You spoiled child!"

Now it's Wei Wuxain's show.
Wei Wuxain simply made pop with his fingers and smirked.

Now Yibo couldn't move the body, only his eyes, and breathing left normal.

Wei Wuxain sat beside Yibo's numb body. Opened his mouth, and fed him. Yibo couldn't move an inch only swallow the congee.

When Wei Wuxain was done. He released the spell and Yibo became normal. He started shouting, "What was that? How you put a spell on me?"

"How's your stomach? Does it hurt?" Wei Wuxain just cross-questioned him.

Yibo stopped, he tried to felt. His belly was indeed feeling soothed. He looked at the empty bowl of the congee.

"That wasn't magic. It really helps."

"Thank you" Yibo lowered his head.

Wei Wuxain took the credit, brushing his lower nose.

"I want to go toilet," Yibo spoke.

Wei Wuxain shocked.

Yibo smiled at his reaction. Said, "I'm fine, your medicine worked."

When he back at room asked, "Can you tell me what happened yesterday?"

"Well, when I saw the bridge I went to it. But when I crossed the bridge, everything changed. The pond became small, the bridge has gone already. The path long vanished. Only rocks and dust everywhere and a few trees. On the other side, it was only a mountain. It seemed I came back to my time. I went to the pond, took a lotus pod. Then I found an empty cave. It seems someone using it. There was a path made by walking- towards it.

I went there but found nothing. The place was somewhat clean. No weeds or so. Oh, I forgot my lotus pod there.

I'm exploring the other side, then some of my people came and said, "Master Wei, you are here... we were searching for you everywhere please return to the base." And I went with them.
Now I'm here today." Wei Wuxain finished his story.

Yibo nod, "Thought so, that you probably back to your time. But why?"

Wei Wuxain shrugged, then asked, "Did you see Lan Zhan?"

"No, he was waiting for you the whole night and morning. But he vanished too... strange!"

Wei Wuxain smiled gently.

"Oh probably, the cave you saw, Lan Wangji is living there. Xiao Zhan told me that he lives in a cave near the pond." Yibo said.

They looked at each other. How time was playing with them...Wei Wuxain only smiled sorrowfully and went towards the window.
Then asked," Tell me what you did that day? You two had fun?"

Yibo gave an angry look for Wei Wuxain's tone on 'you two'.

Well the relationship between them(Wei Wuxain and Lan Wangji) was not that simple of friends. Yibo knew well. Wei Wuxain was shameless, but Yibo not. So Yibo actually felt a bit shy after that. He tried to hide it with anger.

But Wei Wuxain was smart. He enjoyed it.

Yibo brief the story, except the part that they frightened over a rat.

Wei Wuxain thought "ah I missed some good foods, and treat someone of an upset stomach for that food. "

Then his thought diverted towards Lan Wangji. He said, "Lan Zhan wasn't there at that time, who was supposed to be there. That means as I came back to my time, the same happened to him too. And if he was staying at that cave, as Yibo was saying, then he came back to the cave, after I left the place. It's probably that he was staying there. Nobody dares to come at Yilling. Only Lan Zhan came to find me, he said it by himself. He can't lie. And GusuLan peoples are too concern about cleanness. The particular cave and the front of it proof that thing too"

Wei Wuxain asked Yibo, "How long you were near the bridge after my disappearance ?"

"Half an hour or so"

"Ummm, I spent at least 15-20 min near the cave. He came there nearly 30-35 min later most probably." Wei Wuxain sighed.

"But it still not clear, why we came back at that time. And still we did not meet."

"What are you thinking?" Yibo asked.

"Just about yesterday."

"Found anything?"

"Not yet. But I think we can't see our own future selves"

Yibo raised his eyebrows.

"That's only the possibilities. Otherwise why we vanished at that time. It's actually odd seeing someone exactly like me walking around. It's really unfair seeing own future. Though I and Lan Zhan at least came to know our future."
Wei Wuxain again lost into thoughts.

"Why don't you make a device to fix everything?" Yibo asked casually.

"Do you really think, that it's easy to boss over time? It is the most powerful thing in the world. It can give us all, can take all" Wei Wuxain said.

"Oky oky, just said you can't." Yibo said.

Wei Wuxian felt little insulted. He brushed his nose-tip. One the other side Yibo snickered.

______________________________

Lan Wangji followed Xiao Zhan to his cottage.
Xiao Zhan "how you appeared this time?"

"Dunno."

"What were you doing then?"

"Taking a bath."

Xiao Zhan surprised a bit then noticed at him closely. Indeed his back hair was wet. his feet, and lower part of his dress also wet. He did not notice it before.

He chuckled, "Where you take bath?"

"There is a stream behind the hill." Lan Wangji said.

"Aren't it cold?" Xiao Zhan surprised.

"It is."

"Aw, a cold bath in this season? Are you oky?"

"Hm. Habit." Lan Wangji replied.

"Oky tell me more, how you find out about me getting attacked." Xiao Zhan asked.

Lan Wangji has to explain. "I was taking a bath, suddenly heard some sounds, and I came out of the bath. The scenery was changed. I found myself in this side and assumed that you were attacked. I can't see them but your gesture told me where the robbers. So I attacked them slightly."

"Wow, you are like a superhero." Xiao Zhan shouted like a kid. "That wasn't a slight attack though.. You threw them far. Haha, that was a funny scene. They have no idea what happened to them. They thought it's me."

Lan Wangji looked at him.

"Oh, you don't know what is the hero? They are persons with super strength and will who saved others, without asking anything back." He smiled at Lan Wangji, no difference with Wei Wuxain's.
"You are my hero, as you saved me. You will be Wei Wuxain's hero when you will save him."

Lan Wangji mumbled, "Wei Ying's hero.....!"

"Yes, this feels great. Suppose Wei Wuxain is in trouble and you jump to save him. 'Wei Ying I'm here!' Xiao Zhan started acting like a role from a historical movie. "

But as he moved his hands so much, a potato fell on the ground. He bent over to collect that. "Oh no!"

Lan Wangji very calmly he said, "Not me, Wei Ying is the hero. A true hero. He wanted to save everyone. I only wanted to save him."

Xiao Zhan brought Lan Wangji and asked him to take a bath in the bathroom, there were a bathtub and hot water. Meanwhile, he will start cooking for two.

Lan Wangji didn't oppose anything.

Again it was a wooden bathtub. The whole bathroom was neat and clean. A small window near the ceiling. Soft lights were coming inside from there.

Lan Wangji already in the bathroom. Suddenly Xiao Zhan realised he forgot to give him the soap. He hurriedly took out a new soap and came to the bathroom. He knocked, "Lan Zhan, you forget the soap. You may need it." The door wasn't locked. So when he was speaking he unconsciously leaned on it and it opened.

"Ah sorry, I didn't mean to...." His voice stuck as he gazed at Lan Wangji.

He doesn't know is it the brilliant white skin with slight pink tone caused by the hot water, or is it the soft sunlight falling on his long black hair and shoulders, making the scene. Again when the sunlight fell on the water and it reflects on his cheek. The whole scene was captivating. 

Lan Wangji moved his head. Xiao Zhan got back to his senses. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze.
"I'm leaving the soap here. And the towel. Um, your clothes got wet before, do you want them dried? You can tell me." He said in a breath without looking at him.

Lan Wangji just declined everything this time. Xiao Zhan came out and closed the door behind him. Huffing... "Oh man! He is grace."

<to be continued>
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