On his way back up the mountain, Wei WuXian finally realized that he was the one who promised to treat Lan WangJi to a meal, yet in the end, the two of them parted ways in an atmosphere less than relaxed. It went without saying that he forgot to pay for the meal as well.

Wei WuXian thought, Well, Lan Zhan is so rich anyways. It’s no big deal if he paid for me once more. Speaking of it, he still has money on him, doesn’t he? It couldn’t have been all used up after just buying a few children’s toys. If worst comes to worst, I’ll just treat him again next time… How could there be a next time?

"Yeah, there would be no next time." said Jin Zixuan.

"Because, Wangji-xiong would still be the one who pays on everything." Nie Huaisang chuckled.

Now that he thought about it, for reasons this or that, he and Lan WangJi would end up parting on bad terms every time they met each other. Maybe they really didn’t suit each other as friends.

But, it wasn’t like there’d be any more chances for them to try and be friends with each other in the future.

"Because it's more better to be more than friends." MianMian giggled.

"I agree, I agree." Nie Huaisang joined.

"You could try being lovers." joined Jiang Yanli in teasing.

"Shijie, not you too." Wei Wuxian pouted.

Wen Yuan held him in one hand and a wooden sword in the other, wearing the grass butterfly on his head, “Brother Xian, would Brother Rich ever come here again?”

Wei WuXian bursted, “Who’s Brother Rich?”

Wen Yuan answered seriously, “The rich brother is Brother Rich.”

Wei WuXian, “Then what about me?”

As expected, Wen Yuan answered, “You are Brother Xian. Brother Poor.”

"So true." the juniors agreed.

"Even a kid could say you're poor. You couldn't even deny it." Jiang Cheng laughed.

"That kid is a traitor." Wei Wuxian pouted.

"No, he's just being honest." Nie Huaisang laughed.

Wei WuXian shot a look at him and snatched the butterfly away, “What, you like him just because he’s got money?”

Wen Yuan stood on tippy toes to grab for it, “Give it back… He bought it for me!”

Wei WuXian really had to be ridiculous. He could have fun just by teasing a child, putting the butterfly on his own head, “I’m not gonna. You even called him dad. What do you call me? You’ve only called me brother, an entire generation shorter than him!”

Wen Yuan jumped, “I didn’t call him dad!”

Wei WuXian, “I heard it. I don’t care, I want to be someone taller than brothers and dads in seniority. What should you call me?”

Wen Yuan pouted, “But… But A-Yuan doesn’t wanna call you mom… That’s so weird…”

"It's true that moms are higher than dad." laughed Nie Huaisang.

"Yeah, even the kid knows you're the mom yet he thought it would be weird." said Jin Zixuan.

"You guys really did have your fun huh?" Wei Wuxian asked with a glare.

"He doesn't want to call me mom yet he called Jiang Cheng like that." he pouted.

"That's because I adopted him, I have a husband he could call dad." Jiang Cheng smirked.

"ChengCheng, you're so mean." Wei Wuxian pouted even more.

"Just being honest." Jiang Cheng smirked.

Wei WuXian exploded again, “Who told you to call me mom? The one with higher seniority than brother and dad is granddad—you didn’t even know this? Do you really like him so much? You should’ve said it sooner. If you did I would’ve asked him to take you away earlier. His sect is rich, but it’s very scary. He’d take you back, lock you inside, and have you copy scriptures the whole day. You scared?!”

Wen Yuan immediately shook his head, whispering, “… I won’t go… I still want Granny.”

Wei WuXian pressed, “You want Granny, but not me?”

Wen Yuan pleased, “I do. I want Brother Xian too.” He messed with his fingers, counting one by one, “And I want Brother Rich, Sister A-Qing, Brother Ning, Uncle Four, Uncle Six…”

"Stop messing with the kid." said Wen Qing.

"Well, it's fun teasing innocent people." Wei Wuxian grinned.

"They get riled up so fast." he added as he gave Jiang Cheng a look.

"You think Jiang-xiong is innocent?" Nie Huaisang asked.

"He's very innocent, you know. I wonder how he would come out of that when his husband is kind of shameless." Wei Wuxian chuckled.

Jiang Cheng glared at him while Lan Xichen chuckled.

"At least, I don't scare kids." he said.

"You're just too soft for them." said Wei Wuxian.

"That's why they prefer me than you." Jiang Cheng smirked.

"Mean." Wei Wuxian pouted.

Wei WuXian tossed the butterfly back onto his head, “That’s enough, that’s enough. I’m gonna be drowned amongst all the people.”

Wen Yuan hurried to put the grass butterfly back into his pocket, scared that Wei WuXian’d snatch it again. He asked once more, “Will Brother Rich come back again or not?”

Wei WuXian kept on smiling.

He only answered a while later, “He probably won’t come back again.”

Wen Yuan asked in disappointment, “Why?”

Wei WuXian, “There’s no why. In this world, everyone has their own things to do, their own paths to walk. He’s busy enough in his own sect, so how could he have the spare time to flutter around others?”

They weren’t of the same path, after all.

"I could always have the spare time for you." said Lan Wangji.

"In fact, I could all my time for you." he added.

"How sweet, My Lan Zhan." Wei Wuxian teased.

"But, at times like that, you can't be with me." he said.

"Will do my very best to be with you." said Lan Wangji.

"I know." Wei Wuxian whispered.

Wen Yuan replied with an ‘oh,’ whether he understood or not. He seemed to be quite discouraged.

Wei WuXian fished him up and tucked him under his arm, humming, “… Who cares about the crowded, broad road? I’ll walk the single-plank bridge all the night… All! The! … All the night?”

"Yeah, who cares about the crowded broad walk full of lies and greed when there's a single-plank bridge where you can be yourself and act what you think is right?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"It's better to act alone. Others could be misleading and use yiu for their own good." Nie Huaisang agreed.

"No wonder you act alone in your plans." the juniors mumbled to themselves.

When he hummed the ‘night’ part, he realized that it didn’t seem like nighttime at all.

He’d always walked up the mountain in the dark, but tonight, things were different when he was walking back.

The area around the little shacks were swept clean. Even much of the weeds were removed. A few red lanterns were hung up in the forest at the side. All of the lanterns were made by hand. Hanging on the branches, although its round shapes were simple, it gave off a warm light that lit up the pitch-black forest.

"That's strange." Wei Wuxian commented.

"Just be thankful that you won't miss a step when you walk at night." said Wen Qing.

"I'm used on walking at dark, you know." said Wei Wuxian.

"Yeah, with all those times you sneak out of Lotus Pier." said Jin Zixuan.

"Those skills comes handy at times." Wei Wuxian grinned.

Usually, at this time, the fifty-or-so people would’ve finished their meals long ago and would be holed-up in each of their shacks, lights turned off. Today, however, they were all gathered inside of the largest shack. The shack was made from eight wooden poles propping up a roof, able to hold all of the people. The building beside it was the ‘kitchen’, and so this became the dining room.

Wei WuXian found this quite odd. With Wen Yuan under his arm, he walked over, “Why is everyone here today? Not sleeping? It’s so bright with all these lanterns.”

Wen Qing walked out from the kitchen on the side, holding a plate, “Hung them for you. We’ll make a few more tomorrow to hang in the mountain path. If you hurry around in the dark all the time, you’ll slip and break your bones sooner or later.”

Wei WuXian, “I have you here even if I break my bones, don’t I?”

Wen Qing, “I wouldn’t want to do more work. It’s not like I’m paid. If you break them, don’t complain if I hamper with your bones when I put them back.”

"Are yiu threatening me?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Does it work?" Wen Qing asked.

"Well, I'll do it for you to stop being reckless and learn to mind your health." she said.

"There's no need, there's no need. Even if you won't hung a lantern for me, I won't slip and break my bones. That would be so silly." said Wei Wuxian.

"It's better to make sure, a-xian." said Jiang Yanli.

Wei Wuxian smiled at her.

Wei WuXian shivered and crept away. When he walked in the shack, everyone made space for him. There were three tables, and on each of them were seven or eight plates, holding steaming food. Wei WuXian, “What, nobody ate yet?”

Wen Qing, “No. We were waiting for you.”

Wei WuXian, “Why did you wait for me? I ate outside.”

He realized what he did right after he said it. As he thought, Wen Qing slammed the plate onto the table. The red peppers in the dish bounced in unison. She fumed, “So that’s why you bought nothing. Ate all the money away at a restaurant? I only have a couple of coins, and I gave them all to you. Now look at how you fritter them away!”

Wei WuXian, “No! I didn’t…”

"He really didn't." Nie Huaisang laughed.

"His husband treated him." he added.

"Still, he didn't bought anything." said Wen Qing.

"Stop looking scary, Qing-jiejie. You won't be able to find a husband if you continue to be like that." said Wei Wuxian.

"Jiang Cheng finds one, though." said Jin Zixuan.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"It means that, Qing-jiejie here could still find a husband even if she have that attitude because you manage to find one when both of you have the same attitude." Nie Huaisang chuckled.

Jiang Cheng glared at him.

At this point, Granny Wen walked out the kitchen as well, shakily holding a walking stick in one hand and a plate in another. Wen Yuan squirmed his way out of his arms and ran over, “Granny!”

Wen Qing turned around to help, grumbling, “I told you to leave them alone. You don’t have to help. Just go sit. The smoke is too big in there. Your legs aren’t good and your hands shake. If you fall, we’re not going to have many plates left. It’s not easy bringing all these porcelain up the mountain…”

The other Wen Sect cultivators arranged chopsticks and poured tea, saving the main seat for him. With this, Wei WuXian almost found it difficult to accept.

"Yeah, why did you guys suddenly act like that?" Wei Wuxian.

"Gratitude, for what you did to Wen Ning." said Wen Xu.

"I just fulfilled my promise." said Wei Wuxian.

"When we all know it's difficult, my son." said Wen Rouhan.

"Then, lets accept it." Wei Wuxian chuckled.

In the past, it wasn’t that he couldn’t tell how most of the Wen Sect’s people here were all somewhat scared of him.

They had all heard of the ruthless reputation he had during the Sunshot Campaign, the almost cruel ways of venting his anger that so many talked about. They had seen with their own eyes how he used corpses to kill others as well. In the first few days, Granny Wen’s legs began to shake whenever she saw him. Wen Yuan always hid behind her too. They only started to approach him after some time had passed.

And, as of the moment, over fifty pairs of eyes were staring at him. Although fear was still present within those gazes, but it was a fear stemmed from veneration, along with some caution, some ingratiation. What was more was the same gratitude and kindness that were in the eyes of the Wen siblings.

"Hey, no need to be scared of me. I won't do anything to harm them." said Wei Wuxian.

"You can't say that. You did quite a lot to the Wens back at SunShot campaign." said Jin Zixuan.

"The fear they felt for you wouldn't be gone so easily." he added.

"Oh, I forgot about that." said Wei Wuxian.

"But, I still won't harm them." he added.

"You really won't." said Sizhui.

Wen Qing’s voice was low, “These past few days, you’ve worked hard.”

Wei WuXian, “You… You’re suddenly talking so nicely to me. I’m kind of scared?”

Wen Qing’s knuckles seemed to have cracked. Wei WuXian shut up at once.

Wei Wuxian gulped.

"Your fear of her is really visible." Nie Huaisang chuckled.

"Hey!" Wei Wuxian exclaimed.

"I don't trust people who spoke softly so suddenly when their attitudes are harsh and aggressive." he said.

"Can't you see, I doubt Jiang Cheng every time he's like that?" he asked

"It means, they're hiding something. Just a few possibility that they are really real." he said.

"I only show my soft side once and you won't even believe it." said Wen Qing.

"It's just scary." Wei Wuxian said.

Yet, Wen Qing continued softly. “… In truth, they all wanted to have dinner with you once, so that they could thank you. But you’re either jumping up and down, running around, or shut inside of the Cave and staying in there for days upon end, not letting anyone disturb you. They didn’t want to hold up your work and annoy you. They thought that you didn’t like interacting with others and didn’t want to talk to them, so they were too embarrassed to talk to you. A-Ning woke up today, and Uncle Four said that we had to have dinner together no matter what… Even if you ate so much when you were outside that you’re about to die, come sit down with us. It’s fine even if you don’t eat. Just have a seat, and we can chat and have a few drinks.”

Wei WuXian paused in surprise. Even his eyes brightened up, “Have a few drinks? There’s wine up here?”

"That's your focus on?" Wen Qing asked.

"I said a lot of things and that's the only thing you're happy about?" she added.

"It's wine we were talking about." Wei Wuxian grinned.

"It would be more better if I drown you with wine until you die." said Wen Qing.

"He would be more happier." Jiang Yanli chuckled.

A few of the older Wen Sect members had been glancing in this direction in a bit of a nervous manner. Hearing this, one of them immediately replied, “Yeah, yeah. There’s wine, there’s wine.” He held up a few sealed bottles by the table, passing them to him, “Fruit wine, made from the wild fruits on this mountain. It’s quite rich!”

Wen Ning was squatting by the table, “Uncle Four likes to drink as well. He knows how to make them himself and made them especially for today. He’s been trying for a lot of days.”

Since he spoke a word at a time, his slow speech allowed him to not stutter anymore. Uncle Four smiled embarrassedly, still staring at Wei WuXian anxiously.

Wei WuXian, “Really? Then I’ll have to try some!”

"When it comes to wine, you can never stop a-xian from having it." Jiang Yanli chuckled.

"I noticed that I never have one since I came there so having it is really the best." said Wei Wuxian.

"Then, my dear son, come visit dad in Sun Palace, I'll show you my wine collection throughout the years." said Wen Rouhan.

"Can I come, too?" Nie Huaisang asked which he received a smack from Nie Mingjue.

"Of course, you can come." said Wen Rouhan.

"Even little Jiang can join as well." he added which received a glare from Lan Qiren.

"I allow that as long as you'll return my son-in-laws." said Qingheng-jun.

"Of course, I will just be their other dad." said Wen Rouhan.

"A dad that will spoil them with most delicious wines." he added.

"Keep your words." said Jiang Cheng.

"My father didn't even gave me a cup of it, how come he'll give it to others." Wen Xu sulked.

He took a seat at the table. Uncle Four hurried to open the seal on the bottle, giving it to him with both hands. Wei WuXian smelled it, “It really is rich!”

The rest of them sat down along with him. When they heard his praise, they all beamed as though they had received the greatest compliment ever, and began to eat.

It was the first time that Wei WuXian couldn’t tell what the wine tasted like.

"You said that like you have tasted a lot of different wines in your life." said Jin Zixuan.

Wei Wuxian grinned at him.

"What do you think?" he asked.

He was thinking, To walk it all the night… huh?

It wasn’t really that dark at all.

All of a sudden, his entire body felt refreshed.

The fifty people were crammed at three tables. Chopsticks stretched here and there. Sitting on his granny’s legs, Wen Yuan showed her his new treasures, showing her a fight with two little wooden swords. The old lady grinned so hard that her toothless mouth was wide open. Wei WuXian and that uncle talked about the wine they had drunk with fierce passion. In the end, the both agreed that the Emperor’s Smile of Gusu was an indisputable winner. Walking in circles, Wen Qing poured wine for the seniors and a few of their subordinates. It emptied in just a few rounds.

"Emperor's Smile would always be the best. The greatest of all wines." said Wei Wuxian.

"Yet, it was founded in Gusu where Lans don't drink." he added.

"I'll more wines for Wei Ying." said Lan Wangji.

"Wangji, that's not good for health." said Lan Qiren.

"But, Wei Ying wants it." said Lan Wangji.

"Not too much." said Qingheng-jun.

"You're spoiling them, too much." said Lan Qiren.

"Aiyaa let the kids be, Qiren. They're still young, let them have what they want before responsibilities took over." said Wen Rouhan.

"Shut up!" Lan Qiren grumbled.

Wei WuXian, “Why is it all gone already? I haven’t had much at all.”

Wen Qing, “There are a few more bottles. We can save them for later. You can call it a day for now.”

Wei WuXian, “How could this be? They say that a good name when dead can’t compare to some good wine when living. Stop talking. A full cup, please.”

Seeing that today was a special occasion, Wen Qing filled it up for him, “There’s no next time. I really think you should quit drinking. You drink way too heavily.”

Wei WuXian, “It’s not like it’s the Cloud Recesses here; why should I quit drinking?”

"Even if it's not Cloud Recesses, control your drinks. It would do no good to your body." said Lan Qiren.

"It's not even that much, Lan-shufu." Wei Wuxian pouts.

"Don't call me that." said Lan Qiren.

Wei Wuxian just grinned at him.

"Don't listen to him, a good wine should never be ignored." Wen Rouhan whispered to him.

At the mention of the Cloud Recesses, Wen Qing glanced at Wei WuXian, asking him as though she didn’t care, “I forgot to ask you. You’ve never brought anyone up Burial Mound. What’s the deal today?”

Wei WuXian, “You mean Lan Zhan? I met him on the way.”

Wei Qing, “You met him? How did you meet him? You ran into him again?”

Wei WuXian, “That’s right.”

Wen Qing, “What a coincidence. I remember that you two ran into each other once in Yunmeng as well.”

Wei WuXian, “There’s nothing special about it. A lot of cultivators from other sects travel in and out of Yunmeng and Yiling.”

"It's special because it Lan Zhan." Wei Wuxian pouted.

"You're just doing everything to deny it eh." Jiang Cheng teased.

"Don't tease me, ChengCheng. You know that I'm good at that. If you don't want to suffer then stop." Wei Wuxian grinned.

"Whatever." Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at him.

Wen Qing, “I heard you call him directly by his birth name back then. Quite bold, aren’t you?”

Wei WuXian, “He calls me directly by my birth name as well, doesn’t he? It’s nothing. Got used to it when we were young. Neither of us care.”

"I agree, Wei Wuxian is really bold." said Jiang Cheng.

"Says the one who called brother-in-law 'a-huan'. It's more intimate than how I called Lan Zhan." said Wei Wuxian making Jiang Cheng blush.

"At least I'm not shameless like you." said Jiang Cheng.

"Really?" Wei Wuxian grinned.

"Jingyi, can you tell me how many times your parents f*cked in a day?" he asked the said nephew.

"It's way more lesser than you and Lan-shushu." Jingyi answered.

"That no one could stay innocent seeing the both of you." Jin Ling added.

Wei Wuxian was now the one who is blushing.

Wen Qing, “Really? Don’t you two have a bad relationship? Heard that it’s like you’re ice and fire, fighting every time you see each other.”

Wei WuXian, “Don’t listen to the rumors. Our relationship really was quite bad in the past. During the Sunshot Campaign, we did get into a few fights because of our bad tempers. But afterwards, it wasn’t as bad as the rumors say. We’re so-so.”

Wen Qing didn’t say anything else.

"Yeah, don't listen to rumors. They're never true once no one confirmed it." said Wei Wuxian.

"And Lan Zhan and I aren't enemies." he added.

"We're just worried for each other." he continue.

"Okay, no one will argue on that." said Nie Huaisang.

The food on the plates quickly disappeared. Somebody knocked on a bowl, shouting, “A-Ning, cook us a few more dishes please!”

“Cook a lot. Put them in a basin!”

“Where could we find a basin to put the food in? They’re for washing the face!”

Wen Ning didn’t need to eat, so he’d been waiting by the shack. Hearing this, he replied after some processing, “Oh, sure.”

Seeing that he had a chance to show off his skills, Wei WuXian hurried, “Wait. I’ll do it! I’ll do it, I’ll do it!”

Wen Qing didn’t believe him, “You can cook?”

"No, he can't!" Jiang Cheng exclaimed.

"He's going to traumatized those Wens." he added.

"My poor family." said Wen Qing.

"Hey, it won't be that bad." said Wei Wuxian.

"Don't defend yourself, anymore. You're good at everything except cooking. Don't let him, stop him." said Jiang Cheng.

"Lan Zhan, ChengCheng is being mean." he whined.

"Sister-in-law, don't be mean to Wei Ying." said Lan Wangji, glaring at Jiang Cheng.

"Don't worry, Wei Ying. I'll eat whatever you made." he added.

Wei WuXian raised a brow, “Of course. I can be both the hostess and the housewife. Leave it to me. Just wait.”

"A hostess and a housewife." Nie Huaisang chuckled while Wei Wuxian blushed.

"Yes, yes, he is." Jiang Yanli joined.

"Shijie, stop." Wei Wuxian whined.

"Can't take it?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Oh, your thick-skin isn't thick anymore." he added.

Wei Wuxian glared at him, still blushing.

Everyone clapped to show their anticipation. However, when Wei WuXian placed two dishes onto the table, on his face a captivating smirk, Wen Qing only glanced at it once before speaking, “From now on, you stay as far away from the kitchen as possible.”

Wei WuXian protested, “Just have some. You can’t judge a book by its cover. You’ll like after after you taste it. That’s how it’s supposed to taste.”

Wen Qing, “Taste my ass! Don’t you see how much A-Yuan is crying after he tasted it? A waste of food. Don’t pick up your chopsticks. No need to give him the face for it!”

"Poor little child." said MianMian.

"I swear, I will never do that to the child." said Jiang Cheng.

"Hey! It's not that spicy." said Wei Wuxian.

"For you." said Jin Zixuan.