Locked to Fluffy Minty Tea Cup

[hidden_fragrance]

https://bakerstreet.dreamwidth.org/7359078.html?thread=3223945062#cmt3223945062

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[hidden_fragrance]

This, Meng Yao thought, as he kept his head bowed, body stiff with fear, was why it was dangerous to care about people. He knew that he had been taking a stupid risk in protecting Lan Xichen, but he had done it anyway. That man was a bright light in an often dark world. Meng Yao could not bear to see him snuffed out. Whatever Wen Ruohan had alleged happened in Gusu, perhaps it was Zewu-jun’s family and not him who was to blame. Meng Yao knew all about being judged because of elements outside of his control.

And if Lan Xichen had done an awful thing because it was necessary,well, Meng Yao was learning all about nuances in Never Night.

His mind rushed to get his story straight as he waited to hear what Wen Ruohan had called him here for, though he was sure he’d already figured it out.

[burningsun]

For once, Wen Ruohan wasn't sitting on his throne. He had descended from the dais to approach Meng Yao. Why was that boy bowing his head like that, when yesterday he had been perfectly at ease in his presence, helping him see the weaknesses in his military strategy?

What good could cowering do now that his son, his heir, was dead?

"Wen Xu is dead," he announced through gritted teeth. A part of him was still in denial, but he had already seen the remains. They would pay for this. "Decapitated by that Nie beast. They tell me Lan Xichen fled the scene before Wen Xu even arrived."

It wasn't the first time. It couldn't be a coincidence anymore. Ever since they had decided to target the First Jade, the man would slip away through their fingers like sand. All Lan Xichen had ever been known for was his pleasant disposition and great spiritual power, neither of which would make him clever enough to realize by himself that he was being observed or followed, and guess when exactly to leave. Yesterday had been the final straw, because the man seemed to have used that knowledge to set a trap for Wen Xu.

"My question is, does Lan Xichen read minds?" he asked, though it was rethorical. "Because if he doesn't, my only choice will be to dispose of everyone currently living in Nightless City. Every single one of you." He roughly tilted Meng Yao's chin up with one hand to meet his eyes. "You're always very insightful, Meng Yao. Why don't you tell me if you see another solution for my conundrum?"

No one had ever dared spy in his court. Even if the war might end at any moment now, if the sects did fall into their trap and come to Nightless City to be annihilated once and for all, Wen Ruohan couldn't allow such a person to live.

[hidden_fragrance]

If circumstances were slightly different, Meng Yao would be absolutely exuberant in his relief. It was long overdue that someone removed that demon of a man from the face of Zhongguo. He'd be about as missed as a painful sore on polite society's rear. But, Meng Yao had hoped it would happen earlier when he was still far away from Wen Ruohan. Such was his lot in life. He had to wonder if the man was angry at the loss of his son or...just angry that he lost. It was rather chilling.

Meng Yao felt the blood leave his face. His head came up with a jerk and a puff of surprise came from his mouth at its suddenness. The touch was not welcome and if Meng Yao survived this encounter, he would have time to lament sect leader's willingness to invade his personal space. However, the touch also grounded him as it was surprisingly warm and reminded him that as much as the man before him behaved like a demon, he was human and very much able to be killed.

"Lan Xichen most certainly cannot read minds," Meng Yao replied, managing to meet Wen Ruohan's eyes. "But turncoats don't always actually turn their coats...your former Nie disciple was not working against his former sect leader's interests at all, but yours. I was suspicious myself about how Zewu-jun had suddenly become so shrewd. So I investigated this morning."

Shakily, he withdrew a seal from his sleeve an iron seal that bore Qinghe's 'beast' emblem on it. It was authentic. He'd asked Xichen to acquire it for him and though the man had seemed puzzled, he did as he was bid. All of Meng Yao's Qinghe paraphernalia had been stripped of him when he first arrived in Never Night along with his robes. Besides, he had been near Qinghe or its borders nor had he left Nightless City once since Wen Ruohan had ordered him not to - where else would he have gotten it but from someone's room. Someone who could and did move freely.

"I found this in Ming Fan's room," he declared, his gaze hard. "I cannot say why someone would have this unless they were using it to seal letters. It's the kind of seal that won't leave a mark. Not for anyone looking with a naked eye. But I was Mingjue's officer for months. I know some of their tricks. I wanted to gather more evidence before I accused. However, if you have his room searched, I am sure you will find papers....even if they look blank. But I know how to make them look as they actually are."

Of course, they would find them. Meng Yao had made sure to hide some there. Not too hidden of course, he needed Wen Ruohan's people to be able to discover them if they ransacked the room.

[burningsun]

At least Meng Yao didn’t sit around waiting for orders when he realized something wasn’t right. That was something Wen Ruohan liked about him, and the reason why he had come to him first regarding this.

He snatched the seal out of Meng Yao’s hands to examine it. He recognized the authenticity in its weight and quality. “Guards!” he growled towards the door. The men stepped inside at once. “Find lieutenant Ming Fan and escort him here. Search every corner of his room and bring any blank piece of paper you can find.”

He climbed the dais to sit back down on his throne, frowning. Why would that man decide to become a spy now? Had that always been his intention? His hatred for the Nies had seemed as genuine as Meng Yao’s, and yet he held the proof in his hand. Where would his advisor get this seal? He spent almost all day very day beside him.

It didn’t take long for the guards to come back with Ming Fan. The man looked openly terrified as he bowed to him and fell to his knees. Was he already shaking? Pathetic. If this was the man responsible for Wen Xu’s death, Wen Ruohan would make sure to destroy his soul alongside his body.

He awaited in silence for the return of the guards searching the room. The soldier kept trying to discreetly look around while keeping his head bowed. His eyes remained on Meng Yao once he noticed him.


[MY to the sect leaders who keep touching him: stop molesting me wtf]

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao met the gaze that fell on him with a blank face. Silently, he was judging the wretch before him. Not only did the man before him have no face, but was he really fool enough to think that Meng Yao forgot? Or, for that matter, the insult done to him and Chifeng-zun? No, Meng Yao remembered everything. To top all of that off, he had to go and speak to Wen Ruohan about him, alerting Meng Yao to his presence. Some people were truly meant to be short lived.

Looking at me is pointless. I won’t save you and you cannot prove I’ve done anything. You should have returned home when Nie Mingjue sent you away.

A few short moments later the guards returned with some familiar looking rolls of papers. Wisely, Meng Yao’s face showed neither recognition nor triumph. The dumb fool on the ground still looked like he was at a loss.

“Wen Zongzhu, may I see that seal again?” he requested, innocently.

[ooc: It’s truly a burden to be so good looking.]

[burningsun]

Wen Ruohan handed the seal, and gestured for the guards to give the scrolls to Meng Yao as well, still saying nothing. The man on his knees was unable to stand it. His head jerked up shamelessly, and he stared at the seal with wide eyes, color draining from his face as he recognized what it was. His eyes darted desperately between Meng Yao, the sect leader, and the blank scrolls being handled, trying to piece together the situation he was in.

“Z-Zongzhu!” he cried weakly, correctly guessing that he was moments away of being arrested. “Please, Zongzhu, if I have been accused of any misconduct, this Ming Fan begs for a chance to explain himself!”

“Quiet,” Wen Ruohan replied, his attention now on Meng Yao, curious to see how he would reveal the contents of the supposed letters.

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao's expression was cold and absolutely without pity as he made a seal over the papers with his hand and then brought the stamp down on it. His role was as the advisor with only one agenda - to root out traitors in the sect. Besides, Wen Ruohan had threatened everyone and there were those in Never Night who deserved to live a lot more than this one.

"No need," he reassured the frightened man with an absolutely chilling smirk. "Rest assured your own words will tell us all."

The characters in ink glowed and then darkened to reveal themselves. Not so careless as to disrespect Wen Ruohan, he handed them off to the sect leader to see for himself as if he were unconcerned about the contents. Contents revealing some very simple, but direct instructions on what Zewu-jun was to do if he wanted to avoid capture or conflict. And the trivial matter of how to lead Wen Xu on a wild goose chase straight into Nie Mingjue's forces.

[fracturedice]

Lan Xichen had worried the moment he had seen Nie Mingjue storm out of the hall and Meng Yao follow a few steps behind. He could read his friend very well, and knew that walk was bad news. He tried not to overthink it, and instead focused on encouraging Lan Wangji to go talk to Wei Wuxian. If things continued down this path, he would have to intervene between those two. Clearly there was some miscommunication happening, or demonic cultivation had actually corrupted Wei Wuxian's mind.

Nie Mingjue and Meng Yao never returned to the banquet, though.

A couple hours later, Lan Xichen excused himself to look for them. He had a bad feeling.

[ooc: yes! I figured lxc would be doing the same]

[fanning_whispers]

Nie Huaisang looked around frantically. He had gone in the direction that he had last seen Meng Yao, but found nothing but an empty courtyard of blooming spider lilies. Like that wasn’t ominous. Eventually, he had handed a yawning and fussing Minsheng to one of the Nie servants as it was hard to search for someone anxiously with an infant.

He had been with his own friends when he noticed it had been awhile sense he’d spotted his brother or Meng Yao. And at first he thought that it might be impossible for him to ever hold his nephew again the way Meng Yao clung on to him. Emboldened, he figured he would go tell them what he thought of them abandoning him with a fussing Minsheng who hadn’t seen his parents in months - and the room was empty. The sheets were untouched.

He spun around an nearly collided into Lan Xichen.

“Xi-ge!” he said desperately. “Have you seen Da Ge or Meng Yao? Neither are in their assigned room! And everyone I ask hasn’t seen Meng Yao.”

How hard could it be to find Lianfang-zun? He wasn’t that tiny.

[fracturedice]

Lan Xichen had also been in the courtyard with the eerie red flowers. He had noticed drops of fresh blood on the ground, which had only alarmed him further.

After a while he managed to find a Qinghe Nie maid who informed him Nie Mingjue had requested new accomodations, and didn't wish to be disturbed. He hadn't gotten his friend to open the door, no matter how firmly he asked.

"Mingjue is staying in another room, in his disciples' assigned quarters," he said. "He refused to tell me what happened. He and Meng Yao must've had an argument."

The blood was extremely worrying, if they had fought. He didn't think Nie Mingjue capable of harming Meng Yao physically, but perhaps it had been an accident.

"I don't understand, they seemed so happy at the start of the banquet," he added, crestfallen.

[fanning_whispers]

Nie Huaisang’s brow knitted in frustration and worry. “Exactly! They spent the whole morning and afternoon together. And Meng Yao was so happy when he saw A-Sheng that he actually cried. I thought Da Ge was going to marry him right then and there, and now this?”

He knew his brother had suffered a head injury, but this was alarming. If only he could find Meng Yao , then at least he could get someone to explain what was going on.

“ I just don’t buy that no one has seen him,” Huaisang said, suspiciously. “It’s not like he just vanished. He couldn’t wait to come home.”

The gears in Huaisang’s head were turning. Who else at this banquet did Meng Yao know?

“Jin Zhongshu is the only other person here who knows Meng Yao, but Da Ge said he was never kind to him. And all disciples from all clans including Lanling tell me they know nothing.”

Unless someone did know something and was lying.

[fracturedice]

“Jin Zongzhu is a complicated man. It’s true he wasn’t very warm to A-Yao before, but I don’t think he would do anything to harm him,” Lan Xichen said, thoughtful. “He did leave the banquet for a while, though.”

Whatever had happened, he couldn’t imagine why Meng Yao would be this untraceable, unless he had flown away from that courtyard. “Perhaps he left Nightless City…”

Meng Yao wasn’t the kind to act so recklessly, however. Besides, even if the war was won, that didn’t mean the entire territory was safe to transit. Lan Xichen’s anxiety increased by the second. Was it too paranoid of him to interrupt the celebration to form search parties? Should they head back to Nie Mingjue’s room and demand an explanation?

[fanning_whispers]

Nie Huaisang doubted that, though he only knew his brother's impression of the man. He could be biased, but he also knew that Xi-ge could be a little naive at times, which was really being kind.

"Da Ge said that Jin Zongzhu is rotten at his core and someone should perform an exorcism," he recalled, accurately. "And that in Jinlintai all he did was insult Meng Yao - not directly, but he put them in a room with one bed and he also did something to your wine."

He cocked his head as though to ask how these two men had two such conflicting views of the Jin sect leader.

"Meng Yao wouldn't leave Minsheng," he stated, feeling pretty confident about that.

Even if Meng Yao and his brother did have a fight, which after seeing how his brother had overreacted to finding a that peony pendant that Meng Yao had stashed in his desk wasn't surprising, the man loved his adopted child too much to just vanish. More likely, someone who was self-conscious of his every move like Meng Yao was was more likely hiding somewhere to gain his composure.

But what was taking him this long to regain his face? That was the worrisome bit.

[fracturedice]

Lan Xichen was unable to sleep much at night, and when he did, he had nightmares in which Nie Mingjue was yelling at Meng Yao, threatening to execute him for his crimes, while he was unable to say a word to defend his friend. He woke at five with a start, feeling guilty. Nie Mingjue would never do such a thing.

Still, he was very uneasy. He struggled through meditation, and after a cup of tea he decided to start his search.

He walked slowly through the corridors near Lanling Jin’s assigned rooms. He looked ahead, as if certain of where he was going, in order not to raise alarm. A few golden clad cultivators walked by, talking animatedly, and only stopping to bow at him. Breakfast was being served at the main hall, it seemed. To Lan Xichen’s knowledge, there were no bedridden Jin disciples, which meant that the maid dressed in orange carrying a tray must be heading towards Meng Yao’s room.

Lan Xichen followed quietly. There was no chance a regular person would hear a cultivator following them, so he didn’t worry much about being discreet. If he was wrong, he would simply apologize and claim he had lost his way. Soon enough, the maid walked into a room. Lan Xichen gave her a few seconds before opening the door and coming in as well, crossing the antechamber and barging into the bedroom.

Hopefully it wouldn’t be Jin Guangshan in a state of undress.

He breathed again as he glanced to the bed and saw it was indeed Meng Yao. “A-Yao!” he said urgently. The maid stared at him wide eyed, but he ignored her. She could go tell Jin Guangshan. The man couldn’t prevent him from talking to his friend forever.

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao had stirred, still groggy from his body recovering and the smell of what was probably some sort of soup.

Soup and tea porridge….we survived on that a lot back then… His scattered thoughts recalled the comfort of familiar smells.

But the voice that called his name was not his mother’s. Meng Yao’s eyes blinked open. As comprehension dawned on him, his expression became confused, then alarmed.

“Zewu-Jun?” his voice was hoarse from sleep.

Meng Yao flooded over with relief that someone had looked for him and he had not been forgotten about as he’d feared. Also, Lan Xichen did not look too angry which was something he had also worried about after his confrontation with Mingjue.

Ah, yes. This should have been their first morning together. Before it all went wrong. He struggled to sit up, but his body felt heavy. However, he did manage it slowly. He blinked at the maid.

“Who…?”

Probably a Jin servant. Ah. Of course. Oh, this would look awkward.

[fracturedice]

"Jin-er-gongzi," the maid said earnestly, with a deep bow. "Jin Zongzhu apologizes for not joining you for breakfast. He instructed this one to look after you in the meantime, please let me know if there's anything I may do for you."

She kept bowing, waiting for instructions. Lan Xichen stared at her. Jin-er-gongzi, she had said. Meng Yao had never been addressed in such a way before. The relationship between him and Jin Guangshan had certainly improved within a single night.

He approached the bed, and sat on the chair beside it. Meng Yao looked frail and pale. He was certainly not in his best condition. However, there were no visible injuries. "A-Yao, A-Sang and I were worried sick about you. Jin Zongzhu assured us you were alright, but he insisted we should let you rest. Then we spoke to Mingjue-xiong, and he said he didn't harm you, so, what on earth happened to you? Did anyone hurt you? Mingjue didn't... he didn't do anything to you, did he? If he did, please be honest."

He still didn't think his friend capable of that. Not even Huaisang, who had often been on the receiving end of Nie Mingjue's frustration, had believed it. But last night had been so surreal, he was doubting everything.

[hidden_fragrance]

“J-Jin?”

There were few times in Meng Yao’s life that he had ever stuttered always being so careful of his words. His face warmed and he was certain it wasn’t a new fever.

“…ah, thank you.”

What else could he say? He was still flustered and still slightly sedate. Jin? Jin what? No one discussed this with him, no one warned him, and now Lan Xichen was here and his expression reflected the mood perfectly.

“ Why would he need to say he did not harm me?” Meng Yao asked, confused.

Did Mingjue know he was seriously ill and not care so long as no one thought he was responsible? The thought made Meng Yao’s blood go cold.

“We argued,” he said choosing his words conservatively since he was not sure what Zewu-Jun knew. “ I was upset and he wanted to be away from me…” he gripped the sheet looking down. “Then I was really sick and then Fuqin was kneeling beside me and feeding me his spiritual energy. He brought me here and had a doctor treat me. “

A part of Meng Yao still felt embarrassed about all of this. Then quietly, “He said that I almost died. He told me to rest. Assured me he would explain to anyone who asked that I needed to sleep but was okay.”

He squinted in confusion. A part of him was relieved people had cared enough about what became of him to ‘worry sick.’ But hadn’t his father explained?

“This one is sorry to have caused such trouble. How long did you look for me?”

[fracturedice]

The maid nodded. She picked up the tray from the table where she had set it before and quietly placed it on the bed besides Meng Yao before bowing again and exiting the room.

"That isn't important," Lan Xichen replied, not wanting Meng Yao to feel guilty about something he couldn't control while he was probably unconscious. It sounded like the problem had been with his spiritual energy, which would explain the blood. Spitting blood was one of the telltale signs of a golden core straining itself, which could very well be triggered by emotional shock.

In a way, Nie Mingjue had indeed been responsible, just not directly.

"Jin Zongzhu did say that, but we were still confused. I saw blood on the ground at the courtyard, and he told us he was worried Mingjue-xiong would disturb you, so we assumed he meant Mingjue... We didn't really think he had but..." Lan Xichen sighed, and his shoulders slumped in relief. At least that hadn't happened.

"He locked himself in a room for hours, yelled at me to leave him alone. Eventually we talked, I don't think he believed there was anything wrong with you." Lan Xichen made a pause. He didn't want to upset Meng Yao while he was still recovering, but he had to at least acknowledge he knew. "He said you joined Qinghe Nie as a spy for the Wens, and that you killed his captain at the Hell Hall." He raised a hand, before Meng Yao could react. "I'm simply telling you what I know, please don't strain yourself to explain right now if you aren't up to it. I believe you're good, A-Yao. That hasn't changed."

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao's eyes welled and he looked away quickly. Just like that? No interrogation? He was still a 'good person' to Lan Xichen with whom he had never shared a bed or a child and yet the person he had couldn't be bothered to at least make sure that he wasn't dead? Meng Yao knew Mingjue was upset and could even admit that arguably he had a reason to be. But, would he had even noticed that Meng Yao was gone if Huaisang and Zewu-jun had not looked? He closed his eyes, willing himself to breathe evenly and not disturb his core too much. He really would be dead. If not for his father.

He willed himself to calm his expression and turned back to look at Xichen.

"Thank you, Zewu-jun," he murmured. "I'm sorry you found out that way. A lot of things happened that I wish could have been different."

Like never falling in love with Nie Mingjue in the first place. Though how would he have saved A-Sheng? However, even that he began to question. He had been certain he had been saving that child. Now, he may well have just brought him into a divided family with two parents who couldn't look at each other. He supposed it was better than starvation and poverty. That was something at least.

"Is that all that he told you?" he asked.

Had he said nothing about how Meng Yao had been coerced into being a spy in the first place or why he had killed that bastard of a captain? Or had he only left in the parts that made him look justified in abandoning Meng Yao altogether? Conveniently self-serving like any other sect leader, even though pretended that he was better than his father.

"Fuqin wants me to return with him to Jinlintai," he said, quietly.

Last night, he had not wanted that. Today he was considering it. The person who had looked for him was Zewu-jun. The person standing over his bed this morning was Zewu-jun. Which meant that if Mingjue wanted to badly enough he could have found him. He could have found him and he did not bother. He might not have rosey life in Jinlintai. But would he be trading it for something any better? At least, as his father had pointed out, Meng Yao would have some standing and status. If it wasn't for Minsheng, wouldn't the choice be obvious?

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao stayed in Qinghe until he was certain that Zewu-jun had things well in hand and it was still hard to leave. Especially with it seeming like their son might walk any day. But he really could not push his luck much further.

When he was informed of a servant that Fuqin wanted Meng Yao to report to him over dinner, he reviewed his story of visiting Yunmeng in case he needed it. He could also say he stayed a bit longer to study Su She’s gujin techniques. There was nothing to be nervous over.

That’s what he told himself over and over as he fixed his now gold again robes in the mirror. Fuqin probably wouldn’t even be that interested.

[jinguangshan]

By the time Meng Yao was finally back to Jinlintai, Jin Guangshan had started to think he truly had eloped. It didn't sound like something his son would do, but he had trusted reports of his whereabouts. He had begun considering his next move to make Nie Mingjue's life as difficult as possible. Fortunately he hadn't yet sent the vaguely theatening letter he had written to Chifeng-zun, for now he could hear what on earth was happening from Meng Yao himself. The audacity of this boy!

"A-Yao," he greeted with a tense smile as he walked into the hall, barely able to hide his anger, because he doubted any explanation would be sufficient to justify Meng Yao's actions.

He looked away and took a seat. "A-Xuan is out night hunting. I'm glad to have some company this evening, though I'm eager to hear why you're this late, and why you failed to explain your delay." Jin Guangshan tone was calm, but ice cold.

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao was slightly taken aback at the tone. He’d expected curiosity, some clucking about being on time, but not anger.

He bowed. “Apologies to Fuqin. I was studying with Su Zongzhu his musical cultivation and got a little off track. And I thought it wise to check the property in Yunping.”

He had actually dropped off papers and instructions there to make it not a total lie. Just a lie of omission. He would not say what else he had been doing. Meng Yao kept his face earnest but clueless.

He was a just a young master, eager to please who had gotten carried away. Meng Yao considered gushing about Su Minshan’s technique, but he wisely waited to see if his father’s mood shifted.

[jinguangshan]

"A little off track?" Jin Guangshan echoed in disbelief. "You've been away from home for a week, when your task shouldn't have taken more than three days."

Ah, so the boy wasn't going to admit it, was he? Or perhaps he wanted to give his father the least shocking news first. Jin Guangshan would graciously grant Meng Yao one more chance to tell the truth.

"You aren't some ditzy youngster like Nie Huaisang. Do you think I'm simple enough to believe you forgot to report your delay? After I made it clear you were to ask for permission before travelling out of Jinlintai?"

Not to mention Meng Yao was still recovering from severe injury.

Jin Guangshan took a deep, theatrical breath. "The rules you have are so few, A-Yao, and you still fight and rebel against them as if you're being abused here. Do you have an ounce of filial gratitude in your heart? Do you wish to test my limits?"

[hidden_fragrance]

Meng Yao thought that was rich coming from a man who could waste weeks cavorting at brothels. He’d barely spent one week away. He paled nonetheless.

His face crumpled in mortification. “I…I just hadn’t been outside of Jinlintai in so long and was excited. I was not trying to rebel. I wouldn’t dare! This one did not think it was that notable. And I thought the extra musical cultivation knowledge would be useful. “

For his part, his embarrassment was sincere. Meng Yao hated nothing worse than to seem ungrateful. He knew his dallying wouldn’t be praised, but he did not think Jin Guangshan would be wounded. Why did he have to sound so aggrieved?

[jinguangshan]

Jin Guangshan couldn't help but be alarmed by how good of an actor his son was. It shouldn't be a surprise, knowing his background, but seeing it used against him was upsetting. Did Meng Yao honestly value his relationship with Nie Mingjue over his duty to be a filial son?

"I understand being excited, but how difficult was it to ask, first? You're still in recovery, what was I supposed to assume when you didn't come back? I'm disappointed you wouldn't even consider I might worry about you," he said in a quiet voice, the anger bleeding out of his tone to give way to sorrow.

He massaged his temple in silence for a while, as if coming to terms with his emotions. So, Meng Yao wouldn't admit seeing Nie Mingjue. That was fine. They could talk about it a bit later.

"At least I suppose it went well with Su Zongzhu, judging by the quality of the gift that arrived yesterday from Moling." He made a pause merely for dramatic effect, and then continued: "It's a guqin, made by Su Minshan himself. Very beautiful."

Jin Guangshan's approval was genuine. Clearly Su Minshan continued to be smitten by Meng Yao. This must be a courting gift. If only he could make his son see he could have a much more peaceful relationship by Su Minshan's side, one that wasn't filled with lies and sneaking out.