Chapter 71: Departure—Part Three

Two months later, in Yunmeng.

After the QishanWen Sect collapsed, the once most prosperous city of all disappeared overnight, crumbling into ruins. A large number of cultivators sought new locations, spreading out to several new cities. Among them, Lanling, Yunmeng, Gusu, and Qinghe received the largest influx of cultivators. People were rushing about in the streets. All the disciples carried swords at their waists, talking passionately about the current fate of the world. They were all in high spirits.

Suddenly, the people on the street lowered their voices slightly. Simultaneously, they looked towards the end of the street.

From there, a man in a white robe wearing a headband slowly approached, carrying a sword and a zither.

The man’s figure was so graceful, but frost and snow seemed to envelop him. Even before he approached, the cultivators fell silent, gazing into his eyes with respect. The more renowned cultivators gathered their courage and stepped forward to salute him, “HanGuang-Jun.”

Lan WangJi nodded slowly, returning the greeting without hesitation, and didn’t stop in his tracks. The other cultivators didn’t dare to disturb him too much, knowing they had to retreat.

But suddenly, a grinning young girl, dressed in bright colors, appeared in front of him. She hurriedly nudged his shoulder, but then suddenly threw something at him.

Lan WangJi nimbly caught the object. He looked down and found a snow-white flower bud.

The flower bud was soft and fresh, slightly dewy. As Lan WangJi remained silent, another slender figure approached from before him. With a wave of her hand, a small blue flower was thrown toward him. It aimed for his chest, but ended up on his shoulder. Lan WangJi caught it. When he turned around, she giggled before running away without a trace of embarrassment.

The third time, a younger girl, her hair tied in a double bun, leaped over, holding a bunch of stems adorned with red buds in her arms. She fled as soon as she threw them at the man’s chest.

One by one, Lan WangJi picked a bunch of colorful flowers, though he remained expressionless in the middle of the road. All the cultivators who recognized HanGuang-Jun didn’t dare laugh, even if they wanted to. They pretended to be serious, but their eyes kept staring. The commoners who didn’t recognize him, instead, began pointing at him. As Lan WangJi pondered with his eyes downcast, he suddenly felt something weighing on his head. He raised his hand. A pink peony, in full bloom, landed perfectly beside his head.

From the top of the building came a grinning voice, “Lan Zhan—ah, no, HanGuang-Jun—what a coincidence!”

Lan WangJi looked up and saw a spacious pavilion draped in layers of gauze. A black-robed man lay on his side on a red, lacquered couch. One slender hand hung down, holding a delicate black clay liquor jug. Half of the jug’s crimson tassel encircled his arm, while the other half swayed in the air.

Seeing Wei WuXian’s expression, the disciples who witnessed the scene felt somewhat uneasy. Everyone knew that the YiLing Patriarch and HanGuang-Jun weren’t on good terms. When they fought together during the Sunshot Campaign, they often clashed. No one knew what would happen this time. At this moment, they didn’t even bother pretending to be polite anymore, glaring at the two of them as fiercely as they could.

Lan WangJi didn’t leave with a cold face, contrary to their expectations. He simply said, “It’s you.”

Wei WuXian, “It’s me! The one who did such a ridiculous thing must be me. Where did you find the time to come to Yunmeng? If you’re not busy, just come here and have a drink.”

Several girls surrounded him, huddling on the couch, laughing at those below, “Yes, Young Master, come here and have a drink!”

It was the girls who threw flowers at him earlier. Needless to say, it was the person who ordered them to do such a thing.

Lan WangJi lowered his head, turned around, and was about to leave. Seeing no reaction, Wei WuXian wasn’t surprised at all. With a click, he lowered the couch and took a swig from his jar of liquor. However, a moment later, a series of footsteps sounded, lighter than heavy, more calm than hurried.

With steady steps, Lan WangJi climbed the stairs and drew aside the curtains as he entered. The jeweled strings twanged loudly, almost rhythmically.

He placed a bunch of flowers that had fallen on him on the small table, “Your flowers.”

Wei WuXian leaned over until he reached the table, “You’re welcome. I’ll give it to you. Here are your flowers now.”

Lan WangJi, “Why?”

Wei WuXian, “Why not? I just wanted to see how you would react to something like that.”

Lan WangJi, “Ridiculous.”

Wei WuXian, “I’m so silly. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten so bored that I called you here… Hey, hey, hey, don’t go. You’re already here. Aren’t you going to drink a little something?”

Lan WangJi, “Alcohol is prohibited.”

Wei WuXian, “I know alcohol is forbidden in your sect, but it’s not like the Cloud Recesses here. It’s okay if you have a little.”

The girls immediately took new cups. After filling them, they pushed them toward the bunch of flowers. Lan WangJi still seemed reluctant to sit down, but he also seemed reluctant to leave.

Wei WuXian, “You finally came to Yunmeng this time, and you don’t even want to try the delicious liquor here? But, even though the liquor is delicious, it will never compare to the Emperor’s Smile in Gusu where you live. That is truly the best liquor. Next time I have the chance to go to Gusu again, I’ll definitely save half a glass or a dozen and drink them all in one go. Look at you—what’s wrong with you? The chair is right there, and you’re still standing. Come sit down, will you?”

The girls urged him, “Sit down, will you?” “Sit down!”

Lan WangJi’s bright eyes scanned the sensual girls coldly. Soon after, his gaze fell on the jet-black, red-tasseled flute at Wei WuXian’s waist. His eyes were cast downwards, as if he were pondering the best words. Seeing this, Wei WuXian raised an eyebrow, almost guessing what he was going to say next.

As he expected, Lan WangJi said slowly, “You shouldn’t hang around with inhuman beings for too long.”

The smiles of the girls who were chuckling around Wei WuXian instantly vanished.

The gauze curtains swayed, occasionally blocking out the sunlight. The pavilion shifted between light and darkness. Now, their snow-white cheeks looked a little too pale, so drained of blood that they were almost deathly pale. Their eyes were also fixed on Lan WangJi. A sudden, terrifying aura emanated from them.

Wei WuXian raised his hand, motioning for them to step aside. He shook his head as he said, “Lan Zhan, you are indeed becoming more boring as you get older. You are still very young. You are not yet in your seventies, so don’t constantly imitate your uncle, only thinking about other people’s scolding.”

Lan WangJi turned around and stepped closer to him, “Wei Ying, you better come back to Gusu with me.”

“…” Wei WuXian, “I haven’t heard this in a long time. The Sunshot Campaign is over. I thought you gave up long ago.”

Lan WangJi, “Last time, when hunting on Phoenix Mountain, did you notice any particular signs?”

Wei WuXian, “Tanda apa?”

Lan WangJi, “Loss of control.”

Wei WuXian, “You mean I almost got into a fight with Jin ZiXuan? I think you misunderstood. I wanted to get into a fight with Jin ZiXuan every time I saw him.”

Lan WangJi, “And the things you said afterward.”

Wei WuXian, “What? I talk so much every day. I’ve long forgotten what I said two months ago.”

Lan WangJi stared at him, as if immediately knowing that Wei Ying wasn’t taking him seriously. He took a deep breath, “Wei Ying.”

He continued stubbornly, “The ghost path harms both the body and the heart.”

Wei WuXian felt his head start to ache, “Lan Zhan, you… I’ve heard more than enough of those words from you, and you still feel like you haven’t said enough? You said it was harmful to the body, but I’m fine now. You said it was harmful to the heart, but I haven’t gone that crazy yet, have I?”

Lan WangJi, “It’s not too late. In the future, even if you regret it…”

Without waiting for him to finish speaking, Wei WuXian’s expression changed. He suddenly stood up, “Lan Zhan!”

Behind him, a red light began to shine in the girls’ eyes. Wei WuXian, “Stop it.”

So, the girls lowered their heads and retreated, but they still glared at Lan WangJi. Wei WuXian turned to him, “What can I say? Although I don’t think I’ll regret it, I also don’t like people guessing about what I’ll become.”

After a moment of silence, Lan WangJi replied, “It was I who acted unfairly.”

Wei WuXian, “Not really. But, indeed, it seems I shouldn’t have invited you here. Today was because of my arrogance.”

Lan WangJi, “That’s not true.”

Wei WuXian smiled, his words polite, “Really? That’s good then.”

He downed the remaining half of the liquor in one gulp, “But, no matter what, I still have to thank you. I think you care about me.”

Wei WuXian waved his hand, “Then, I won’t bother HanGuang-Jun anymore. We’ll meet again when we have the chance.”

When Wei WuXian returned to Lotus Pier, Jiang Cheng was wiping his sword. He raised his eyes, “You’re back?”

Wei WuXian, “I’m back.”

Jiang Cheng, “Your face looks terrible. Don’t tell me you met Jin ZiXuan?”

Wei WuXian, “Worse than Jin ZiXuan. Take a guess.”

Jiang Cheng, “Give me a hint.”

Wei WuXian, “Want to lock me up.”

Jiang Cheng frowned, “Lan Zhan? Why is he in Yunmeng?”

Wei WuXian, “I don’t know. He’s on the street, probably looking for someone. After the Sunshot Campaign, he hasn’t brought this up in a while. Now he’s doing it again.”

Jiang Cheng, “It’s your fault for calling him first.”

Wei WuXian, “How did you know that I was the one who called him first?”

Jiang Cheng, “Do you even need to ask? When haven’t you been the one doing it? You’re weird too. It’s clear that every time you break up with her, it’s on bad terms, so why do you keep trying to annoy her?”

Wei WuXian thought about it, “Am I silly?”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes, thinking to himself,  So you know  . His eyes fell back on his sword. Wei WuXian, “How many times do you have to clean your sword in a day?”

Jiang Cheng, “Three times. And your sword? How long has it been since you last wiped it?”

Wei WuXian took a pear and took a bite, “I threw it in my room. Once a month is enough.”

Jiang Cheng, “From now on, carry your sword to important events like hunting or the Discussion Conference. That’s a clear example of a lack of discipline that others can laugh at.”

Wei WuXian, “It’s not like you don’t know. I hate it when people force me to do things. The more they force me, the less I want to do it. I don’t have my sword with me—what are they going to do?”

Jiang Cheng glared at him. Wei WuXian added, “And I don’t want to be dragged into a sword duel by people I don’t even know. Every time my sword is drawn, there’s blood. Unless they give me some people to kill, no one can bother me. So I won’t accept it. Settle everything. It’s better that way.”

Jiang Cheng, “Didn’t you used to love showing off your sword skills in front of others?”

Wei WuXian, “I was a child back then. I can’t be a child forever, right?”

Jiang Cheng grinned, “Then don’t bring your sword. It’s fine. But don’t provoke Jin ZiXuan from now on. After all, he’s Jin GuangShan’s only son. He’s the future leader of the LanlingJin Sect. If you beat him, what am I, as the sect leader, supposed to do? Beat him up with you? Or punish you?”

Wei WuXian, “Isn’t Jin GuangYao here now? Jin GuangYao seems to be much better than him.”

Jiang Cheng finished cleaning his sword. After observing it for a while, he finally put Sandu back into its sheath. “So what if he’s more powerful? No matter how great he is, no matter how clever he is, he can only be a servant who welcomes guests. That’s all he has in his life. He can’t compare to Jin ZiXuan.”

Wei WuXian felt like his tone was a bit flattering to Jin ZiXuan, “Jiang Cheng, be honest with me—what do you mean? Last time, you were willing to take over shijie. You couldn’t possibly really want shijie to…?”

Jiang Cheng, “That’s not impossible.”

Wei WuXian, “It’s not impossible? Have you forgotten what he did in Langya? You mean it’s not impossible?”

Jiang Cheng, “He might regret it.”

Wei WuXian, “Who cares if he regrets it? Should we forgive him just because he apologized? Just look at his father. He’ll probably be the same in the future, spending his time looking for women everywhere. Is shijie with him? Can you accept that?”

Jiang Cheng’s voice froze, “See if he dares!”

After a pause, Jiang Cheng glanced at her before continuing, “But, you don’t have the right to decide whether she’s forgiven or not. I like her, so what can we do?”

Wei WuXian was immediately speechless. A moment later, he managed to get out a few words, “Why does she have to like…”

He threw the pear, “Where’s shijie?”

Jiang Cheng, “I don’t know. He’s probably still in one of those places—either the kitchen, the bedroom, or the ancestral hall. Where else could he have gone?”

Wei WuXian left the dueling hall. First, he went to the kitchen. Half a jar of hot soup was simmering over the fire. He wasn’t there. Then he went to Jiang YanLi’s room. Jiang YanLi wasn’t there either. Lastly, he went to the ancestral hall. There she was.

Jiang Yanli was kneeling in the ancestral hall, cleaning her parents’ memorial tablets while whispering. Wei Wuxian peeked in. “Shijie? Are you talking to Uncle Jiang and Lady Yu again?”

Jiang YanLi’s voice was soft, “You two didn’t come, so of course I had to come.”

Wei WuXian came in. He sat next to her and cleaned the tablet with her.

Jiang Yanli glanced at him, “A-Xian, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something you want to say?”

Wei WuXian grinned, “It’s nothing. I’m just here for a walk.”

As he spoke, he actually rolled around on the ground. Jiang Yanli asked, “Xianxian, how old are you?”

Wei WuXian, “I’m already three years old.”

Seeing Jiang Yanli laugh, he finally sat down. After thinking for a moment, he decided to bring up the topic, “Shijie, I want to ask you something.”

Jiang YanLi, “Silakan.”

Wei WuXian, “Why would someone like someone else? I mean, like that.”

Jiang Yanli was silent for a moment, pondering, “Why are you asking me this? Do you like someone? What kind of girl is she?”

Wei WuXian, “No. I won’t like anyone. At least not too much. Wouldn’t that be like putting a restraint on my neck?”

Jiang YanLi, “Three seems too old. How about one?”

Wei WuXian, “No, I’m three! Three-year-old XianXian is hungry! What should she do?”

Jiang YanLi chuckled, “There’s soup in the kitchen. You can eat some. But can XianXian reach the stove?”

“If I can’t, Shijie can lift me up, and then I’ll be able to reach it…” As Wei WuXian was spouting nonsense, Jiang Cheng happened to step into the ancestral hall.

Hearing this, he spat, “Joking again! I, your sect leader, have already poured soup for you and placed it outside. Kneel before me to express your gratitude and drink your soup outside.”

Wei WuXian jumped out before turning around and returning, “What do you mean, Jiang Cheng? Where’s the meat?”

Jiang Cheng, “It’s all gone. Only the lotus root remains. Don’t eat it if you don’t want to.”

Wei WuXian lashed out with his elbow, “Spit out the meat!”

Jiang Cheng, “No problem. I’ll spit it out and let’s see if you’ll eat it!”

Seeing them start arguing again, Jiang Yanli immediately interrupted, “Okay, okay. How old are you two, arguing over meat? I’ll make another jar…”

Jiang YanLi’s lotus root pork rib soup was Wei WuXian’s favorite.

Besides the fact that it tastes absolutely delicious, he also always remembers what happened the first time he ate it.

Back then, shortly after Wei WuXian was brought back from Yiling by Jiang FengMian, he saw a dashing young master running around the training grounds, leading several tied-up puppies. He immediately covered his face with his hands and wailed, then cried uncontrollably. He stayed in Jiang FengMian’s arms for the entire day, never interfering in anything. On the second day, Jiang Cheng’s puppies were given away.

This angered Jiang Cheng so much that he went berserk. No matter how much Jiang FengMian gently consoled him, telling him they should “be good friends,” he still refused to speak to Wei WuXian. A few days later, Jiang Cheng’s attitude softened. Jiang FengMian wanted to act while the heat was still on, so he had Wei WuXian share a room with him, hoping they would grow closer.

At first, despite his sulking, Jiang Cheng almost agreed. However, when Jiang FengMian began to rejoice, he picked Wei WuXian up and let him sit in his arms. Seeing this, Jiang Cheng was shocked speechless. Madam Yu immediately laughed bitterly and left the room. It was only because the couple had urgent matters to attend to and were leaving in a hurry that they didn’t start arguing again.

That night, Jiang Cheng locked Wei WuXian outside his room, refusing to let him in.

Wei WuXian knocked on the door, “Shidi, Shidi, let me in. I want to sleep.”

Inside the room, Jiang Cheng shouted with his back to the door, “Who is your shidi?! Give me back Princess, give me back Jasmine, give me back Love!”

Princess, Jasmine, and Love used to be his pet puppies. Wei WuXian knew that Jiang FengMian had driven them away because of him. He whispered, “I’m sorry. But… But I’m really afraid of them…”

In Jiang Cheng’s memory, Jiang FengMian had picked him up less than five times in total. Each time was enough to keep him happy for months. A fire of anger burned within him, unable to be extinguished. All he could ask himself was ‘why, why, why’. Suddenly, he saw a set of sheets that weren’t his now in his room. Anger and rage immediately boiled up in his forehead, making him pick up Wei WuXian’s sheets and blanket. Wei WuXian waited outside for a long time. When the door opened, before joy could even show on his face, he was showered with a pile of things thrown out. The door slammed shut again. 

Jiang Cheng said from inside, “Sleep somewhere else! This is my room! You even want to steal my room?!”

At that moment, Wei WuXian had no idea what had angered Jiang Cheng. After a moment of silence, he replied, “I didn’t steal anything. It was Uncle Jiang who told me to sleep with you.”

Hearing her still bring up his father, as if deliberately showing off, Jiang Cheng’s eyes turned red as he shouted, “Go away! If I see you again, I’ll call the dogs to bite you!”

Standing outside, Wei WuXian heard the dogs about to bite him, and fear immediately bubbled up inside him. While twirling his fingers, he hurriedly said, “I’m leaving, I’m leaving. Don’t call the dogs!”

Dragging the sheets and blankets that had been thrown outside, she ran out of the hall. Having only just arrived at Lotus Pier, she didn’t dare jump around. Every day, she obediently hid in the places Jiang FengMian instructed her to. She didn’t even know where her room was, let alone dare knock on someone else’s door, afraid of disturbing their dreams. 

After thinking for a moment, he walked to a windless corner of the hallway, spread out the sheets, and lay down. However, the longer he stayed there, the louder Jiang Cheng’s voice, “I’ll call a pack of dogs to bite you,” rang in his head. Wei WuXian grew more afraid the more he thought about it. He rolled around under the covers, feeling like a pack of dogs were surrounding him every time he heard a sound. After a few moments of torment, he felt like he couldn’t stay there any longer. He jumped up, rolled up the sheets, folded the blanket, and fled Lotus Pier.

Panting, he ran for a long time, following the night breeze. When he saw a tree, he climbed without a second thought. He clung to the trunk with all four branches, only calming down a little when he felt he was high enough. He didn’t know how long he had been hugging the tree when suddenly a soft voice called his name from a distance. The voice grew closer. Soon, a girl dressed in white appeared beneath the tree, holding a lantern.

Wei WuXian realized that this was Jiang Cheng’s younger sister. He remained silent, hoping she wouldn’t find him. However, Jiang YanLi still called out, “Is that A-Ying? What are you doing there?”

Wei WuXian remained silent. Jiang YanLi raised the lantern, “I saw you. You left your shoes under the tree.”

Wei WuXian glanced at his left foot before finally exclaiming, “My shoe!”

Jiang Yanli, “You can get off. Let’s go back.”

Wei WuXian, “I… I don’t want to get down. There are dogs.”

Jiang YanLi, “A-Cheng is just making up stories. There’s no dog. You don’t have a mat to sit on. Your arms will soon get sore, and you’ll fall.”

No matter what she said, Wei WuXian clung to the tree tightly, refusing to come down. Worried about hurting himself, Jiang YanLi placed the lantern under the tree and reached out to catch it, too anxious to leave. Thirty minutes later, Wei WuXian’s hands finally felt sore. He tore himself free from the tree trunk and fell. Jiang YanLi rushed to catch him, but Wei WuXian still landed hard. Rolling on the ground a few times, he hugged his leg and wailed, “My leg’s broken!”

Jiang Yanli comforted her, “It’s not broken. It shouldn’t have cracked either. Does it hurt that much? It’s okay. Don’t move. I’ll carry you back.”

Wei WuXian was still thinking about the dogs, sobbing, “Are… Are the dogs there…”

Jiang Yanli promised repeatedly, “No. If the dogs come, I’ll chase them away for you.” She picked up Wei Wuxian’s shoe that had been left under the tree, “Why did your shoe fall? Did it not fit?”

Wei WuXian held back his tears of pain, “No. It’s okay.”

Actually, the shoes didn’t fit. They were a bit too big. But these were the first shoes Jiang FengMian had bought for him. Wei WuXian was too embarrassed to force him to buy more, so he said his own weren’t too big. Jiang YanLi helped him put them on and pressed the hole in the toe, “They’re a bit too big. I’ll fix them when we get back.”

Hearing this, Wei WuXian felt a bit uneasy, as if he had made another mistake. 

Staying in someone else’s house, the worst thing that can happen is causing problems for the host.

Jiang Yanli picked her up and started walking back, her steps unsteady as she spoke, “A-Ying, whatever A-Cheng said to you, don’t mind him. He’s short-tempered, so he always plays by himself at home. The puppies are his favorite. Dad sent them away, so he’s upset. He’s actually very happy to have someone here to keep him company. You ran all the way here and didn’t come back for a long time. I only came looking for you because he was worried something had happened to you and went to wake me up.”

In reality, Jiang YanLi was only two or three years older than him. She was only twelve or thirteen at the time. Although she was still a child herself, she spoke naturally as if she were an adult, trying to calm Jiang FengMian down. Her body was rather small, rather slender, and she didn’t have much strength. She occasionally swayed, having to stop to push Wei WuXian’s thigh to keep herself from falling. However, when Wei WuXian was on her back, he felt much safer, almost more secure than when he was sitting in Jiang FengMian’s arms.

Suddenly, the night wind brought a series of sobs. Jiang YanLi trembled in fear, “What was that sound? Did you hear it?”

Wei WuXian pointed, “I heard it. It came from inside that hole!”

The two of them went to the hole and cautiously looked inside. A small silhouette lay prone at the bottom. When she lifted her head, they could see two lines on her muddy face, erased by her tears. She choked out, “…Sister!”

Jiang YanLi breathed a sigh of relief, “A-Cheng, didn’t I tell you to call everyone else and look for him together?”

Jiang Cheng just shook his head. After Jiang YanLi left, he waited for a while. He felt like he was being pricked by needles, so he decided to chase after them. However, because he was running too fast and forgot to bring a lantern, he tripped over something along the way and fell into a hole. He scratched his head.

Jiang Yanli reached out and pulled her brother out of the hole. She took a handkerchief and pressed it against his bleeding forehead. Jiang Cheng looked listless. His black pupils glanced briefly at Wei Wuxian. Jiang Yanli, “Is there something you haven’t told A-Ying?”

Jiang Cheng pressed the handkerchief to his forehead, his voice low, “… I’m sorry.”

Jiang YanLi, “Help A-Ying bring back the sheets and blankets later, okay?”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “I already brought it back…”

Both of them had injured their legs and couldn’t walk. Lotus Pier was still some distance away, so Jiang YanLi could only carry one on her back and the other in her arms. Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng wrapped their arms around her neck. She was forced to stop and catch her breath after a few steps. “You two, what should I do?”

Their eyes were still teary. Pity, they hugged his neck even tighter.

Finally, step by step, he managed to bring his two brothers back to Lotus Pier. In a low voice, he woke the doctor and asked him to bandage Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng’s wounds. After that, he repeated the words ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ many times before sending the doctor back. Looking at Wei WuXian’s feet, Jiang Cheng’s face was filled with nervousness. If any other disciples or servants found out about this and told Jiang FengMian, after Jiang FengMian knew how he had thrown Wei WuXian’s bedsheets and injured his feet, Jiang FengMian would definitely hate him even more. This was why he only dared to chase after them alone and not chase after anyone else. 

Seeing how worried she was, Wei WuXian took the initiative, “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Uncle Jiang. I only got hurt because I suddenly wanted to climb a tree last night.”

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. He vowed, “You can relax too. Whenever I see a dog, I’ll chase it away for you!”

Seeing how the two finally made up, Jiang YanLi cheered, “That’s the spirit.”

After staying up for almost half the night, they were both feeling hungry. So, Jiang Yanli went to the kitchen and busied herself for a while, standing on her tiptoes. She warmed up a bowl of lotus-flavored pork rib soup for each of them.

Her scent enveloped his heart, clinging tightly.

While squatting in the yard, Wei WuXian placed the empty bowl on the ground. He looked up at the stars scattered in the sky, then smiled.

When he met Lan WangJi on the street, he remembered many things from his time studying in the Cloud Recesses.

On a whim, he stopped Lan WangJi, wanting to redirect their conversation to that very moment. However, Lan WangJi reminded him that things were different from their past.

However, when he returns to Lotus Pier, to meet Brother Jiang, he will have the illusion that nothing has changed at all.

Wei WuXian suddenly wanted to find the tree he had once hugged.

He stood up and walked out of the training grounds. The disciples along the way nodded respectfully to him. They all seemed unfamiliar. The shidi who liked monkeys and refused to walk properly, the servants who grimaced and didn’t salute properly—they were long gone.

Across from the training ground and outside the gates of Lotus Pier is a spacious pier. Day or night, vendors are always selling food on the pier. From the sizzling pots of oil, a fragrant aroma wafts. 

Wei WuXian couldn’t help but lean in and smile, “Big portions today, huh?”

The salesman grinned, “Young Master Wei, would you like one? I’ll give it to you for free. No need to pay anything.”

Wei WuXian, “I want one. Charge it first.”

Beside the vendor sat a man whose entire body looked dirty. Before Wei WuXian could approach, the man was hugging his knees and shivering, as if cold and exhausted. Upon hearing Wei WuXian speak, his head lifted.

Wei WuXian widened his eyes, “You?!”