Chapter 116: Extra—Banquet (Part Three)

The more serious he was, the more Wei WuXian couldn’t suppress the urge to misbehave within himself.

He gently tapped the black porcelain bowl with his finger, making a crisp sound that only the two of them could hear. Hearing the sound, Lan WangJi’s eyes involuntarily moved a few inches toward him.

Wei WuXian knew that no matter how much Lan WangJi’s eyes moved, he wouldn’t miss a single movement out of the corner of his eye. So, he lifted the bowl and pretended to take a sip. Turning the bowl in his hand, he stopped where Lan WangJi was drinking, and covered the rim of the bowl with his lips.

As he had expected, although Lan WangJi’s hands were originally placed properly on his lap, at this moment their position still hadn’t changed, but his fingers that were hidden secretly under the white sleeves were slightly curved upwards.

Seeing this, Wei WuXian felt his heart pound. Momentarily relaxed, he almost leaned uncontrollably against Lan WangJi when a loud cough suddenly came from Lan QiRen. Wei WuXian immediately straightened his half-crouched body, returning to a proper sitting position.

Shortly after the soup was finished, the main course was finally served. On each table were three dishes placed on small plates, each colored either green or white. These dishes were no different from the dishes served when Wei WuXian was studying here. After so many years, aside from the increasingly bitter taste, nothing had changed at all. Partly due to his geographical location and partly due to his personality, Wei WuXian favored strong flavors, especially spices, and considered meat a must. When faced with such a simple dish, he wasn’t lacking in appetite, simply devouring it without realizing what he was eating. Meanwhile, Lan QiRen’s eyes would occasionally glance at him, glaring as they had when he was teaching him, ready to interrupt him and make him leave at any moment. Since Wei WuXian was so well-behaved, he couldn’t help but give in.

After the bland meal, the servants cleared away the plates and tables. As usual, Lan XiChen began to summarize the sect’s latest plans. However, after listening to just a few sentences, Wei WuXian began to feel a bit dazed. He even remembered two night hunting locations incorrectly and didn’t realize it after speaking, causing Lan QiRen to glance at him a few times and flick his beard. A moment later, he finally couldn’t resist interrupting. Fortunately, the sect banquet finally ended, albeit somewhat hurriedly.

A dreary beginning, a dreary process, and a dreary ending—Wei WuXian was forced to endure a dreary life for over two hours. There was no delicious food or enjoyable entertainment. It felt so suffocating that he felt like he had been infested with lice for half a year. Even after that, Lan QiRen sternly called Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi over, most likely to lecture them again, even two at a time. He had no friends to play with. After walking around for a while, he saw a few juniors walking together. However, just as he was about to greet them and invite them to have some fun, something changed in the faces of Lan SiZhui, Lan JingYi, and the other juniors when they saw him. They turned around and were about to leave.

Wei WuXian understood. He ventured into a more secluded part of the forest. He waited a while, and the children from back then finally slipped out again. Lan JingYi, “Senior Wei, we didn’t intentionally ignore you, but Master said that anyone who speaks to you will obey the Lan Sect’s rules from top to bottom…”

‘Master’ was the honorific all GusuLan Sect disciples and cultivators used for Lan QiRen. Every mention of ‘Master’ meant him and only him. Wei WuXian boasted, “It’s okay, I know. This isn’t the first day your Master has been fireproof, thief-proof, and Wei Ying-proof. Have you seen his success rate? He probably feels like his well-kept cabbage has been dug up by a pig*. It’s only natural that he’s a little more fiery than usual, hahahaha…”

*TN: This is a common saying in China used to describe the feelings of parents when their beloved daughter falls in love.

Lan JingYi, “…”

Lan SiZhui, “… Hahaha.”

Wei WuXian had finished laughing, “Right, you said you were punished for night hunting with Wen Ning.” He asked Lan SiZhui, “How is he?”

Lan SiZhui, “He’s probably hiding somewhere under the mountain, waiting for us to find him again when we hunt tonight.” After thinking for a moment, he continued in a worried tone, “But when we parted, Sect Leader Jiang still seemed angry. I hope we don’t make things difficult for him.”

Wei WuXian, “Huh? Jiang Cheng? How did you meet him during a night hunt?”

Lan SiZhui, “We invited Young Master Jin to join our night hunt last time, so…”

Wei WuXian immediately understood.

It was even predictable that while Lan SiZhui led the group on a night hunt, Wen Ning certainly wouldn’t stay idle. He would definitely follow them in the dark to protect them, so he could provide assistance if they encountered danger during the night hunt. Jiang Cheng would also sneak behind Jin Ling, afraid that something would happen to him again. Thus, the two of them met in a dangerous situation. He asked, and this is what happened. Wei WuXian was at a loss as to whether to laugh or not.

After a pause, he asked again, “How are Sect Leader Jiang and Jin Ling?”

After Jin GuangYao’s death, the purest heir of the LanlingJin Sect was Jin Ling. However, many elders in the sect’s subsidiary branches were still watching eagerly, eagerly awaiting this opportunity. The LanlingJin Sect was scorned by others on the outside, and harbored various vested interests on the inside. Jin Ling was still young. How could he remain calm? In the end, Jiang Cheng still ascended Koi Tower, Zidian in hand, and walked around it once, so that he could finally secure his position as the temporary sect leader. As for what would happen in the days to come, no one knew.

Lan JingYi pouted, “They seem fine. Sect Leader Jiang is still the same as ever, always whipping people with his whip. Young Mistress’s temper has started to improve. She used to be able to talk back to her uncle three times after being scolded once. Now she can do it ten times.”

Lan SiZhui reprimanded, “JingYi, how can you shout at someone like that behind their back?”

Lan JingYi protested, “I clearly called him by the same name in front of him.”

Hearing Lan JingYi say that, Wei WuXian felt a little relieved. He knew that wasn’t what he really wanted to ask. However, since Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling seemed to be fine, he couldn’t say anything else. He stood up and brushed the hem of his shirt. “Alright then. It’s not bad. They can keep up their good work. You guys can go ahead. I have something to take care of.”

Lan JingYi sneered, “You’re always lazing around in the Cloud Recesses. What do you have to take care of?”

Wei WuXian didn’t even turn his head, “Bite my cabbage!”

It was rare for him to wake up this early. After returning to Jingshi, he had slept in for quite a while. Due to his irregular sleep schedule, when he woke up, it was already dusk. He had missed dinner and had nothing else to eat. Wei WuXian wasn’t hungry either. He continued to rummage through Lan WangJi’s calligraphy prints and old essay drafts as he waited. However, even by nightfall, the big cabbage hadn’t returned.

Finally, Wei WuXian felt his stomach empty. However, time had passed, past the Cloud Recesses curfew. According to the sect rules, outsiders were not allowed to wander outside, let alone climb the walls and venture outside—if this were the case in the past, no matter what he “couldn’t” do, no matter what was “forbidden,” Wei WuXian would only care about eating when hungry, sleeping when tired, joking when bored, and running when troubled. But the situation now was different. All of it would be considered Lan WangJi’s fault. No matter how hungry, no matter how bored he was, he could only sigh deeply and bear it.

At this moment, a small sound came from outside Jingshi. The door was pushed open slightly.

Lan WangJi kembali. 

Wei WuXian pretended to die on the ground.

He heard Lan WangJi walk slowly towards the table and place something on it, without saying anything. Wei WuXian wanted to continue pretending to be dead, but it felt as if Lan WangJi had uncovered something as the strong aroma of spices overcame the cold sandalwood scent that had initially permeated Jingshi.

Wei WuXian immediately got up from the ground while rolling, “Er-gege! I will do whatever you say for the rest of my life!”

Expressionless, Lan WangJi took out the plates from the box and placed them on the table. Wei WuXian was drawn to them. The sight of the red on the half-dozen white plates made him so happy that his eyes turned red. “You’re so kind, HanGuang-Jun, you’re so kind to take the trouble to bring me food. You can order me around as you please from now on.”

Finally, Lan WangJi took out a pair of ivory white chopsticks and placed them horizontally over the bowl, his voice cold, “Talking is prohibited while eating.”

Wei WuXian, “And you said talking was forbidden in sleep. Every night, when I talk so much and make so much noise, why don’t you ever stop me?”

Lan Wangi glanced at him. Wei WuXian, “Alright, alright, alright, I’ll stop. We’re already like this, so why is your face so gaunt? You’re easily embarrassed, but that’s exactly what I like about you. Did you bring this from Caiyi Town’s Hunan cuisine?”

Lan WangJi didn’t say anything, so Wei WuXian took it as a silent confirmation. He sat down at the table, “I was wondering if that restaurant was still open. We used to eat there all the time, otherwise, if we only ate your sect’s food, I probably wouldn’t have survived those few months. Oh, look at this. This is how a sect banquet should be.”

Lan WangJi, “’Kita’?”

Wei WuXian, “Jiang Cheng and I. Sometimes Nie HuaiSang and a few others too.”

Turning his gaze to Lan WangJi, Wei WuXian sneered, “Why are you looking at me like this? HanGuang-Jun, don’t forget. I once asked you to have dinner together. How eagerly I tried! You were the one who refused to go. Every time I spoke to you, you would glare at me, and everything you said began with ‘no.’ I really ran into so many obstacles. I haven’t even settled things with you yet, and here you are unhappy. Speaking of which…” He slipped to Lan WangJi’s side, “I only forced myself not to sneak out because I didn’t want to break any sect rules, waiting for you inside so obediently. But who would have thought you broke your own rules and went out to get food for me, HanGuang-Jun. Breaking the rules like this—if your uncle found out, his heart would ache all over again.”

Lan WangJi lowered his head and wrapped his arms around Wei WuXian’s waist. He appeared still and unmoving, but Wei WuXian could feel his fingers caressing his waist, whether intentionally or not. His fingers were so warm that the heat penetrated his clothes and seeped directly into his skin. The sensation was palpable. Wei WuXian hugged him, whispering, “HanGuang-Jun… I drank your sect’s soup, and now my whole mouth tastes bitter. I can’t eat anything. What should I do?”

Lan WangJi, “One sip.”

Wei WuXian, “Yes. I only took a sip, but this soup of yours has a strong aftereffect. The bitter taste immediately traveled from the tip of my tongue to my throat. Tell me—what should I do?”

After a moment of silence, Lan WangJi replied, “Just balance it out.”

Wei WuXian asked humbly, “How should I balance it?”

Lan WangJi raised his head.

The faint scent of medicine drifted from their lips. A slight bitterness made the kiss linger.

When they finally parted, Wei WuXian sighed, “HanGuang-Jun, I just remembered. You drank two bowls of that soup. You’re even more bitter than I am.”

Lan WangJi, “Mn.”

Wei WuXian, “But you still taste sweet. It’s so strange.”

“…” Lan WangJi, “Eat first.” After a pause, he added, “We can do it after you’re done.”

Wei WuXian, “I’ll eat the cabbage first.”

Lan WangJi frowned slightly, as if confused by the sudden mention of cabbage. Wei WuXian laughed as he wrapped his arms around Lan WangJi’s neck.

What is called a banquet should be held in private.