The Untamed costumes follow the Han Dynasty tradition – the robe’s right panel goes over the left panel only for the deceased and the funerary figurines buried along with them.
The living wear the left panel over the right; likewise for your hands in a formal bow.
How painful it must have been for Wangji to hear the melody only Wei Ying should know and be unable to find him. He knows it has to be WWX, but he never arrives on time, he can’t see the person with his own eyes. He even begins to doubt his own mind. Maybe he wants it to be real so bad that he started hearing things. It wouldn’t be the first time.
The first years in seclusion, the first years out of seclusion. He would hear someone’s laughter, someone’s voice, someone’s flute. Sometimes nothing and no one was there, sometimes it was literally just in his thoughts. His desire, pain and longing playing cruel jokes on him.
魔道祖师经修版(Mo Dao Zu Shi revised edition) – The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation/The Founder of Diabolism
Chapter 95 – 爱洗澡 (Ai Xi Zao) – Love for baths
Lan Wangji ignored it and watched him closely, as if Wei Wuxian would flee if he blinked even once. As Wei Wuxian reached out in covering his eyes, he submerged the lower half of his face into the water and blew bubbles. Laughing happily, Wei Wuxian gently pinched his cheeks and asked, “Er-ge ge, how old are you already?”
He picked up the case of soap and wash-cloth by the side, lathering downwards, along Lan WangJi’s face, he came to a halt.
Earlier, when Lan Wangji removed his forehead ribbon and hair tie, his loosened black hair had fell and masked his upper body. However, now that he had helped Lan Wangji in brushing aside his dampened locks, the thirty-over discipline whip lashes and the seared branding mark on his chest were left completely exposed.
The whipping scars strewn across Lan Wangji’s back had spread to his chest, shoulders, biceps and were intertwining on the large area of bright, pale skin. These sinister-looking scars had liberally destroyed what could have been the perfect male specimen of a body.
“… …”
In his abrupt silence, Wei Wuxian lowered his head while he dipped the wash-cloth into water and wiped across the scars.
He cladded his movements in gentleness, despite the fact that these old scars had already scabbed over, no longer causing pain. In fact, even if they were fresh wounds, knowing Lan Wangji’s personality, he would definitely not show even the slightest bit of weakness in his most painful moment.
Wei Wuxian was thirsting for answers in this opportune time. The only people with authority over Lan Wangji to deliver him punishment in the Lan sect were Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren. What exactly could have been the catalyst that forced his dearest elder brother or his uncle who raised him single-handedly, as his pride and joy to deal such a heavy hand? Also, what about that Wen sect branding mark which he had no impression of ever being there? And, the question which he is the most concerned and curious about –
Han Guang-jun, what exactly do you see me as?
However, whenever the question is on the tip of his tongue, he’d find some reason or another to swallow it back in. What with, this not being an urgent matter, it could wait till after we’re done fooling around to ask; what with, this shouldn’t be a casual question, it should wait till we sit down to talk over it seriously; what with, maybe it won’t be taken seriously while we’re drunk.
All of the above excuses had allowed this to drag on, as for the real reason, he had already known for a while.
He was probably just a coward.
He feared that the answer he received would be different from his expectation.
Lan Wangji turned his body abruptly and threw him a glance. At that, Wei Wuxian had only just realized that he had been so lost in thoughts he scrubbed a patch of skin on Lan Wangji’s back red and raw, as if he was smacked. Wei Wuxian asked inwardly if Lan Wangji was dissatisfied with his service? He hurriedly paused his motion and apologised, “Sorry, sorry, are you hurt?”
Without a word, Lan Wangji shook his head. Seeing him sitting meekly in the bathtub and thinking that he looked slightly pitiful, Wei Wuxian hooked a finger to scratch his lower jaw as pacification. Unfulfilled at just scratching his lower jaw, Wei Wuxian was also tempted to poke at Lan Wangji’s abdominal muscles. As his hand reached out, Lan Wangji abruptly gripped his wrist and warned with a deep voice, “Stop squirming.”
His delicate features and eyelashes were still outlined with a trace of clear water droplets, his expression appeared icy cold, yet his gaze was scalding hot.
Having been tolerated by Lan Wangji over his slights countless times for the night, Wei Wuxian had taken Lan Wangji’s endurance for granted, although he had been stopped this time, he brazenly challenged, “Why? Haven’t I been touching you all over for this long already?”
Lan Wangji sealed his lips tight, not letting a single word slip, making it hard to discern if he was angered or not. Seeing so, Wei Wuxian felt a pang of guilt and said, “Alright then, I won’t touch you anymore, clean yourself up.”
After which, he flung the wash-cloth aside and made an attempt to flee. Unexpectedly, instead of allowing his escape, Lan Wangji had tightened the grip on his wrist, commanding, “You can’t leave.”
After his futile attempt at shoving away, Wei Wuxian was again emboldened, “Han Guang-jun, now you’re in the wrong. First you ordered me to help you wash up, then you wouldn’t let me touch you, and now you wouldn’t let me leave. What exactly do you want from me?”
“… …”
After a moment of silence, Lan Wangji spoke in an unreasonable tone, “Anyway, you’re just not allowed to leave.”
In provocation, Wei Wuxian splashed two handful of water unto Lan Wangji’s face and said, “Take a look at yourself, you’re being super unreasonable and a tyrant!”
Without even trying to avoid, the water splattered onto Lan Wangji’s face, “I told you to stop squirming around.”
That was a warning. Due to the strength of the alcohol, Wei Wuxian’s temperature rose.
Wei Wuxian lifted one end of his lips, “If I insist on squirming, what are you gonna do to me? Disciplinary scripture copying? House arrest? Or seal my voice, eh?”
Lan Wangji returned a deathly stare at him, a spark of hurt seemed to flash across his eyes.
This face, this kind of expression, this type of gaze, this sort of situation, this person. Wei Wuxian inhaled a breath of cold air.
Akin to being set ablaze, he fired up and went all out to exclaim, “Han Guang-jun, don’t tell me, you don’t like me touching you in this way!”
The incessant, nonchalance exhibited by Wei Wuxian had finally unhinged the other party.
Similar to having been bit by a venomous snake, Lan Wangji violently jerked his arm, and Wei Wuxian sensed a terrifying might pulling him over.
Water splayed across in an irreparable manner. It was unclear of who the instigator was, but when Wei Wuxian gradually sobered up, he was already sitting on Lan Wangji’s lap.
Right in this position, in a tight embrace, they lingered on as they kissed feverishly. Wei Wuxian interlocked his arms behind Lan Wangji’s neck, loathing to part, he wantonly carried on. Suddenly, he let slip an “ah”, opened his eyes and swiped blood off his lips with a finger and scolded, “Lan Zhan! Why did you bite like you’re a dog?!”
Initially, having already been kissed raw, the added effect of the bleeding lips had increased the provocativeness of the situation. And in response to his untimely complaint, Lan Wangji bit down again. Under the biting and sucking, Wei Wuxian creased his eyebrows in slight pain and in retaliation, he reached a hand under and gave it a firm stroke.
No one had ever committed such a shameless and audacious act against Lan Wangji and not just once, it was done again, the colour on his face abruptly changed, his arms enveloping Wei Wuxian constricted, leaving a streak of imprints behind. Wei Wuxian laughed as he panted, he went for a peck on Lan Wangji’s lips and spoke next to his ear, “So, are you mad yet? Did you know, Lan Zhan, I really like it when you get angry…”
In the warm embrace, Wei Wuxian was drained of energy from the tips of his finger to the top of his scalp, in the daze, even his fingers refuse to curl up in the slightest. It took a while before the two managed to return to their normal breathing rate.
Albeit being heavily pressed down, his heart was simultaneously in tranquility and turmoil. Wei Wuxian planted a chaste kiss along Lan Wangji’s hairline. Wrapping around the two was the dull scent of sandalwood and a light fragrance of soap from the bath. The promiscuous aroma had diluted.
Wei Wuxian had buried the question he long wanted to ask Lan Wangji deep in his heart, afraid to ask it, until this moment as they reclined here basking, he finally gained the confidence and spoke in a low voice, “Lan Zhan… are you listening?”
After a pause, Lan Wangji responded with an “en”. Wei Wuxian then spoke again, “I have something to say to you.”
Breathing in lightly he opened up, “Lan Zhan, thank you.”
With a million things to say, he had no idea where he should begin.
If he hadn’t met Lan Wangji upon his return, Wei Wuxian had no idea what state he would be in right now. To be frank, even if he were to make do with just himself, it wouldn’t have been the worst.
However, no matter what, he believes, it would not have been better than this right now.
He had not notice that after hearing that, Lan Wangji’s body had stiffened up.
The surging emotions he had were still gradually dissipating, leaving Wei Wuxian in a trance and he blurted incoherently, “In these two lives, you’ve helped me out a bunch. I know you’ve been very nice… to me. You’re especially nice! Besides thanking you, I’m not sure what else I should say to you… anyways, to me, you… you…”
However, this wasn’t even the main point. Wei Wuxian had never fully confessed these feelings to anyone before this, regardless of his shamelessness, he’s a person who also has his limits, so he could only throw out a few random things to say for now. He was still pondering over the right way to express his sincerity when Lan Wangji unexpectedly pushed him away in one swift motion.
Caught off-guard, Wei Wuxian was knocked over breathless.
He widened his eyes in stunned confusion. Meanwhile, Lan Wangji had sat up, his chest rose and fell, and his breathing was rushed.
The pair sat in a still silence for a brief period and the first to make a move was indeed, Lan Wangji.
His face flushed a pale white, but his eyes were clear. He first picked up the white undergarment off the floor, used to cover Wei Wuxian’s body before looking for his own clothes.
Wei Wuxian remained in his state of confusion, unable to believe all of which had happened.
This single shove resembled a beautiful dream which had instantaneously turned into a horrible nightmare and resembled being doused with a bucket of cold water, chilling the bones from head to toe; or resembled more like a fierce slap across the face, rendering him dizzy from the strike. After mustering enough strength to re-open his mouth, in a hoarse voice he tried asking, “Lan Zhan, you’re… sober now?”
Lan Wangji had already completed dressing himself and was sitting a distance away, he lifted his right hand to rub at his forehead while he faced the mess infront of him and his back against Wei Wuxian. After a long pause, he then responded in a low tone, “En.”
Even though it was unclear when he had awakened from his drunken stupor, but since he was now awake, Lan Wangji’s action was the one thing that was clear.
For their play earlier, he doesn’t wish to continue with that. And for the conversation with Wei Wuxian, he doesn’t wish to continue with that either.
Wei Wuxian had finally come to realise, just how inappropriate his actions were earlier.
Translator’s note on the phrases in bold
Er-ge ge – Literally, second brother; as LWJ is the second born of the sect master. (Hope yall already know this by now)
gave it a firm stroke – “it” is referring to LWJ’s reproductive organ. WWX stroked it. (Hehe)
Chapter 111 – 天天就是天天 (Tian Tian Jiu Shi Tian Tian) – Every day means every day
The sky remained unlit and the long path ahead maintained a peaceful serenity. Only the gentle click-clocking of donkey hooves filled the air as Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji continued on their way.
Wei Wu Xian sat, perched on the back of the small donkey, gently patting its rear. On its back, a cloth pouch that’s firm to the touch and bulging with apples was noticed and guessed to be feed prepared by the Lan Sect junior disciples.
Wei Wu Xian picked an apple out, with his gaze locked on Lan Wang Ji’s elegant side-profile he took a bite out of it that felt inevitably crisper than usual. Upon witnessing its own apple be shamelessly eaten by another, Xiao Ping Guo (Little Apple) flared its steaming nostrils and continuously flailed his hooves in displeasure. Without a care, Wei Wu Xian carelessly gave it a few pats and said as he stuffed his mouth with more apple, “Lan Zhan, did you know. That girl, Si Si seems to be a friend of Jin Guang Yao’s mother.”
Lan Wang Ji responded, “Didn’t know.”
Torn between laughing and crying, Wei Wu Xian replied, “It was just a random passing remark, I wasn’t actually looking for an answer. I found this out during the empathy with the feral spirit back in the Guan Yin temple. She took great care of Jin Guang Yao and his mother.”
After a moment of silence, Lan Wang Ji stated, “That’s why he left the lady alive.”
Wei Wu Xian added, “That’s probably it. I was afraid of Ze Wu Jun going soft-hearted on him and didn’t reveal the fact back then. I don’t think now’s an appropriate time either.”
Lan Wang Ji said, “If he asks on a later date, I’ll let him know.”
Wei Wu Xian agreed, “Sounds good.”
Stealing a glance back, he heaved a deep sigh, “I want to be done with thinking about this mess already, let’s just leave it at that.”
Lan Wang Ji nodded slightly, tugged on Xiao Ping Guo’s lead and continued moving forward with the rope in his hand.
To each their own, a problem has to be solved starting from the self. Despite being Lan Xi Chen’s brother, Lan Wang Ji’s hands are tied. At this time, consoling is pointless and anything else is a waste of effort.
After a slight pause, Lan Wang Ji called, “Wei Ying.”
Wei Wu Xian replied, “What is it?”
Lan Wang Ji continued, “There’s a thing; I haven’t been able to tell you.”
Wei Wu Xian felt his heart skipped a beat, “What about?”
Stopped in his tracks, Lan Wang Ji peered straight at him and just as he was about to speak, hurried footsteps could be heard, coming from straight behind them. Wei Wu Xian gasped, “Good grief, they’ve caught up already?”
As expected, someone has caught up but fortunately they weren’t too bad. Lan Si Zhui jogged up to them under heavy panting and greeted, “Han, Han Guang-Jun, senior Wei!”
With his elbows propped on the donkey’s head, Wei Wu Xian asked, “Si Zhui-er, I’m about to elope with your sect’s Han Guang Jun, what are you following us for? Aren’t you afraid of a scolding from that Old Lan teacher of yours?”
Lan Si Zhui’s face deepened with redness, “Senior Wei, don’t be like this, I, I came to ask a very important question!”
Wei Wu Xian prompted, “What question?”
Lan Si Zhui said, “I remembered something, and I can’t be sure of it, so… so I’m here to ask Han Guang-jun and senior Wei.”
After throwing a glance at him, Lan Wang Ji turned to Wen Ning who slightly nodded. Wei Wu Xian questioned, “What about?”
Lan Si Zhui straightened his chest and took in a deep breath.
He said, “Self-proclaimed a skilled chef, yet his food stings the eyes and aches the stomach with spice.”
Wei Wu Xian let out, “Huh?”
Lan Si Zhui continued, “Buried me in a radish field as he teaches that sunshine and frequent watering will allow me to grow faster and also allow for a chance of growing more children as my playmates”
Wei Wu Xian stunned, “…”
Lan Si Zhui further continued, “Offered to treat Han Guang Jun to a meal, yet ran away without settling the bill, leaving Han Guang Jun alone to settle it after all.”
Eyes widened, Wei Wu Xian felt as if he was about to fall off the donkey.
He stammered, “You… You…”
Lan Si Zhui looked straight at Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji and spoke, “Maybe it was because I was too small, there are lots of details that I can’t recall, but, I’m sure of this… I once held the surname, Wen.”
Wei Wu Xian’s voice trembled, “You, a Wen? Isn’t your surname Lan? Lan Si Zhui, Lan Yuan…?”
He muttered on, “Lan Yuan… Wen Yuan?”
Lan Si Zhui solemnly nodded and declared with a shaky voice, “Senior Wei, I… I am… Ah Yuan…”
Still processing, Wei Wu Xian stupidly tried to make sense, “Ah Yuan… Isn’t Ah Yuan dead? He was left all alone on Burial Mounds that year…”
His sentence was left unfinished as Lan Xi Chen’s recount of the event sounded next to his ear, “Although it was said that the few years were spent locked up in reflection, he was fundamentally rendered immobile from injuries. Despite that, once he knew you were dead, he forcefully dragged his injury-battered body, no matter the cost, to definitely see it for himself at Burial Mounds.”
He abruptly turned to Lan Wang Ji and exclaimed, “Lan Zhan, was it you?!”
Lan Wang Ji expressed, “Yes.”
He gazed at Wei Wu Xian and said, “That’s what I haven’t been able to tell you about.”
For a long moment, Wei Wu Xian was left wordless.
Finally, Lan Si Zhui was unable to restrain himself from crying out loudly as he leaped into the embrace of Lan Wang Ji and Wei Wu Xian, one in each arm, holding the three of them together ever so tightly and suddenly that Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji were knocked into each other, completely stunned.
Lan Si Zhui buried his head into where their shoulders connected and spoke, “Han Guang-jun, senior Wei, I… I…”
Hearing his moody and muffled voice, the two intimate figures, Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji peered up at each other and found a feeling of softness in their respective gazes.
Wei Wu Xian gathered his emotions, placing a hand on Lan Si Zhui’s back, he patted and coaxed, “Alright, what are you crying for.”
Lan Si Zhui replied, “Not crying… it’s just… all of a sudden, I’m feeling so terrible but so happy at the same time… I don’t know how to explain this…”
A moment of silence passed, and Lan Wang Ji had also moved a hand to his back, giving away pats.
Lan Wang Ji suggested, “Then don’t.”
Wei Wu Xian followed, “Yeah.”
Lan Si Zhui did not utter a single word, he only tightened his embrace.
Not long after, Wei Wu Xian exclaimed, “Hey, hey, hey, this child, how do you have such a heavy grip, what a worthy student of Han Guang-jun…”
Lan Wang Ji spared a glance at him, “You had a hand in teaching him too.”
Wei Wu Xian acknowledged, “No wonder he turned out so well.”
Lan Si Zhui rebutted, “Nope, senior Wei didn’t teach me anything.”
Wei Wu Xian argued, “Who said so? You were too young to remember my teachings.”
Lan Si Zhui rephrased, “I didn’t forget, I remember now, you did teach me.”
Wei Wu Xian nodded, “Isn’t it?”
Lan Si Zhui answered in full seriousness, “You taught me how to switch out regular books with erotic ones.”
Wei Wu Xian, “…”
Lan Si Zhui answered again, “You also taught me that when a pretty lady walks by I should…”
Wei Wu Xian interrupted, “Full of rubbish, this kid, why are you only recalling these? You were dreaming, I would never teach a child such things.”
Lan Si Zhui lifted his head, “Uncle Wen Ning can bear witness. He was there too when you were teaching me ‘such things’.”
Wei Wu Xian uttered, “Bear what witness, it didn’t happen.”
Wen Ning stuttered, “I… I don’t remember anything…”
Lan Si Zhui swore, “Han Guang-jun, every word I spoke was in truth.”
Lan Wang Ji nodded, “I know.”
Wei Wu Xian began making a scene on the back of his donkey, “Lan Zhan-ah!”
Before going any further, another thought crossed his mind, “Si Zhui, how did you remember?”
Lan Si Zhui admitted, “I’m not too sure, it was when I saw Chen Qing and felt that it was extremely familiar.”
Unsurprisingly, Chen Qing was the cause. Wei Wu Xian explained, “Oh, of course you find it familiar, your favorite thing to do was to eat Chen Qing, leave your saliva on it and make it unplayable for me.”
Lan Si Zhui was red in the face in an instant, “Is… is it…”
Wei Wu Xian was in smiles, “Yeah, why else would you remember after looking at it? Would you like to hear more about your childhood?”
He raised both hands to mimic two butterflies and recounted, “Han Guang-jun, do you recall, that one time I planned to treat you to a meal, he was playing with the pair of butterflies, muttering to himself, ‘I like you’ ‘I like you too’…”
Lan Si Zhui’s reddened face seemed to deepen while Wei Wu Xian continued, “Oh that’s right, there was that time where you called Han Guang-jun ‘dad’ loudly in public too. Poor Han Guang-jun, such a decent, charismatic and elegant young man had suddenly gained a stranger child and became somebody’s father.”
“AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”
Lan Si Zhui cried out loudly bearing a red face, “Han Guang-jun, I’m sorry!”
…
The four of them began to part ways at the border of Yun Ping town.
Wen Ning spoke, “Gong zi, we are going to head this way.”
Wei Wu Xian asked, “Which way?”
Wen Ning replied, “Before, didn’t you ask me what I plan to do after things have been settled? I’ve discussed this with Ah Yuan, we are first, going to go to Qi Shan to bury the ashes of our family members. On top of that, we are going to try to find possessions my sister had when she was living so that we can build a cenotaph in her wake.”
Wei Wu Xian said, “A cenotaph, I originally had one made for her on Burial Mounds, although it was burnt away later. We’ll make a trip to Qi Shan too.”
As he was turning to ask Lan Wang Ji, Wen Ning interrupted, “There’s no need.”
Wei Wu Xian was stunned, “You don’t want to go with us?”
Lan Si Zhui took over, “Senior Wei, you should go with Han Guang-jun.”
Before Wei Wu Xian could respond, Wen Ning followed up, “Really, there’s no need Wei gong zi, you’ve already done so much.”
After a quiet while, Wei Wu Xian asked again, “And what’s after you’ve done all of these?”
Wen Ning responded, “Send Ah Yuan back to the Cloud Recesses, then I’ll slowly think about what to do next. From here on out, let me try to handle myself.
Wei Wu Xian nodded his head lightly, “Sounds good too.”
This is the first time since many years that Wen Ning has made his own decisions and not blindly follow him. Wei Wu Xian took a guess that Wen Ning has probably found something he’d like to do.
As well, that was exactly what he has been wishing for all along. For everyone to have a path of their own.
However, having actually reached such a day and watching Wen Ning and Lan Si Zhui’s figures gradually fade into the distance, it made one felt a passing sorrow.
Now, only Lan Wang Ji’s left standing by his side.
Fortunately, the only person he wants next to him is also only Lan Wang Ji.
Wei Wu Xian called, “Lan Zhan.”
Lan Wang Ji responded, “Mn.”
Wei Wu Xian commended, “You’ve taught him really well.”
Lan Wang Ji added, “There will be chances for us to meet again in the future.”
Wei Wu Xian acknowledged, “I know.”
Lan Wang Ji continued, “After Wen Ning sends Si Zhui back to the Cloud Recesses, we can live nearby and meet him frequently.”
Wei Wu Xian looked to Lan Wang Ji and asked, “Lan Zhan, are you very afraid of me saying ‘Thank you’?”
“I had a sudden revelation that in my past life, every time we separated, I’ve always given you my thanks. And whenever we meet again, the next time, I would have turned for the worse.”
Killing Wen Chao and Wen Zhu Liu in the relay station, scattering flowers as a prank and reuniting at Yun Meng brothel house, the farewell at Yi Ling’s Burial Mounds.
Every single time, he’s always used this single phrase in drawing a clear line between Lan Wang Ji and himself, pulling a further distance away from each other.
After a moment of silence, Lan Wang Ji spoke, “There’s no need for ‘Thank you’ and ‘Sorry’ between the two of us.”
Wei Wu Xian smiled, “Great, let’s talk about something else then. For instance…”
He lowered his voice and made a gesture for Lan Wang Ji to come closer as if he had something to whisper into his ears. Sure enough, Lan Wang Ji leaned in closer. Who knew, that’s when Wei Wu Xian reached out with a right hand to lift his lower jaw, bent down and planted a pair of lips onto him.
After a long while, Wei Wu Xian lifted away slightly, as their eyelashes touched he spoke in a low voice, “How’s that?”
Lan Wang Ji, “…”
Wei Wu Xian whined, “Han Guang-jun, hey, give a reaction.”
Lan Wang Ji, “…”
Wei Wu Xian added, “You’re so cold. At such a scene, shouldn’t you be violently pressing me to the ground…”
Before he finished his sentence, Lan Wang Ji abruptly retaliated with a hand wrapping around his neck, roughly pressing Wei Wu Xian’s head down to deeply return the kiss.
Xiao Ping Guo was traumatized to the point that it had even stopped its munch on the apple in its mouth as if it was a wooden donkey.
Not long after, Xiao Ping Guo was finally unable to support Wei Wu Xian on his back further, Lan Wang Ji used a left hand to wrap around his back and a right hand that slipped under his knee bends, easily lifting Wei Wu Xian from the back of the donkey, into his arms.
And Wei Wu Xian’s wish was granted as Lan Wang Ji pressed him into the ground, fiercely nibbling at him while he retorted, “Wait, wait!”
Lan Wang Ji asked, “What?”
Wei Wu Xian shut his eyes and said, “I have a sudden feeling…”
Forest, shrubbery, wild grass, violent movements, enticing lips. A sense of familiarity.
He took a moment to process and the more he wondered the more he felt a sense of familiarity, and a strong urge to ask a certain question, he tried, “During the Hundred Phoenix Mountain’s hunt, when I was blindfolded, Lan Zhan you…?”
He left the question hanging and Lan Wang Ji left it unanswered, his fingers curling slightly. Wei Wu Xian sensed his strange expression and immediately propped his body up on his elbow and plastered an ear on his chest. Unsurprisingly, a heart beating insistently fast and out of control could be heard loud and clear.
“…” Wei Wu Xian exclaimed in shock, “Oh, it, really was you?!”
Lan Wang Ji’s adam’s apple bobbed, “I…”
Wei Wu Xian asked in disbelief, “Lan Zhan, how unexpected? This is something you’d do too?”
Lan Wang Ji, “…”
Wei Wu Xian teased, “Y’know I’ve always thought a shy and fair maiden who had a crush on me and yet was afraid to confess was the one responsible for it.”
Lan Wang Ji, “…”
Wei Wu Xian exclaimed, “You had harboured indecent thoughts of me since then???”
“…”
Lan Wang Ji solemnly admitted, “I, from then, knew it was wrong. Very wrong.”
Wei Wu Xian recalled the expression held by Lan Wang Ji upon discovering him, alone in the mountain’s forest, beating up a tree and guessed, “That’s why you were so angry?”
Wei Wu Xian was under the impression that someone else had angered him, not knowing that all along he was mad at himself. Mad at his impulse, mad at his lack of restrain, mad at his taking advantage of the situation, his ungentlemanly act and not to mention, breaking his sect’s rules.
Seeing that Lan Wang Ji’s head had dropped so lowly as if he was beginning to beat himself up again in introspection, Wei Wu Xian caressed his lower jaw and spoke, “Alriiight, don’t be so troubled you. Knowing that you kissed me so early on, I’m overjoyed to death. That was in fact, my first kiss, congratulations to you Han Guang-jun.”
Lan Wang Ji suddenly turned to look at him, “First kiss?”
Wei Wu Xian assured, “Yeah, what else do you think it is?”
Lan Wang Ji stared at him steadily, his vision seemed to flash with a peculiar undercurrent. He said, “Then…”
Wei Wu Xian asked, “Then, what? Lan Zhan, it isn’t like you to not finish your sentence.”
Lan Wang Ji continued, “Then, why, did… did, you…”
Wei Wu Xian cutted, “Did I what?”
Lan Wang Ji’s lips trembled, “…Did you not resist?”
Wei Wu Xian was stunned.
Lan Wang Ji moodily spoke again, “You… obviously didn’t know who it was, yet you didn’t resist. Above that, why did you also tell me…”
Tell you what?
Wei Wu Xian finally remembered.
Back then, when he ‘coincidentally’ met Lan Wang Ji, he even smugly spouted some rubbish nonsense, boasting about his inexistent kissing experience with hundred girls, said that nobody would dare kiss Lan Wang Ji, that he would definitely not take the initiative to kiss another and even said that he predicts Lan Wang Ji will never be able to give away his first kiss…
All of a sudden, he held his belly in pain, the air filled with uproarious and uncontrollable laughter.
Wei Wu Xian fell to the ground laughing, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…”
Lan Wang Ji, “…”
Wei Wu Xian, in a fit of laughter, embraced him and placed a kiss before saying, “After all that trouble, you were really just angered the most because you thought I had really kiss others before you? Lan Zhan are you a fool? My god damn rubbish of a silly joke was that believable to you! Only such a conserved person like you would be so gullible HAHAHAHAHAHA…”
His mad laughter was loud and overbearing, finally, Lan Wang Ji intolerantly pressed him back down to the ground.
Xiao Ping Guo was carelessly left abandoned at his spot, while the two tangled, collided and fell behind the thick shrubbery.
The grass patch from after a rainy shower was still damp with water that began seeping into Lan Wang Ji’s white clothing but was quickly peeled off by Wei Wu Xian.
He softly said, “Don’t move.”
Wei Wu Xian’s neck and lips wore the fragrance of fresh grass. While Lan Wang Ji’s body carried a bland aroma of sandalwood. He knelt between Lan Wang Ji’s thighs and began placing light kisses on Lan Wang Ji’s forehead, making his way down.
Between his eyebrows, nose bridge, cheeks, lips and lower jaw.
His adam’s apple, collar bone and heart.
Up and down, along the way, every kiss placed with utmost sincerity.
[Author’s note: Censored]
Lan Wang Ji carefully kissed him, his movements displayed slight awkwardness. Eyes closed, Wei Wu Xian parted his lips for him, the curled tips of tongues tangled for a span of time and in blurred vision, he caught a glimpse of the Wen Clan’s branding on Lan Wang Ji’s clavicle.
His hand dropped to cover the deep scar as his smile faded away and asked, “Lan Zhan, tell me, is this related to me too?”
After a moment of silence, Lan Wang Ji explained, “It’s nothing. I was drunk that time.”
After carrying a blood-washed Wei Wu Xian on the Nightless Day, a three years period of solitary detention was waiting for him upon his return. During his time spent locked up in reflection, came the news that karma has stricken and that the Yi Ling Patriarch had finally died with a vanished soul.
His solitude punishment had yet to reach an end, yet he dragged a body still unhealed, forcing his way out of the Cloud Recesses, he rushed to Yi Ling, only to wander in the mountainous wild for a number of days before finding nothing besides managing to rescue a fever-fainted Wen Yuan hiding in a tree hole. Not even a rod of bone, a piece of battered meat or a weakly soul could be found.
On his way back to Gusu Lan Sect, Lan Wang Ji bought a pot of Emperor’s Smile in Cai Yi Town.
The wine was very fragrant, very mellowed, and delivered a choking, spicy kick that burnt the throat as it went down, searing all the way to the eyes and heart.
He disliked the taste, but also developed a sort of understanding as to why that person liked it.
That night, Lan Wang Ji experienced his first time drinking and his first time getting drunk. After his drunk stupor, he had completely forgotten what he’d done exactly and all of the Lan sect’s members, no matter if they were disciples or students were for a long while only offering him stares in disbelief. Some said, on that night, he smashed through the Cloud Recesses’ antique room, thrashing around, unsure of what he was looking for, when Lan Xi Chen questioned, his gaze told Lan Xi Chen that he wanted the flute.
Lan Xi Chen then managed to find the best white jade flute for him, yet it was thrown aside in rage, exclaiming that it is not the one he desired. No matter how hard he tried to find it, it was in vain, suddenly in the corner of his eyes he caught sight of the branding iron confiscated from Qi Shan’s Wen Clan that was sealed away there.
After waking up from his drunken state, on his chest surfaced the same branding scar carried by Wei Wu Xian that year in the Tu Lu’s Xuan Wu underground cave.
Lan Qi Ren looked to be extremely saddened and furious but, in the end, he had not reprimanded him.
Regardless of it being a scolding or punishment, it had already been enough.
He let out another sigh and did not object to Lan Wang Ji’s decision on keeping Wen Yuan. Lan Wang Ji offered him a respectful bow, and inflicted punishment upon himself, silently kneeling for one day and one night in the Cloud Recesses.
He drank the wine he drank and bore the wounds he bore.
Till now, the wounds had already scabbed for a whole thirteen years.
[Author’s note: Censored]
Finally, sowing his own evil seeds, Wei Wu Xian was on one side coaxing him with chaste kisses and on the other side shamelessly crying, “Er ge ge, do some good, spare my life, our days are many to come, let’s continue next time, can we postpone and relook this again? Have mercy on this young chickfor today. Formidable Han Guang-jun, Yi Ling Patriarch has lost, lost, completely defeated, to continue this battle another day!”
On Lan Wang Ji’s forehead, veins seemed to suddenly strike out, he clearly bit out every word forcefully, “… If you really want to stop… you should… just stop talking…”
Wei Wu Xian argued, “But I was born with a mouth, so I should be using it for talking! Lan Zhan, back when I claimed I wanted to sleep with you every day, that statement, can you pretend you didn’t hear that?”
Lan Wang Ji uttered, “No I can’t.”
Wei Wu Xian’s said in a heart-broken voice, “How can you be like this. You’ve never refused me before.”
Lan Wang Ji gently smiled and said, “No I can’t.”
Seeing him wear such a smile, Wei Wu Xian’s eyes instantly brightened up again, feeling as if floating, he had lost all bearings.
However, in the next instant, Wei Wu Xian was unceremoniously and violently forced to tears by that same pure and gentle smile.
With both hands clawing the grassed earth, he hoarsely shouted, “Okay, four days, can we change it to doing it once every four days, if four days’ a no, three days is fine too!!”
In the end, Lan Wang Ji concluded in a powerfully resonating voice, “Every day means every day.”
Notes on words in bold
Empathy – The technique of looking into the memories of a spirit/ghost in their past life.
Guan Yin – A deity worshipped by many in China
Name-ah – “ah” is a honorific added to someone’s name to have a surprised effect
Chen Qing – The name of Wei Wu Xian’s Phantom Flute
Gong Zi – A very polite method of greeting towards a young man
[Author’s Note: Censored] – In the web-novel the actual phrase used is, [生命的大河蟹]，literally translated as life’s greatest censorship. Which also means that every time this phrase shows up, they are having sex and the author has decided to not illustrate it with words.
Chick – the word is here is 雏儿, which figuratively means inexperienced person.
“But…Wei WuXian looked slightly to the side. He saw Lan WangJi, who stood beside him, without any hint of hesitation, any thought of withdrawing. But, this time, he wasn’t alone anymore.”
