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“He’s so small. He doesn’t usually look this small,” Wei Wuxian said. He kept looking at the tiny feverish boy, kept reaching out like he wanted to pet his hair but was afraid to touch. Wen Ning was dozing in the chair next to the bed, close enough for comfort but far enough away to not add his own body heat.
“He isn’t eating enough. We’re giving him everything extra but it’s not…” Wen Qing sighed. “We’re running out of options.”
“My sister would help,” Wei Wuxian said. He glanced at Wen Qing, who saw her exhaustion reflected back in his eyes. “She could get us diapers too.”
“We can’t get CPS involved,” Wen Qing said flatly. “They’ll ask questions, and then they’ll take him away.”
“Jiejie is more than her job. She wouldn’t necessarily…” Wei Wuxian trailed off. Wen Qing knew he was following the mental trail she’d already trod, and he would find the same result. Jiang Yanli would help, but once she knew about Wen Yuan she would be obligated to report his living conditions, as well as her suspicions about Wei Wuxian’s job. And as soon as the authorities got involved, that would be the end of their low-lying peace in Yiling. A-Yuan would be taken away, and everything they’d worked for destroyed. “Shit.”
“Basically,” Wen Qing agreed. “There’s nothing more to be done tonight. Try to get some rest.”
“Me? What about you?”
“I’m going to sit up with a-Yuan a little longer,” Wen Qing said.
“Go to bed, jie,” Wen Ning said, eyes blinking slowly open. “I can give him cool washcloths for the next few hours.”
Wen Qing’s lips pursed. Wei Wuxian studied her from his spot at the end of the bed. He reached out and grabbed her hand.
“Come on, I’ll go rest if you will,” Wei Wuxian said. “I’ll play you a lullaby.”
“I’ll break that flute on your head if you wake everyone up with its screeching,” Wen Qing said, but she let Wei Wuxian tug her out of the lean-to and into the tent next to it.
“You love it when I play,” Wei Wuxian said, nudging her onto the bed roll.
“I love it when you busk and bring in some money,” she corrected. She wound her fingers in Wei Wuxian’s ponytail and tugged. “Do you think people are feeling generous at 1am on a Tuesday?”
“I don’t know about most people, but I’m feeling very generous right now,” Wei Wuxian said. He leaned down and kissed the bare skin visible above her waistband. “Let me show you how generous I can be.”
“You’ve always been too generous, that’s your problem,” Wen Qing said. She lifted her hips for Wei Wuxian to slide her pants down. “What happens when you run out of things to give?”
“Stop thinking, Wen Qing,” Wei Wuxian said. “Let tomorrow’s problems come tomorrow.”
“It’s after midnight. It’s already today’s problems.” Wen Qing let her eyes close as Wei Wuxian leaned in and licked at her cunt; she let the worries fade back, for a little while.