“What would you expect? In the coffin were his two sworn brothers, while his sect’s juniors kept on running around with a fierce corpse—they even need its assistance on night-hunts! No wonder he’s in secluded cultivation so often. If Lan WangJi still doesn’t go back, I bet Lan QiRen’s gonna start cursing…”
Lan WangJi, “…”
Wei WuXian into laughter.
The discussion continued, “Speaking of it, the ceremony impressed me indeed. Nie HuaiSang did quite a good job, didn’t he? When he volunteered in the first place, I thought he was definitely gonna mess things up. He’s the head-shaker, after all.”
“Me too! Who would’ve known he hosted it no worse than Lan QiRen did?”
Hearing their astonishment, Wei WuXian commented in silence, What’s so special about this? After all, in the next few decades, perhaps this leader of the QingheNie Sect’s would gradually begin to show his edges, bringing the world even more surprises.
Both the food and the wine had arrived. Wei WuXian filled a cup to the brim and downed it slowly.
Suddenly, he heard a young man’s voice, “Then is the Tiger Seal really inside the coffin?”
A cloud of silence fell over the wine shop. A moment later, someone answered, “Who knows? Perhaps. What could Jin GuangYao have done with the Tiger Seal except for carrying it on him?”
“But there’s no way of telling. Didn’t they say the Seal’s become just a piece of scrap iron? There’s no use for it anymore.”
The boy sat alone at a table, holding a sword in his arms, “Is the coffin really firm enough? What would happen if someone wants to see if the Tiger Seal is inside or not?”
Immediately, someone raised his voice, “Who’d dare?”
“The QingheNie Sect, the GusuLan Sect, and the YunmengJiang Sect all sent people to guard the cemetery. Who in the world would have the guts to do it?”
Everyone expressed their agreement. The boy didn’t speak up again. He took the teacup from his table and sipped, as though he gave up on his idea. Yet, his eyes hadn’t changed at all.
Wei WuXian had seen those types of eyes on many faces. And he knew that this definitely wouldn’t be the last time he saw them.
After they left the shop, Wei WuXian still sat on Lil’ Apple while Lan WangJi held the reins in front.
Swaying left and right atop the donkey, Wei WuXian took the flute from his waist and placed it by his lips. The limpid notes flew across the sky like birds. Lan WangJi halted and listened quietly.
It was the song he sang for Wei WuXian when they were stuck in the Xuanwu cave. It was also the song that Wei WuXian just so happened to have played at Dafan Mountain, the song that enabled Lan WangJi to confirm his identity.
When he finished, Wei WuXian winked his left eye towards Lan WangJi, “How was it? Beautiful, huh?”
Lan WangJi slowly nodded, “For once.”
Wei WuXian knew that ‘for once’ referred to how his memory was good for once. He couldn’t help but smile, “Don’t always be so angry about it. It was my fault in the past, alright? Besides, my terrible memory should be accredited to my mom.”
Wei WuXian propped his arm on Lil’ Apple’s head, spinning Chenqing in his hand, “My mom said you have to remember the things others do for you, not the things you do for others. Only when people don’t hold so much in their hearts would they finally feel free.”
This was one of the only things he remembered about his parents.
After his thoughts wandered for a bit, Wei WuXian pulled them back together again. Seeing how devoted Lan WangJi’s gaze was, he continued, “My mom also said…”
Hearing how he refused to continue, Lan WangJi asked, “Said what?”
Wei WuXian curled his finger at him, his expression solemn. Lan Wang walked closer. Wei WuXian bent down and spoke beside his ears, “… that you’re mine now.” The tip of Lan WangJi’s brows twitched. Just as his lips were about to part, Wei WuXian interrupted, “Shameless, impudent, frivolous, ridiculous, spouting nonsense again—right? Alright, I’ve said it for you. Back and forth it’s always the same words. You really haven’t changed at all. I’m also yours. We’re even, yeah?”
With words, Lan WangJi could never beat Wei WuXian. His voice was cool, “If you say so.”
Wei WuXian tugged the donkey’s reins, “But really, I’ve come up with almost ten names for this song. And there’s not a single one of them you like?”
Lan WangJi stated firmly, “No.”
Wei WuXian, “Why not? I think it’d be great if it’s called Love Song of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying.”
Lan WangJi said nothing. Wei WuXian blathered on, “Or Everyday Song of HanGuang and YiLing also sounds great. You just know it’s got a story behind it…”
Lan WangJi seemed like he didn’t want to hear another name, “There is.”
Wei WuXian, “There is what?”
Lan WangJi, “A name.”
Wei WuXian was surprised, “There is? Then you should’ve said its name earlier. Why didn’t you tell me for so long? You made me try for so long to come up with a name, wasting my wisdom.”
After a moment of silence, Lan WangJi answered, “WangXian.”
Wei WuXian, “Huh?”
Lan WangJi, “The song is named WangXian.”
Wei WuXian widened his eyes.
Soon, he exploded into laughter, “Hahahahahahahahahaha, no wonder you never told me. So you gave it a name like this all on your own. The reason behind it is just so obvious. Good for you, Lan Zhan! When did you come up with it? Hahahahahahahahahaha…”
Lan WangJi seemed like he’d long since expected Wei WuXian to react like this. Watching him convulse in laughter on Lil’ Apple’s back, he could only softly shake his head. His expression seemed to be of surrender, yet a light curve had already bloomed soundlessly at the corners of his lips. Something hazy drifted through his eyes as well.
He raised his arm to hold Wei WuXian’s waist so that he didn’t plunge from the donkey’s back. When he finally laughed enough, Wei WuXian spoke in all seriousness, “WangXian, good, wonderful! I like it. Yes, that’s what it should be called.”
Lan WangJi was expressionless, “I like it too.”
Wei WuXian, “It sounds very righteous, very GusuLan-esque. In my opinion it should be straight-up recorded into the song collections and made a required piece for all of the GusuLan Sect’s disciples to study. If they ask, HanGuangJun, how should we interpret the name of the song? You can then tell them how the song came to be.”
Listening to his nonsense, Lan WangJi only grasped the reins of Lil’ Donkey with Wei WuXian on it and clenched the thin rope in his palm, continuing on their way. Wei WuXian was still talking, “Where are we going next? I haven’t had Emperor’s Smile in a long time. How about we go back to Gusu and first play around for a bit in Caiyi Town?”
Lan WangJi, “Sure.”
Wei WuXian, “It’s been so many years. The waterborn abyss there should be completely cleaned up, right? If your uncle can bear looking at me, then hide me along with those jars of wine in your room; if he can’t, then let’s go tour some other place. I heard SiZhui and the others are having loads of fun night-hunting with Wen Ning.