Chapter 125: Extras—Lotus Seed Pods

Lotus Pier, Yunmeng.

Outside the dueling hall, cicadas sing welcoming summer; inside, a disgusting mass of human bodies covers the ground.

Twelve boys, all shirtless, lay on the wooden floorboards of the hall. They turned over occasionally, like a dozen sizzling pancakes, groaning in pain.

“Then…”

“Very hot…”

With his eyes closed, Wei WuXian thought faintly,  If only it were as cold as the Cloud Recesses.

The temperature of the wood beneath him fused with his body temperature again, causing him to topple over. Coincidentally, Jiang Cheng also turned around. The two of them touched, arms over legs. Wei WuXian immediately exclaimed, “Jiang Cheng, move your hands. You’re like coal.”

Jiang Cheng, “Move your feet.”

Wei WuXian, “The arms are lighter than the legs. I have a harder time moving my legs, so you should just move your arms.”

Jiang Cheng hissed, “I’m warning you, Wei WuXian, don’t overdo it. Shut up and don’t say anything. The more you talk, the more heated things will get!”

The sixth brother chimed in, “Let’s not argue, okay? I’m getting hot listening to you two arguing. I’m sweating even more.”

There, arms and legs were already flying in the air, “Go there!” “You too!” “No, no, no—please go first!” “No, thank you—you can go first!”

The Shidis all complained, “If necessary, fight outside!” “Let’s go together, okay? We beg you!”

Wei WuXian, “Did you hear? They told you to go. Let go… of my leg—my leg will break, Master!”

The veins on Jiang Cheng’s forehead popped out, “They clearly told you to leave… Let go of my arm first!”

Suddenly, from the wooden hallway outside, there was the rustle of long dresses scraping against the ground. Like lightning, the two of them separated. The bamboo curtain lifted, and Jiang YanLi peeked inside. “Oh, so this is where everyone is hiding.”

Everyone greeted her, “Shijie!” “Hello, Shijie.” Some of the more shy ones couldn’t help but slink off to the corners, covering their chests with their arms.

Jiang YanLi, “No sword practice today? You’re slacking off, aren’t you?”

Wei WuXian protested, “It’s so hot today—the training ground is on fire. We’ll lose a whole layer of skin if we practice. Don’t tell anyone, Shijie.”

Carefully, Jiang YanLi looked Jiang Cheng and herself up and down, “Did you two fight again?”

Wei WuXian, “Tidak!”

Jiang Yanli’s remains also came in. She was holding a plate containing something, “Then who made the footprints on A-Cheng’s chest?”

Hearing that he had left evidence, Wei WuXian turned around to check. The evidence was there, but no one cared if they had fought again. In Jiang YanLi’s hands, she held a large plate of sliced ​​watermelon. The children rushed over, distributing the pieces in mere seconds, and then sat on the ground, munching on the watermelon. Soon, the watermelon rinds had piled up into a small mound on the plate.

No matter what they did, Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng had to compete with each other, even when it came to eating watermelon. Using both strength and cunning, they fought so fiercely that the others quickly left, quickly clearing the entire area for them. At first, Wei WuXian was quite engrossed in eating the watermelon, but a moment later, he suddenly burst out laughing.

Jiang Cheng was immediately worried, “What are you going to do this time?”

Wei WuXian picked up another piece, “It’s nothing! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not going to do anything. I’m just thinking about someone.”

Jiang Cheng, “Who?”

Wei WuXian, “Lan Zhan.”

Jiang Cheng, “Why are you thinking about it for no reason? Remembering how it feels to follow the sect rules?”

Wei WuXian spat out a seed, “It’s so fun to imagine. You don’t even know—he’s too funny. I told him, ‘Your sect’s food is disgusting. I’d rather eat fried watermelon rind than yours. If you have time, come join us for some fun at Lotus Pier…’”

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Cheng slapped his watermelon, “Are you crazy? Inviting her to Lotus Pier—are you trying to torture yourself?”

Wei WuXian, “Why are you so upset? My watermelon almost flew away! I was just being polite. Of course he wouldn’t come. Have you ever heard of him going somewhere alone to have fun?”

Jiang Cheng put on a stern expression, “Let’s be clear. I don’t want him to come. Don’t invite him.”

Wei WuXian, “I never knew you hated him so much?”

Jiang Cheng, “I have no problem with Lan WangJi, but if he really comes, my mother might comment, comparing me to other people’s children, and you won’t be happy either.”

Wei WuXian, “Don’t worry. There’s nothing to be afraid of even if he comes. If he does, you can have Uncle Jiang sleep with me. I’ll definitely drive him crazy in less than a month.”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “You want to sleep with her for a whole month? I say you’ll be stabbed to death in a week.”

Wei WuXian wasn’t worried, “Am I afraid of him? If we really started fighting, he probably wouldn’t win against me.”

The others immediately cheered. Jiang Cheng seemed to be mocking Wei WuXian, but he knew Wei WuXian wasn’t joking. Jiang YanLi sat between the two of them, “Who are you talking about? The friends you made in Gusu?”

Wei WuXian happily replied, “Yes!”

Jiang Cheng, “You’re such a shameless ‘friend.’ Try asking Lan WangJi and see if he’ll be your friend.”

Wei WuXian, “Go away. If he doesn’t want to, I’ll pester him until he does.” He turned to Jiang YanLi, “Shijie, do you know Lan WangJi?”

Jiang YanLi, “Yes. He’s the Second Young Master Lan that everyone describes as handsome and talented, right? Is he really that handsome?”

Wei WuXian, “Dia!”

Jiang YanLi, “Compared to you?”

Wei WuXian thought about it for a moment, “Maybe a little more handsome than me.”

He formed a narrow gap between his two fingers. Taking the plate, Jiang Yanli smiled, “He must be very handsome, then. It’s a good thing you made a new friend. Later, you two can visit each other in your free time.”

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng spat out his watermelon. Wei WuXian waved his hand, “Forget it, forget it. There’s only bad food and a lot of rules at that place. I don’t want to go anymore.”

Jiang YanLi, “Then you can bring her here. This is a great opportunity. Why don’t you invite your friend to stay at Lotus Pier for a while?”

Jiang Cheng, “Don’t listen to his nonsense, Brother. He was such a pain in the ass in Gusu. Lan WangJi definitely wouldn’t want to go home with him.”

Wei WuXian, “What do you mean!? He will do it.”

Jiang Cheng, “Wake up. Lan WangJi said you have to go, didn’t you hear? Do you still remember?”

Wei WuXian, “What do you know!? Even though he told me to go outside, I know for sure he secretly wants to come play with me in Yunmeng—in fact, he would be overjoyed.”

Jiang Cheng, “I think about the same question every day—where do you find so much confidence?”

Wei WuXian, “Don’t think about it anymore. If I thought about a question for years and couldn’t find the answer, I would have given up long ago.”

Jiang Cheng shook his head. Just as he was about to throw the watermelon to the ground, he suddenly heard loud footsteps approaching. A woman’s firm voice rang out from afar, “I was wondering where everyone went. As I suspected…”

The boys’ expressions changed immediately. They hurried to open the curtains just in time to see Madam Yu turn around at the end of the hallway, her purple robes fluttering majestically. A cold aura emanated from her face. Seeing the boys’ unsightly nakedness, Madam Yu’s expression changed, her eyebrows raised high.

The boys all thought,  Oh no!  Terrified, they turned tail and ran. Seeing this, Mrs. Yu finally realized, angrily shouting, “Jiang Cheng! Hurry up and change your clothes! You look like a barbarian! What will people say when they see you?!”

Jiang Cheng’s top was tied around his waist. Hearing his mother’s reprimand, he hurriedly put it on his head. Mrs. Yu scolded again, “And you kids! Don’t you see A-Li is here? Who taught you naughty kids to dress like this in front of a girl!?”

Of course, there was no need to think about who was leading the group. So, Madam Yu’s next words, as usual, were, “Wei Ying! Do you want to die!?”

Wei WuXian shouted, “Sorry! I didn’t know Shijie was coming! I’ll go find my clothes now!”

Madam Yu grew even angrier, “How dare you run! Come back this instant and kneel!” As she spoke, she released the whip with a flick of her hand. Wei WuXian felt a searing pain in his back. He cried out, “Ouch!” and nearly tripped on the ground. However, suddenly, a soft voice reached Madam Yu’s ears, “Mom, I want to eat watermelon…”

Mrs. Yu was startled by Jiang YanLi, who seemed to appear out of nowhere. Because she was late, all the boys had vanished. She was so angry that she turned to Jiang YanLi and pinched her cheek, “Eat, eat, eat—you just eat!”

Jiang YanLi was almost in tears from being pinched by her mother, muttering, “Mom, A-Xian and the others are hiding here to cool off, and I came here alone. Don’t blame them… Mom… Mom wants some watermelon… I don’t know who gave us watermelon, but it’s so sweet. Eating watermelon in the summer is so good for cooling down and quenching thirst. I’ll cut some for you…”

The more Mrs. Yu thought about it, the angrier she became, and with the heat of summer, she really wanted to eat watermelon. With all that… she became angrier.

On the other hand, the group finally made it out of Lotus Pier and hurried across the pier, jumping onto the boat. With no one chasing them, even after a while, Wei WuXian finally felt more at ease. Exerting his strength, he rowed the boat a few times. He still felt pain in his back, so he threw the oar to someone else, sat down, and felt the sting of his flesh, “It’s so unfair. No one else is wearing anything, but why am I the only one getting scolded and beaten?”

Jiang Cheng, “Because your eyes hurt the most when you’re not wearing clothes, of course.”

Wei WuXian glanced at him. Suddenly, he jumped and dove into the water. As if on cue, the others jumped in too. Within seconds, only Jiang Cheng was left on the boat.

Jiang Cheng realized something was wrong, “What are you doing?!”

Wei WuXian slid over to the side of the boat and slammed into it hard. The boat lurched, bobbing heavily in the water with its belly facing upwards. Wei WuXian laughed, jumping onto the boat, and crossing his legs, “Are your eyes still sore, Jiang Cheng? Say something, hey, hey!”

Even after several screams, nothing came out except a string of bubbles. Wei WuXian rubbed his face, confused, “Why is he taking so long?”

Their sixth Shidi also swam closer, shouting, “Is he drowning!?”

Wei WuXian, “Impossible!” Just as he was about to disembark and help Jiang Cheng, he suddenly heard a loud scream from behind him. With a scream, he was pushed into the water. Once again, the boat capsized, dripping water. After he sank underwater, Jiang Cheng swam around and ended up behind Wei WuXian.

After the two of them succeeded once with their sneak attack, they began to circle the boat warily, while the others swam in the water, scattered around the lake to watch the drama unfold. Wei WuXian stood out from the boat, “What’s wrong with your weapon? Put down the oars, and we can fight hand-to-hand.”

Jiang Cheng sneered, “You think I’m stupid? You’ll take it the moment I let go!” Brandishing the oar, he forced Wei WuXian to dodge and hide. The shidi cheered him on. Ducking left and right, Wei WuXian finally found the free time to protest, “How could I be so shameless!?”

Shout after shout of ridicule came from all around him, “Da-Shixiong, I can’t believe you have the face to say this!”

Soon, the crowd was immersed in a frenzied water fight, from Justice Stab to Poison Plant to Brutal Bolt—Wei WuXian kicked Jiang Cheng before finally making it onto the boat. Spitting out lake water, he waved his hands, “Stop, stop—I agree!”

Everyone wore green waterweed on their heads, not ready to stop. They rushed, “Why are we stopping? Let’s continue! Let’s continue! Are you begging for mercy just because you’re at a disadvantage?”

Wei WuXian, “Who said I was begging for mercy? We can fight later. I’m too hungry to continue. Let’s eat first.”

Sixth Shidi, “Then, should we go back? We can eat some more watermelon before dinner starts.”

Jiang Cheng, “If you go back now, you will get nothing but a whipping.”

However, Wei WuXian had an idea. He announced, “We won’t be going back. We’re going to go pick lotus seeds!”

Jiang Cheng sneered, “You mean ‘steal’, right?”

Wei WuXian, “It’s not like we don’t pay back the money every time!”

The YunmengJiang Sect frequently took care of households in the area, exorcising water ghosts without asking for any compensation. Within a radius of over a mile, let alone a few seed pods, people were even willing to split up entire lakes to plant lotuses for them. Whenever the sect’s children went out and ate someone’s watermelon, caught someone’s chicken, or spiked someone’s dog food*, Jiang FengMian would send people to make amends. As for why they always insisted on stealing, it wasn’t because of arrogance or rudeness—the children simply loved the thrill of being scolded, laughed at, and chased around. 

*TN: In rural China, dogs are often used to guard homes against burglars. To sneak into someone’s house, young men make sure the dog is unconscious (but not dead).

The group boarded the boat. After paddling for a while, they arrived at a lotus lake.

The waters were vast, covered in green. Leaves as small as plates and as large as umbrellas were stacked endlessly. The outer leaves were lower and sparse, forming a flat layer floating on the water’s surface; the inner leaves were taller and denser, enough to cover the boat and the people inside. However, at first glance, the lotus leaf’s outlines revealed a figure hiding within.

The small boat from Lotus Pier glided into a green world. All around it were plump seed pods, hanging low. One person rowed the boat, while the others got to work. The large seed pods dangled from slender stalks, from which grew small, harmless thorns. With just a little effort, the stalks would snap in half. They all snapped the pods and the long pieces of stem off, so they could get a few bottles back and plant them in water. Some said that this way, the seed pods would stay fresh for a few days longer. Wei WuXian had only heard this from others. He didn’t know if it was true, but he still told them confidently.

She picked a few fruits and peeled one, then popped the round seeds into her mouth. The juice exploded on her tongue. She ate while unconsciously humming, “I’ll treat you to lotus fruit, so what will you treat me to?” Jiang Cheng happened to overhear her, “Who are you treating?”

Wei WuXian, “Haha, not you, of course!” Just as he was about to hit Jiang Cheng in the face with another seed pod, he suddenly let out a ‘hush’, “We’re dead. That old man is here today!”

The old man referred to the farmer who grew lotus seeds in this area. Wei WuXian didn’t know exactly how old he was either. However, he thought Jiang FengMian was an uncle, so anyone older than Jiang FengMian could be called an old man. He had been at this lake for as long as Wei WuXian could remember. When he came here to steal lotus seed pods in the summer, he would be beaten if caught. Wei WuXian often doubted that the old man was the reincarnated spirit of a lotus seed pod, because he knew the number of pods he had lost from the lake like the back of his hand—the same as the number of beatings Wei WuXian had received. When rowing in the lotus pond, a bamboo pole was better than a paddle, each blow hard and stinging to the flesh.

The other boys had also experienced beatings before. Instantly, they shouted, “Let’s run, let’s run!” They hurriedly grabbed their oars and fled. Limping, they rowed out of the lake and glanced back guiltily. The old man’s boat had been pushed out of the layer of leaves, drifting on the vast waters. Tilting his head, Wei WuXian stared for a moment before exclaiming, “How strange!”

Jiang Cheng also stood up, “Why is the boat going so fast?”

Everyone watched. The old man, standing with his back to them, counted the pods in the boat one by one, his bamboo pole lying motionless beside it. Yet the boat moved steadily and swiftly. Even faster than the juniors’ boats.

As the two boats got closer, everyone could finally see that beneath the old man’s boat was a faint white shadow, swimming underwater!

Wei WuXian turned around, his index finger pressed to his lips, reminding the others to be careful not to alarm the old man or the water ghost below. Jiang Cheng nodded. His oars produced only a few silent ripples, their movements nearly silent. When the two boats were three meters apart, a pale hand emerged from the water, drenched, and snatched one of the lotus seed pods piled inside the old man’s boat before sinking quietly underwater.

A few moments later, the shells of two lotus seeds floated to the surface of the water.

The children were shocked and speechless, “Wow, so even water ghosts steal lotus fruit!”

The old man finally realized that people had sneaked up on him from behind, circling around, holding a large seed pod in one hand and a bamboo stick in the other. The movement startled the water ghost. With a splash, the white shadow vanished. The boys shouted, “Come back here!”

Wei WuXian fell into the water and dived. Not long after, he slipped into the water while holding something, “I caught it!”

In her hand hung a small, pale-skinned water ghost. She looked like a child no older than thirteen. Frightened, she nearly curled up into a ball before the boys’ eyes.

Suddenly, the old man’s stick swayed as he cursed, “Playing around again!”

Wei WuXian had just received a whip on his back, and now another blow came. With a yelp, he nearly let go of his hand. Jiang Cheng raged, “Speak nicely—why did you suddenly hit him? What an ingrate!”

Wei WuXian hurried, “I’m fine, I’m fine, Old Man-…, look carefully. We’re not ghosts. This one is the ghost.”

The old man, “Nonsense. I’m just old, not blind. Hurry up and let go!”

Wei WuXian was shocked. The water ghoul he had captured clasped its hands in greeting, its dark eyes gleaming with pleading. It still clutched the plump lotus pod it had stolen, refusing to let go. The pod had already cracked. It looked like it had only been bitten a few times before Wei WuXian pulled it out.

Jiang Cheng thought to himself that the old man was truly insane. He turned to Wei WuXian, “Don’t let go. Let’s take it back.”

Hearing this, the old man raised his bamboo stick again. Wei WuXian immediately shouted, “No, no! I’ll let him go, that’s all.”

Jiang Cheng, “No! What if it kills someone?!”

Wei WuXian, “There’s no smell of blood there. It’s too young to have swum out of this area, and there haven’t been any reports of deaths in this area. It’s highly likely that no one has been killed.”

Jiang Cheng, “Just because it hasn’t killed anyone yet, doesn’t mean it will in the future…”

Before he could finish speaking, the bamboo stick swung towards him. After receiving the blow, Jiang Cheng was furious, “Are you crazy, old man?! You know it’s a ghost—aren’t you afraid it’ll kill you?!”

The old man felt quite sure, “Why would a man who is halfway across the threshold be afraid of a ghost?”

Knowing he wouldn’t swim far, Wei WuXian interrupted, “Stop struggling, stop struggling. I’ll let him go!”

Sure enough, he let go. With a splashing sound, the water ghost slipped behind the old man’s boat, as if afraid to come out.

Submerged in water, Wei WuXian climbed onto the boat. The old man took a seed pod from the boat and threw it into the water. The water ghoul paid no attention. He chose a larger one and threw it back in. The pod bounced a few times on the water’s surface before half of its white forehead slipped out and, like a large white fish, carried two green pods into the water with its mouth. Soon, several more white pods floated to the surface. Exposing its shoulders and arms, the water ghoul hid behind the boat as it crept down.

Watching him enjoy his pod, the boys all looked confused.

The old man threw another pod into the water. Wei WuXian touched his chin, unsure what to feel. “Master, why is it that when  he  stole your lotus pods, you let him steal and even gave them to him, but when  we  do, you always beat us?”

The old man said, “He helps me take care of the boat, so what’s the point of giving him a few pods? And you guys, on the other hand? How much have you stolen today?”

The boys felt embarrassed. Wei WuXian glanced at them. Seeing dozens of pods hidden on the side of the boat, he knew that things would not go smoothly, and immediately shouted, “Let’s go!”

Instantly, the boys grabbed their oars. Holding the bamboo pole, the old man approached them like a hurricane. They could feel their scalps tingle as they expected the pole to hit them any minute, rowing wildly. The two boats circled around the lotus lake for several laps. As they got closer, Wei WuXian had already taken several hits, and he realized even more that the pole was aimed solely at him. He covered his head and cried, “No fair! Why are you only hitting me? Why is it only me again!”

Shidi, “Keep up the good work, Shixiong! It all depends on you!”

Jiang Cheng added, “Yeah, just go ahead.”

Wei WuXian spat, “No! I don’t want it anymore!” He picked up a lotus seed from the boat and threw it, “Catch it!”

A rather large pod made a loud splash as it hit the water. As expected, the old man’s boat stopped. The water ghost swam happily away, picking up the pod.

Taking advantage of that opportunity, the boat from Lotus Pier finally had a chance to escape.

When they returned, one of the shidi asked, “Da-Shixiong, can ghosts sense things?”

Wei WuXian, “Normally not, I guess. But I say this little one, maybe… maybe… Ah-… Ah-choo!”

The sun had set and the wind had picked up. It felt quite chilly in the breeze. Wei WuXian sneezed and rubbed his face, then continued, “He probably didn’t manage to get the lotus pods before he died, and drowned in the lake when he snuck in to steal some. So… Ah-… Ah-…”

Jiang Cheng, “So, he ate the lotus fruit because that was his desire. He felt satisfied by it.”

Wei WuXian, “Uh-huh, that’s right.”

He felt his back, covered in scars, both old and new, and still couldn’t help the question that would keep popping into his mind, “It’s so unfair. Why am I the only one who gets hit, every time something happens?”

One of the shidi replied, “You are the most handsome.”

Another one, “You have the highest cultivation level.”

And another, “You look the most beautiful without clothes on.”

Everyone nodded. Wei WuXian, “Thank you for the compliments, everyone. I’m even getting goosebumps.”

Shidi, “You’re welcome, Da-Shixiong. You’ve always protected us. You deserve more!”

Wei WuXian was surprised, “Oh? There’s more? Let me hear it.”

Jiang Cheng couldn’t bear to listen any longer, “Shut up! If you still don’t want to talk nicely, I’ll stab that boat and we can all die together.”

As they talked, they passed a stretch of water with farmland on either side. In the fields, several petite farm women were working in the fields. Seeing their boat pass by, they ran to the riverbank and greeted them from a distance, “Hey—!”

The boys responded in kind, before all of them elbowed Wei WuXian, “Shixiong, they’re calling you! They’re calling you!”

Wei WuXian watched carefully. Indeed, the women had met before when he was leading the group. His mood immediately improved, and he stood up to wave, grinning, “What’s wrong!?”

The boat drifted with the current. The women followed it along the shore, chatting, “You guys went stealing lotus seeds again, huh!?”

“Tell us how many times you succeeded!”

“Or did you mix someone’s dog food this time?”

Hearing that, Jiang Cheng almost wanted to kick him off the ship, filled with dislike, “Your reputation has truly disgraced our sect.”

Wei WuXian protested, “They said ‘you guys.’ We’re in the same boat, aren’t we? Even if I lose face, we all lose face.”

As the two argued, one of the women shouted, “Is that good?”

Wei WuXian managed to reply, “What?”

The woman, “The watermelon we gave you. It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

Wei WuXian realized, “So you were the one who gave us the watermelon. It’s so delicious! Why don’t you come in and sit down? We can pour you some tea!”

The woman smiled, “You guys weren’t there when we visited, so we left without going in. Glad to hear it was delicious!”

Wei WuXian, “Thank you!” He took out a few large lotus seed pods from the bottom of the boat, “Here are some lotus seed pods. Next time you visit, come and watch me practice!”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “Does anyone want to see you practice?”

Wei WuXian threw the seed pods towards the shore. It was a long distance, but they landed lightly in the women’s hands. He picked up a few more and stuffed them into Jiang Cheng’s arms, pushing, “What are you doing, just standing there? Hurry up.”

After some prodding, Jiang Cheng could only accept it, “Hurry up and do what?”

Wei WuXian, “You ate the watermelon too, so you should return the gift too, right? Come here, come here, don’t be shy. Come throw it, come throw it.”

Jiang Cheng snorted again, “You must be joking. What’s there to be embarrassed about?” No matter what he said, even after all the shidi started throwing seed pods, he still didn’t move. Wei WuXian urged, “Then just throw it! If you throw it this time, next time you can ask if the seed pods are tasty, and you can chat again!”

The shidi were amazed, “So that’s the reason! What a wonderful lesson. You have a lot of experience with these things, Shixiong!”

“You can tell he does this regularly!”

“Oh, shit, hahahaha…”

Jiang Cheng was just about to throw one when he realized how shameless it sounded. He peeled off the seed pod and ate it himself.

As the boat floated on the water, the girl chased after him with small steps on the bank, catching the green lotus seed pods the boys in the boat threw at them, all the while laughing heartily. Wei WuXian raised his right hand above his brow, observing the scene. Amidst his laughter, he sighed. The others asked, “What’s wrong, Elder Brother?” “You’re sighing even when the girls are chasing you?”

Wei WuXian swung the paddle over his shoulder, grinning, “It’s nothing. I just thought I sincerely invited Lan Zhan to visit Yunmeng, but he still had the nerve to refuse.”

All the boys gave a thumbs up, “Wow, that must be Lan WangJi!”

Wei WuXian exclaimed excitedly, “Shut up! One day, I’ll drag him here and kick him off the boat. I’ll persuade him to steal lotus seed pods and let that old man beat him with a bamboo stick, and he’ll chase after me, hahahaha…”

After laughing for a while, he turned and looked at Jiang Cheng, who was sitting at the front of the boat, eating a seed pod with a gloomy expression. His smile slowly faded as he sighed, “Wow, what a difficult child to teach.”

Jiang Cheng grumbled, “So what if I want to eat alone?”

Wei WuXian, “Look at you, Jiang Cheng. Enough already. You’re so useless. Just wait until you have to eat alone for the rest of your life!”

However, the boat that set out to steal the lotus seeds returned with the treasure.

~

Cloud Niches.

Outside the mountains, the June summer heat is palpable. However, within the mountains, a world of coolness and tranquility lies.

In front of Lanshi, two figures in white stood near the hall. A gentle breeze blew, their robes fluttering gently, but they remained motionless.

Lan XiChen dan Lan WangJi sedang berdiri.

Backwards.

Neither of them made a sound, as if they were meditating. The only sounds audible were the trickling of water and the chirping of birds. In contrast, their surroundings seemed even quieter.

A moment later, Lan WangJi suddenly spoke, “Big Brother.”

Lan XiChen calmly withdrew from his meditative state, his eyes unwavering, “Yes?”

After a moment of silence, Lan WangJi asked, “Have you ever picked lotus seeds before?”

Lan XiChen looked at him, “… No.”

If a follower of the GusuLan Sect wanted to eat lotus seeds, of course they didn’t have to pick the seed pods themselves.

Lan WangJi tilted his head down, “Brother, did you know?”

Lan XiChen, “Know what?”

Lan WangJi, “Lotus seed pods that are still attached to the stem taste better than those that are not.”

Lan XiChen, “Oh? That’s something I’ve never heard of before. Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Lan WangJi, “It’s nothing. Time’s up. The other side.”

The two exchanged hands, supporting their bodies from right to left. Their movements were uniform, steady, and silent.

Lan XiChen was about to ask again when his eyes focused on something and he smiled, “WangJi, you have a guest.”

At the end of the wooden hallway, a fluffy white rabbit slowly crept along. It clung tightly to Lan WangJi’s left hand, its pink nose sniffing.

Lan XiChen, “How did he get here?”

Lan WangJi said to him, “Go back.”

However, the rabbit didn’t listen. It bit the end of Lan WangJi’s forehead ribbon and pulled hard, as if it wanted to drag Lan WangJi away.

Lan XiChen commented calmly, “Maybe he wants to accompany you.”

The rabbit, unable to move, hopped around the two of them angrily. Lan XiChen was quite amused, “Is this what’s making noise?”

Lan WangJi, “Too much.”

Lan XiChen, “There’s no harm in making a fuss. Besides, it’s fun. If I remember correctly, there should be two of them. They’re often together, right? Why is only one of them here? Does the other one prefer to stay quiet rather than play outside?”

Lan WangJi, “It will come.”

As expected, soon after, another snow-white head floated over the edge of the wooden hall. The other rabbit had also arrived, looking for its friend.

The two snowballs chased each other for a while. Finally, they found a place, beside Lan WangJi’s left hand, to cuddle.

The rabbits were curled up around each other, forming an incredibly adorable sight even when viewed upside down. Lan XiChen, “What are their names?”

Lan WangJi shook his head, either saying they didn’t have names or refusing to say them out loud.

Lan XiChen added, “I heard you call them by their names last time.”

“…”

Sincerely, Lan XiChen commented, “Their names are beautiful.”

Lan WangJi moved his hand away. Lan XiChen, “The time isn’t up yet.”

Silently, Lan WangJi pulled back his hand.

Thirty minutes later, their time was up and practice was over. The two of them returned to Yashi and sat quietly.

A servant served cold fruit to soothe the heat. The watermelon had been peeled. The flesh was neatly sliced ​​and spread on a jade plate, its translucent red color captivating the eye. The two brothers sat kneeling on the mat. After chatting quietly, discussing what they had learned from yesterday’s lesson, they finally began to eat.

Lan XiChen picked up a piece of watermelon. However, when he saw Lan WangJi staring at the plate with no apparent intention, he instinctively stopped.

Without any surprise, Lan WangJi spoke up. He called out, “Brother.”

Lan XiChen, “What’s wrong?”

Lan WangJi, “Have you ever eaten watermelon rind before?”

“…” Lan XiChen, “Is watermelon rind edible?”

After a moment of silence, Lan WangJi replied, “I heard this can be stir-fried.”

Lan XiChen, “Maybe.”

Lan WangJi, “I heard it tastes pretty good.”

“I’ve never tried it.”

“Neither do I.”

“Hm…” Lan XiChen, “Would you like someone to try stir-frying it for you?”

After thinking for a moment, Lan WangJi shook his head, his expression serious.

Lan XiChen let out a sigh of relief.

Somehow, he felt no need to ask ‘who did you hear this from’…

The second day, Lan WangJi went down the mountain alone.

It wasn’t that he rarely went down the mountain, but rather he rarely went to the narrow market alone.

People were coming and going everywhere. Whether in the sect or in the mountain hunting grounds, there wouldn’t be this many people. Even during a lively discussion conference, there would be only a few people present, unlike what happened in a crowded place like this. It seemed like there wouldn’t be any surprises if someone stepped on someone’s toes or bumped into someone else’s carriage. Lan WangJi had never liked physical contact with others. Seeing this situation, he hesitated slightly, but didn’t stop completely. Instead, he decided to ask someone for directions. However, after a while, he found no one to ask.

Only now did Lan WangJi realize that not only did he not want to approach others, others did not want to approach him either.

He was so different, so plain, compared to the bustle of the marketplace. He even carried a sword on his back. Merchants, farmers, and passersby rarely saw a young master like him, all scurrying to avoid him. They feared the arrogant heir, feared offending him, or feared his cold expression. After all, even Lan XiChen had once joked that no life could remain intact within six feet of Lan WangJi. Only the women, when they passed Lan WangJi, wanted to look at him but didn’t dare to look too far. Pretending to be busy, they lowered their heads and peeked. When he passed, they would gather around him and giggle.

Lan WangJi had been walking for a long time when he finally saw an old woman sweeping the ground in front of his house. He asked, “Excuse me. Where is the nearest lotus lake from here?”

The woman’s eyesight was not good, and the dust was obscuring her vision. She was panting, unable to see clearly, “Walk two or three miles this way. One house has more than an acre of lotus plants planted.”

Lan WangJi nodded, “Thank you.”

The old woman said, “Young Master, this lake doesn’t allow anyone to enter at night. If you want to go, you must hurry and get there before dusk.”

Lan WangJi repeated, “Thank you.”

Just as he was about to leave, he saw the woman raise her thin bamboo pole high, unable to break the branch embedded under the roof. With a flick of her finger, her sword energy sliced ​​the branch apart, and she turned to leave.

Two or three miles wouldn’t take long at his speed. Lan WangJi followed the woman’s direction and didn’t stop.

Within half a mile, he had left the market; a little further, the buildings grew sparse; after a little more than a mile, everything around him had turned into green fields and crisscrossing paths. Only occasionally would he come across a small, crooked hut, emitting a twisted plume of smoke from its chimney. Several dirty toddlers with long braids crouched in the field, throwing mud at each other and giggling. It was such a charming sight that Lan WangJi stopped to watch, though he was discovered shortly after. The toddlers were all young and timid, scurrying away in the blink of an eye. He finally stepped forward and continued walking. When he was only halfway there, Lan WangJi felt something cool on his cheek. It was a strand of rain, sent by the gentle breeze.

He looked at the sky. Sure enough, the rolling gray clouds looked like they were about to fall from the sky. He immediately walked faster, but the rain fell faster than him.

Suddenly, he saw half a dozen people standing at the edge of the field in front of him.

The raindrops had turned into drops. However, people weren’t holding umbrellas or seeking shelter. They seemed to be forming a circle around something, paying no attention to anything else. Lan WangJi approached. He saw a farmer lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

After listening to a few words, Lan WangJi understood what had happened. While the farmer was in the fields, an ox had run him over. At the time, he couldn’t get up because his back or leg were injured. The ox that had committed the crime was chased to the edge of the field, wagging its tail and too afraid to approach. The ox’s owner ran to find a doctor, while the other farmers didn’t dare move the injured victim carelessly for fear of dislocating his bones. This was the only way they could treat him. Unfortunately, it started to rain. At first, it was just a light drizzle, but soon it became a thunderstorm.

As the rain intensified, one of the farmers rushed home to find an umbrella. However, his house was far away, and he couldn’t return yet. The rest of the group, anxious but helpless, tried to block as much rain as possible for the injured farmer. However, this wouldn’t work. Even if the umbrella arrived, there would only be one. They couldn’t just cover some and leave the others alone, could they?

One of them cursed under his breath, “Damn, it’s only been a minute and it’s already raining so hard.”

At this point, one of the other farmers said, “Let’s put up a shed there. At least it’ll last for a while.”

Not far from there, there was an old, abandoned warehouse, supported by four pieces of wood. One was leaning, while the other was rotting from years of decay.

A farmer hesitated, “Shouldn’t we move it?”

“A… A few steps should be fine.”

Everyone helped each other, the farmers carefully carrying the injured man. Two of them tried to lift the barn, but the other two farmers couldn’t even lift the roof. As the others urged, they used all their strength, their faces red, but the roof still wouldn’t budge an inch. Two more men arrived, but the roof still wouldn’t budge!

The barn’s roof was wooden-framed and covered with tiles, straw, and a layer of earth. It wasn’t light, but it wasn’t so heavy that even four farmers working the fields year-round couldn’t lift it.

Even before he got close, Lan WangJi knew what was going on. He walked to the warehouse, bent down, lifted a corner of the roof, and lifted it with one hand.

The farmers were shocked and could not say anything.

The young man single-handedly lifted the roof that even four farmers couldn’t do!

A moment later, one of the farmers whispered something to the others. Without hesitation, they began carrying the injured man. As they entered the barn, they all glanced at Lan WangJi. Lan WangJi stared straight ahead.

After they put the man down, two men came over, “Y-… Young Master, let go. We can do it.”

Lan WangJi shook his head. The two farmers insisted, “You’re too young. You won’t survive.”

As they spoke, they raised their hands, wanting to help him lift the roof. Lan WangJi merely glanced at them. He said nothing, merely withdrawing some of his strength. Instantly, the expressions on the peasants’ faces changed.

Lan WangJi turned around, letting his energy flow back. Embarrassed, the farmers crouched down again.

The wooden roof was heavier than they had imagined. If the boys let go, they wouldn’t be able to hold it up at all.

Someone shivered, “That’s strange. Why is it colder now that we’re inside?”

None of them could see that right now, hanging in the middle of the warehouse, was a ragged figure, its hair tangled and its tongue hanging out.

As the wind and rain battered the shed from outside, the figure swayed back and forth under the shed, bringing with it terrifying gusts of wind.

It was this spirit that made the roof incredibly heavy, and no ordinary person would be able to lift it no matter what.

Lan WangJi didn’t have any tools for releasing spirits with him. Since the creature had no intention of harming anyone, he naturally couldn’t just destroy its soul without any care. Right now, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to persuade it to lower its hanging corpse, so he could only support the roof for now. He would report it later and send someone to deal with it.

The spirit swayed behind Lan WangJi, blown back and forth by the wind. It complained, “It’s so cold…”

“…”

He looked around and found a farmer to lean against, probably seeking warmth. The farmer suddenly shivered. Lan WangJi tilted his head slightly, giving him a stern, slanted look.

The spirit shivered, returning sadly. However, it stuck out its tongue and complained, “The rain is so heavy. And it’s so wide open like this… It’s so cold…”

“…”

Even after the doctor arrived, the farmers didn’t dare speak to Lan WangJi. When the rain stopped, they moved the wounded out of the barn. Lan WangJi lowered the roof and left without another word.

When he arrived at the lake, it was already past dawn. He was just about to enter when a small boat came from the other side, a middle-aged woman on board, “Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing here?”

Lan WangJi, “To pick lotus seed pods.”

The woman said, “It’s past dawn. We don’t allow anyone in after dark. Today won’t work. Come here another time!”

Lan WangJi, “I won’t be staying long. I just need a little time.”

The woman said, “No means no. Those are the rules. I don’t make the rules here. You can ask our owner.”

Lan WangJi, “Where is the owner of the lake?”

The woman said, “He’s been gone for a long time, so there’s no point in asking me. If I let you in, the lake owner won’t be too lenient with me either. Don’t make this too difficult for me.”

At this point, Lan WangJi didn’t press him any further. He nodded, “Sorry for the interruption.”

Although his expression was calm, everything about him showed disappointment.

Looking at his white clothes, half soaked by the rain and his boots also muddy, the woman softened her voice, “You came late today. Come early tomorrow. Where are you from? It was raining really hard earlier. Your son, you didn’t run here when it rained, did you? Why didn’t you bring an umbrella? How far is your house from here?”

Lan WangJi answered honestly, “Ten and a half miles.”

The woman choked on hearing that, “This far?! It took you a long time to get here, didn’t it? If you really want lotus seeds, just buy them on the side of the road. There are plenty of them.”

Lan WangJi was just about to turn around when he heard this and stopped, “The lotus seed pods sold on the streets don’t have stems.”

The woman was amused, “There has to be a shaft, right? It doesn’t taste any different.”

Lan Wangji, “Ya.”

“No!”

Lan WangJi insisted, “Indeed. Someone said so.”

The woman burst out laughing, “Who told you that? You stubborn young master. You must be possessed by something*!”

*TN: For love.

Lan WangJi said nothing. With his head bowed, he turned and started walking back. The woman called out again, “Is your house really that far away?”

Lan WangJi, “Mn.”

The woman, “How about… How about you don’t come home today? Stay nearby and come back tomorrow?”

Lan WangJi, “There’s a curfew. I have lessons tomorrow.”

The woman scratched her head, as if she were considering it somewhat hesitantly. Finally, she said, “… Okay, I’ll let you in. Just a little bit, just a little bit, okay? Hurry up if you’re going to pick the lotus fruit, in case someone sees you and tells the owner. It’s embarrassing to be scolded at my age.”

In the Cloud Recess, after the rain…

The magnolia blossoms felt so fresh and soft. Lan XiChen felt a surge of affection. He spread out the paper on his desk and began painting by the window.

Through the carved, hollow window, he could see a white figure slowly approaching. Lan XiChen didn’t put down his brush, “WangJi.”

Lan WangJi walked over and called out from the window, “Big Brother.”

Lan XiChen, “I heard you mention lotus seed pods yesterday. It just so happens that Uncle told them to bring them up the mountain today. Would you like some?”

Lan WangJi, outside the window, “Enough.”

Lan XiChen was a little confused, “Already?”

Lan WangJi, “Mn.”

The two brothers exchanged a few more words, and Lan WangJi returned to Jingshi.

After finishing, Lan XiChen looked at the painting for a moment before putting it away and forgetting about it. He took out Liebing and went to where he usually practiced the Sound of Clarity.

In front of the small cottage, a soft purple gentian bush grew, its petals dotted with dew like stars. Lan XiChen entered through the path. He looked up and stopped.

In the wooden hallway in front of the hut door, there is a white jade vase. Inside are lotus seed pods of varying heights.

The jade vase is slender, as is the stem. The view is truly beautiful.

Lan XiChen pushed Liebing aside and sat in front of the vase. Tilting his head, he stared at the vase for a moment, hesitating.

In the end, with great hesitation, he chose not to take it secretly and peeled it to see what felt different about the lotus seed pod still attached to its stem.

If WangJi looked so happy, it must have been a very delicious meal.