Beloved Beyond the End! Wangxian...

The next morning, sect leader Jiang Fengmian, Yu Ziyuan, and Jiang Cheng arrived at the Lan Clan, their expressions taut with worry. Weiying felt utterly drained, having spent the night in a restless haze, his mind racing with thoughts that wouldn't let him rest. What have I done? The weight of his actions pressed heavily on his chest, suffocating him. Despite the exhaustion that weighed down his limbs, it was the turmoil in his heart that kept him from finding peace. Yet, amid the chaos of his thoughts, a flicker of relief washed over him—his shijia was safe.

As he was brought into the hall, still clad in the wedding dress from yesterday's turmoil, shock rippled through the Jiang family like a cold wind. The fabric clung to him uncomfortably, a stark reminder of the events that had transpired. Jiang Fengmian stepped forward, concern etched on his face. "Weiying, why are you here?" But before he could respond, Madam Yu's voice sliced through the air like a whip. "Wei Wuxian! Why are you here in a wedding dress? Where is Li?"

Weiying's throat tightened as he stared at the floor, unable to meet their accusing gazes. How do I explain this? The silence felt deafening; each second stretched painfully as he wrestled with his shame and guilt. He could feel Jiang Cheng's eyes on him—filled with confusion and hurt—and it made his heart ache even more.

"Fengmian, you cheated on us!" Lan Qiren's voice rose sharply, her anger palpable. "No! I... I did him... He doesn't know about that..." Weiying stammered, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Wei Wuxian! What does this mean? Where is Li? What did you do to her?" Yu Ziyuan continued, her fury unabated. "See Fengmian! I told you not to bring him home! Not to raise him! Look at what he's done—my daughter is missing! You still favor him! You still don't care about your own child! Or are the rumors true? That he's your child?"

Each accusation felt like a dagger piercing through Weiying's heart. I never wanted this, he thought bitterly as he kept his gaze fixed on the ground. Jiang Cheng stood beside him, torn between anger and helplessness, unsure of how to defend his brother or express his own turmoil.

When Weiying remained silent, Lan Qiran's voice rang out once more with cold authority. "Punish him! 500 strikes of wooden planks!"

Weiying felt a chill run down his spine at the sentence; dread pooled in his stomach. He said nothing but could sense Jiang Fengmian's concern radiating from beside him. Even Jiang Cheng seemed lost for words; usually so quick to express himself through anger and frustration, he now stood blank-faced and trembling.

A few disciples stepped forward to take Weiying away for punishment. The air grew thick with tension as the Jiang and Lan families gathered to witness the impending ordeal.

As the first strike landed against Weiying's back, pain shot through him like fire igniting dry grass. I deserve this, he thought numbly as they continued to hit him with the wooden planks. Each blow echoed in his ears like thunderclaps of judgment. He could feel Jiang Cheng's gaze burning into him; it was too much to bear.

With every strike counted off by an indifferent disciple, Weiying gritted his teeth and swallowed back screams of agony. I can't let them see me break, he thought desperately as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. By the time they reached 300 strikes, bruises blossomed across his skin like dark flowers—a testament to his suffering—but still he remained silent.

Finally, unable to watch any longer as despair enveloped his brother, Jiang Cheng shouted through choked sobs, "Stop! He's hurt! Stop it! You're going to kill him!" Tears streamed down his face as he took a step forward, desperation clawing at him.

The hall fell silent for a moment as all eyes turned toward Jiang Cheng—caught between duty and love—and Weiying felt something shift within him; perhaps it was hope or perhaps just a fleeting wish for understanding amidst the chaos.

Lan Wangji felt the intensity of pain reflected in Weiying's eyes, a silent plea that stirred something deep within him. Stepping forward, he protested, "Uncle, Jiang Wanyin is right. He may not survive if the punishment continues." Weiying's gaze met Lan Wangji's, disbelief mingling with a strange warmth in his heart. *Is he really trying to protect me?* The thought momentarily brightened his despair, but he quickly chastised himself. *No, he doesn't truly care; this marriage was forced upon him.*

Lan Qiran's voice thundered in response, "Wangji! You want to save him? Is this how you intend to damage the reputation of the Lan Clan? Disrespect our rules?"

Silence enveloped the hall as Lan Wangji took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Uncle, I don't mean to disrespect our clan's rules," he began, his voice steady yet firm. "But this punishment is excessive. 300 strikes are more than enough for anyone to endure. Continuing now could kill him or cause permanent damage. I insist we wait for the healers' approval before proceeding."

Lan Xichen stepped forward in support. "Uncle, Wangji is right. We cannot continue if his condition is poor. Let's postpone the remaining 200 strikes until he has healed and allow the disciples to take him to the healer's pavilion."

Lan Qiran hesitated but eventually nodded, leaving the room with a scowl. Yu Ziyuan's displeasure was palpable as she glared at the decision made by the Lan Clan.

Weiying was escorted to the healer's pavilion, nearly fainting from pain and fatigue by the time he arrived. The healers gasped at his condition as they laid him down on a bed, swiftly tending to his wounds with gentle hands and soothing medicines.

After some time, Lan Wangji entered the pavilion, driven by an inexplicable urge to see Weiying. *Why am I here?* he questioned himself, trying to rationalize his concern as merely a duty to ensure that their clan didn't kill him.

Yet deep down, he struggled to understand his emotions. Ever since meeting Weiying, he had been captivated by his beauty and spirit; his heart raced at the mere thought of him. With hesitation and unsteady emotions swirling within him, Lan Wangji stepped into the pavilion, ready to confront whatever feelings lay ahead.

As he entered the pavilion, he can see the Weiying motionless body on the bed, his heart ache with his condition, yet he decided to ignore these emotions as he's unable to comprehend it.

He went near Weiying, then look at his face, his face was pale and white, just like the blood had been sucked out of his body. He can see the dark circles under his eyes, still all this isn't compromising with his beauty, he's still looking the most beautiful and most elegant and handsome person to Wangji. 

He had been starting at Weiying since long, he's so mesmerized in his beauty that he hasn't realised when healer comes beside him, not until he greeted him second time.

'Second Master Lan, how can we help you?'

Wangji looked at him with a straight face, but his eyes were telling how concerned he's about the person laid on the bed, as Lan Wangji wasn't not able to give words to his emotions, be end up telling himself that it's obvious that his emotions are like this, he married this person, so he's his responsibility. And that's why he's worried about him.

Even though he doesn't wanna marry him, or he's not the person he agreed to marry with, still that's the fact the he's now married to him and he can't change this, no matter what.

He glances towards Weiying once again and then look at the healer, 'How's he doing?'

'Lan Er Gongzi, his condition is physically stable now, but he's very weak and his mental state isn't very good, he's been so stressed and we found from the symptoms that he might be suffering from the depression from the long time.'

Hearing this Wangji eyes automatically went on the figure laid there, he thinks, what exactly you're hiding? Have you been suffering? Does someone force you for this marriage? Are you even real? Who exactly you are? He's unable to understand him at this situation, he had many questions in his mind, but the person who can answer them is not in the condition to answer them for him, or maybe he just don't wanna give any answer, but why? That's the last thing Lan Wangji thought in his mind before nodding towards the healer.

He decided to stay there for sometime, but as weiying started to wake up after 3 hours, he decided to leave, before weiying regain his consciousness.

Stepping outside, he noticed Xichen standing outside.

'Gege'

**Lan Wangji Pov.**

As I entered the pavilion, my heart sank at the sight of Weiying's motionless body on the bed. Pain twisted in my chest, yet I fought to ignore the emotions swirling within me, unable to comprehend their depth. I approached Weiying, studying his pale face, which looked as though all the blood had been drained from it. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, yet even in this state, he remained strikingly beautiful—an elegance that captivating.

Lost in my thought, I hadn't noticed the healer approach me until he greeted mw for the second time. "Second Master Lan, how can we help you?" he said.

My expression was stoic as always, but my eyes betrayed this time, showing concern for the man lying before me. *Why do I feel this way?* I wondered. *He's my responsibility now.* Despite not wanting this marriage or the circumstances surrounding it, the reality remained—I now bound to Weiying.

Glancing back at Weiying once again, I turned to the healer. "How is he doing?"

"Lan Er Gongzi," the healer replied, "his physical condition is stable now, but he is very weak. His mental state is concerning; it appears he may have been suffering from depression for some time."

I turn my gaze to Weiying, a storm of questions brewing in my mind. *What are you hiding? Have you been forced into this marriage? Who are you really?* The answers eluded me as I watched him in the state of stillness.

Nodding at the healer, I decided to stay a while longer. But after three hours passed and Weiying began to stir awake, I quietly slipped out before Weiying regained consciousness.

Outside, I spotted Lan Xichen waiting for him. "Gege," I called softly, a mix of relief and uncertainty flooding through me.