He still didn't hear clearly what the name was. Blood rushed up to his face. Both his head and the joints of his limbs ached from the heat. The ringing noise within his ears went on and on.

"We're back in this timeline." said Nie Huaisang.

"That's great then." said Wei Wuxian with a sigh.

When he woke up again, as Wei WuXian opened his eyes, what he saw was neither the black ceiling of the underground cave nor Lan WangJi's pale yet handsome face, but rather a wooden board. Drawn on the board was a funny series of kissing heads.

These were the sketches that he drew on his own bed at Lotus Pier.

"What the heck?! Why do you have that?" asked Jin Zixuan.

"I was young, okay." said Wei Wuxian.

"He imagined himself in that kind of situation." said Jiang Cheng with a scoff.

"Well, whose first kiss was taken before me?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"I bet you're first kiss makes you weak." said Jiang Cheng.

"It really did." the juniors whispered with a chuckle.

Wei WuXian was lying on his own bed. Jiang YanLi was reading a book, her head tilted downward. Seeing that he woke up, her mild brows immediately lifted, laying her book down, "A-Xian!"

Wei WuXian, "Shijie!"

He managed to get up from his bed. His limbs stopped burning, but they still felt weak. His throat was a bit dry as well. Wei WuXian asked, "I'm back? When did I come out of the cave? Did Uncle Jiang take people to rescue me? Where's Lan Zhan? Where's Jiang Cheng?"

"You're first priority when you woke up is to ask about him. And here you are, oblivious to his feelings." said Jiang Cheng.

"Why are you attacking me?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"So you know what it feels now? Then don't do that to me ever again. Tease me one more time and I'm going to get my revenge." said Jiang Cheng.

"I won't stop." said Wei Wuxian.

The wooden door opened. Jiang Cheng came in with a white porcelain jar hanging from his hand, his voice harsh, "What are you shouting for?"

After he spoke, he turned to Jiang YanLi, "Sister, the soup that you boiled. I brought it over."

"Look at how you speak to us in different tone." said Wei Wuxian.

"Do you expect me to talk softly to you? That's impossible." said Jiang Cheng.

"A-jie is more special." he added.

"So I'm not special." said Wei Wuxian.

"No, you're not." said Jiang Cheng.

Jiang YanLi took the jar over and ladled the contents inside of it into a bowl. Wei WuXian, "Jiang Cheng, you bastard, come over here!"

Jiang Cheng, "Why would you want me to come over? You wanna kneel down and thank me?"

"I will never." said Wei Wuxian.

"You guys are really so sarcastic." said Nie Huaisang.

"What do you expect?" asked Jin Zixuan.

Wei WuXian, "You got here after an entire seven days-did you want to kill me?!"

Jiang Cheng, "You've been killed? Then who's talking to me right now?"

Wei WuXian, "I'm sure it only takes five days for you to go from DuskCreek Mountain to Yunmeng!"

Jiang Cheng, "Are you stupid? You only counted the time to return and not the time to go there? Let alone the fact that after I got there I had to lead people and search through the entire mountain for the old banyan tree, then dig open the hole that got blocked up by Wen Chao and his people, and rescue you within seven days. Where's your gratitude?!"

"Why didn't I thought about that? I was sitting here thinking the same things as my future self." said Wei Wuxian.

"Well, that's because you're dumb." said Jiang Cheng.

"You didn't even thank me." he added.

Thinking about it, Wei WuXian realized that he really did forget to count the time needed to get there. He was rendered speechless, "It seems that this really was the case. But why didn't Lan Zhan remind me?"

Jiang Cheng, "He's annoyed by just the sight of you, and you expect him to catch everything you said?"

Wei WuXian, "You have a point!"

"I also want to ask, why is that no one from you reminds me about it?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"Because we thought you'll find it out yourself." said Nie Huaisang.

Jiang YanLi had finished with the soup and passed it into his hands. Within the soup were lotus roots and ribs chopped into pieces, both a fleshy pink, surface having already been boiled soft. A rich aroma rose out of the piping hot soup. Wei WuXian hadn't eaten anything for days inside of the cave. He couldn't eat anything too solid too soon, so this was just right. After thanking his shijie, he immediately began to eat, hugging the bowl to him, "Where's Lan Zhan? He's also been saved, hasn't he? Is he here? Or did he go back to his sect in Gusu?"

"What do you expect? For him to stay by your side until you woke up?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"What if he really did?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"I don't think so." said Jiang Cheng.

"He definitely wouldn't. Unless, if he want to show hus feelings to you freely." said Jin Zixuan.

"One day, he will." said Wei Wuxian.

"Lets wait for that." said Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng, "What nonsense. It's not like he's from our sect, so why'd he come here? Of course he went back to Gusu."

Wei WuXian, "He went back alone? Over in Gusu, his sect..."

Before he could finish, Jiang FengMian stepped inside. Wei WuXian put down the bowl, "Uncle Jiang!"

Jiang FengMian, "Sitting is fine."

"Nothing good will happen, I can feel it." said Sizhui.

"Me too." said Jingyi as he smiled at Sizhui.

"I'm sorry, brother." said Sizhui.

"It's nothing, I know it hurt you that's why you said such thing." said Jingyi.

"But, I won't forget." said Jin Ling.

"Let it go, forget about it. I already expected it." said Jiang Cheng.

"But, I won't accept any slander given to my jiujiu. I know, the one he is insulting is the person who take good care of me." said Jin Ling.

"Sizhui, you don't know that much. You weren't there when most of the truth was revealed." he added.

"Then, can you tell me?" asked Sizhui.

"I won't. Why would I?" he asked.

"Find it out on your own, for you to know where you're wrong." he added.

"Please, don't fight." said Zizhen.

"We're not fighting." said Jin Ling.

Jiang YanLi passed a handkerchief for Wei WuXian to wipe his mouth, "Is it good?"

Wei WuXian didn't take the handkerchief. Instead, he pouted his mouth with exaggeration, "Yes!"

Jiang Cheng, "Don't you have hands yourself?!"

With a smile, Jiang YanLi wiped Wei WuXian's mouth and chin, and walked happily out with the bowl in her hands. Jiang FengMian sat down where she had been sitting. Glancing at the porcelain jar, he seemed as if he wanted to taste it as well, but the bowl had already been taken away by Jiang YanLi.

"Are you always like that?" asked Jin Zixuan.

"Why? You're jealous?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"No, I'm not." said Jin Zixuan.

"Why are you so red then?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"S-shut up." Jin Zixuan said with a stutter.

Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Nie Huaisang was laughing loudly.

Jin Zixuan was glaring at them.

Jiang Cheng, "Father, are the Wen Sect's people still not returning the swords?"

Jiang FengMian tore away his gaze, "They have been celebrating for the past few days."

Wei WuXian, "Celebrating what?"

Jiang FengMian, "That Wen Chao had single-handedly killed the Xuanwu of Slaughter."

"Really? His face is thicker than mine." said Wei Wuxian.

"He didn't even hit the beast once." said Jiang Cheng.

"Not to mention, he's the first one who run away." he added.

"You're impossible, Wen Chao." said Wen Rouhan.

"He's really is. Taking glory for things he didn't do." said Jingyi.

Hearing this, Wei WuXian almost rolled off his bed, "The Wen Sect killed it?!"

Jiang Cheng sneered, "Or what? Did you think that they'd say you killed it?"

Wei WuXian, "Those Wen dogs are talking nonsense, they have no face. Lan Zhan was clearly the one who killed it."

"Taking the glory which is supposed to be for my husband." said Wei Wuxian.

"What do you expect?" asked Jin Zixuan.

"Why? I'm more powerful than all of you." said Wen Chao.

"Really?" asked the juniors.

"You're the most coward, stupid, and idiot of a man." said Sizhui.

"I agree." said Jingyi.

Jiang FengMian gave him a smile, "Really? What a coincidence. The second young master of the Lan Sect told me that you were the one who killed it. So who was it, really?"

Wei WuXian, "I guess both of us did something. But he was the main one. I only went into the beast's shell and chased it out. Lan Zhan was waiting for it alone outside. It only died after it dragged on for six entire hours."

He described to Jiang Cheng and his father the things that had happened during the past few days. Jiang Cheng's expression was complicated after he had finished listening. He only spoke a while later, "It's pretty much the same as what Lan WangJi said. So it seems that both of you killed it together. What's yours is yours. Why would you give him all the credit?"

"Yeah, why are you giving him all the credits?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"If you didn't lure the monster out then he can never kill it." he added.

"But, it's still him who killed it." said Wei Wuxian.

"Divide the glory into two so that it would be fair." said Jiang Cheng.

"Don't give it all to him." he added.

Wei WuXian, "I didn't. I just feel that, compared to him, I really didn't do much."

Jiang FengMian nodded, "Well done."

He was able to kill a four-hundred-year-old beast at the mere age of seventeen. It was much more than a 'well done'.

"Such a great success at such a young age." said Qingheng-jun.

"Who would expect that." he added.

"Thank you, father-in-law." said Wei Wuxian.

"We're good at working together, Lan Zhan." he added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"It means, we will night hunt together." said Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Cheng frowned at him.

Jiang Cheng, "Congratulations."

The tone of his congratulations sounded quite strange. Seeing how he folded his hands and raised his brows, Wei WuXian knew that those sour feelings were at him again. Jiang Cheng, right now, must be making a fuss in silence, defiantly asking himself why he wasn't the one who had stayed in the cave to kill the beast. If it had been him, he could definitely also do this and do that.

Wei WuXian laughed, "What a pity that you weren't there as well. Or else, you'd be able to share some of that credit as well. You'd also be able to chat with me and chase the boredom away. Good Heavens, sitting faceto-face with Lan Zhan these days almost bored me to death."

Jiang Cheng scoffed.

"I prefer leaving the both of you on your own." he said.

"Than watching you two flirt with one another or pinning one another. I will be choke to death." he added.

"You didn't die yet. We've been flirting here." laughed Wei Wuxian.

"I'm trying." said Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng, "It served you right to be bored to death. You shouldn't have played the hero and you shouldn't have cared for such a hell of a thing. If in the beginning you didn't..."

Suddenly, Jiang FengMian spoke, "Jiang Cheng."

Jiang Cheng paused, knowing that he had said too much. He was quiet at once.

"Are you reprimanding him?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"I've been watching here since the beginning and I can say that that just how they talk to one another." he added.

"How would he know? He never give attention on how his own son acts." said Madam Yu.

"Much more understand him." she added.

Jiang FengMian didn't look as if he was blaming him of anything, but his expression had turned from calm to more solemn, "Do you know in which ways what you just said is not appropriate?"

Jiang Cheng's head hung low, "Yes."

Wei WuXian, "He's just angry and speaking without care."

"As always." laughed Wei Wuxian.

Jiang Cheng scoffed.

"Who wouldn't? You're there bragging about your situation not knowing how you made him worried." said Jin Zixuan.

"I'm not worried." said Jiang Cheng.

"Yeah yeah, you're not." said Jin Zixuan.

Seeing how Jiang Cheng's mouth and heart were still at odds, how he still felt defiant, Jiang FengMian shook his head, "A-Cheng, there are some things that can't be said even if you're angry. If you said them, it means that you still don't understand the motto of the Jiang Sect, that you still don't..."

The harsh voice of a woman came from outside the door, "Yes, he doesn't understand, but what does it matter, as long as Wei Ying understands?!"

"Here they go again." said Jiang Cheng as he snuggled into Lan Xichen's chest.

"I'm tired of it." he added.

"How I wish a-die and a-niang will stop fighting." said Jiang Yanli.

"That's impossible." said Jiang Cheng.

"Looks like they made a vow to always be mad at each other." he added.

Like a purple bolt of lightning, Madam Yu swept inside, bringing in with her a cold breeze. She was standing five steps away from Wei WuXian's bed, brows raised, "'To attempt at the impossible' is exactly how he is, isn't it? Fooling around even though he knew that it'd bring trouble to his sect?!"

Jiang FengMian, "My lady, what are you doing here?"

"I'm also wondering." said Wen Rouhan.

"Is she there just for a fight or to check on Wei Wuxian?" he asked.

"Take a guess." said Jiang Cheng.

Madam Yu, "What am I doing here? What a joke that I am asked of such a thing! Sect Leader Jiang, do you still remember that I'm also the leader of Lotus Pier? Do you still remember that every inch of the earth here is my territory? Do you still remember, between the one lying there and the one standing here, which one is your son?"

Such questions he had heard countless times throughout the years. Jiang FengMian answered, "Of course I do."

"My lady." said Jiang Fengmian.

"What? Scared how the whole cultivation knows how unfair you treated your children?" asked Madam Yu.

"Of for them to know that favored other's son." she added.

"I am not." said Jiang Fengmian.

"You can tell that to a dog, Jiang Fengmian." said Madam Yu.

"Your son won't thirst for your attention since he was young when you show him even just a little bit of attention than giving all of it the a son who isn't even related to you." she added.

"If you don't like me, but at least don't dislike the son I gave birth to just because he came from me." she added.

Madam Yu laughed bitterly, "You do remember, but there's no use if you simply remember. Wei Ying, he really can't take it unless he stirs up some trouble, can he? If I had known, I would've made him stay in Lotus Pier properly and not go outside. Could Wen Chao really have dared to do anything to the two young masters of the GusuLan Sect and the LanlingJin Sect? Even if he did, it'd mean that they ran out of luck. Since when was it your turn to play the hero?"

In front of Jiang FengMian, Wei WuXian had to give the madam some face. He didn't protest at all, though he thought to himself, He couldn't have dared to do anything to them? That's not for certain.

Madam Yu, "I'm saying this right now. You can just wait. One day, he'll definitely get our sect into some big trouble!"

"I would never." said Wei Wuxian.

"How do you know?" asked Madam Yu.

"A troublemaker like you always attract troubles without knowing and it will bring destruction." she added.

"A-niang isn't." said Sizhui.

"Tell me, what did he do to the cultivation for him to be hated in the future." said Madam Yu.

"He did nothing." said Sizhui.

Jiang FengMian stood up, "Let's talk when we get back."

Madam Yu, "Talk about what? Get back to where? I'll be talking about it right here. I have nothing to be ashamed of, anyways! Jiang Cheng, come over here."

"Can they stop now?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"It's just the same. They fighting about it over and over again." he added.

"We had no choice but to watch." said Jiang Yanli.

"It's all because of me." said Wei Wuxian.

"Stop that. Did we blame you?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"A-xian, you're my brother. Please, stop blaming yourself. It was them who is fighting about it, we are just stuck in the middle." she added.

"Shijie, you're the best." said Wei Wuxian with a smile.

Jiang Cheng was stuck between his father and his mother. After a moment of hesitation, he moved to his mother's side. Holding his shoulders, Madam Yu pushed him forward for Jiang FengMian to see, "Sect Leader Jiang, it seems that some things I have to say. Look carefully-this, is your own son, the future head of Lotus Pier. Even if you frown upon him just because I was the one who bore him, his surname is still Jiang! ... I don't believe for one second that you haven't heard of how the outside people gossips, that Sect Leader Jiang has still not moved on from a certain Sanren though so many years have passed, regarding the son of his old friend as a son of his own; they're speculating if Wei Ying is your..."

Jiang FengMian shouted, "Yu ZiYuan!"

Madam Yu shouted as well, "Jiang FengMian! Do you think that anything will change just because you raised your voice?! Do you think that I don't know you?!"

"A-xian isn't my son. Those are never true." said Jiang Fengmian.

"You should've said that since then, to stop those rumors." said Wen Rouhan.

"You choose to speak now seeing how broken your family is?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"I never wanted it to be broken in the first place." said Jiang Fengmian.

"But, you did. You're one of the reason why it slowly crumble down." said Jiang Cheng.

"A-cheng." said Jiang Fengmian.

"Answer me, Jiang Fengmian. Did you ever fall in love with Zangse Sanren?" asked Lan Qiren.

Jiang Fengmian was silent.

"Your silence is the one that ruined everything." said Lan Qiren.

The two debated the issue outside. On the way, Madam Yu's angered voice was louder and louder. Jiang FengMian argued as well, suppressing his rage. Jiang Cheng stood blankly where he was. A while later, he glanced at Wei WuXian, and suddenly turned to leave as well.

Wei WuXian, "Jiang Cheng!"

"We won't fight, right?" asked Wei Wuxian.

"What do you think?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"I hate it when the two of you fights." said Jiang Yanli.

"We won't." said Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng.

"We will try." the two added.

Jiang Cheng gave no answer. With a few steps, he had already turned the corner of the hallway. Wei WuXian could only roll out of bed and chase over, dragging with him his stiff, sore body, "Jiang Cheng! Jiang Cheng!"

Jiang Cheng walked forward without a care for anything else. Wei WuXian was so mad that he threw himself over and clenched his neck, "Answer me if you heard me! Are you looking for a fight?!"

Jiang Cheng spat, "Go back to your bed and lie down properly!"

"With your situation, do you think you can fight me?" asked Jiang Cheng.

"Try me." said Wei Wuxian.

"Come on." said Jiang Cheng as the two of them stood up.

"They really find fun in odd situation. One moment they are acting sad and dramatic and next moment they're on each other neck." said Jin Zixuan.

"That's just how they are. Even if someone is dying in front of them, they can still find time to tease one another." said Jiang Yanli with a chuckle.

Wei WuXian, "I can't do that, we need to get things straight! You really mustn't listen to those messed-up nonsense."

Jiang Cheng spoke coldly, "What messed-up nonsense?"

Wei WuXian, "Those things dirty your mouth even if you just say them. Both of my parents are real people in this world. I don't want others assigning me to other households!"

"My parents are still my parents." said Wei Wuxian.

"I refused to accept being other's son when I have my own parents." he added.

"They will be the only one." he whispered.

Arm around Jiang Cheng's shoulder, he managed to drag him to the wooden fences on the other side of the hallway. They sat down together, "Let's be honest, don't hide things so sulkily in your heart. You're Uncle Jiang's own son, the future leader of the Jiang Sect. Of course Uncle Jiang would be stricter towards you."

Jiang Cheng gave him a sideway glance.

Wei WuXian continued, "But I'm different. I'm the son of someone else. Both of my parents are good friends of Uncle Jiang. Of course he'd cut me more slack. Such a reason you do understand, don't you?"

Jiang Cheng snorted, "He's not strict towards me, he just doesn't like me."

"Agreed." Jiang Cheng whispered.

"There might be a reason to it." said Lan Xichen.

"There is none." said Jiang Cheng.

"He just simply doesn't like me since I don't have any characteristics that a Jiang should posses." he added.

"And add to that, he doesn't like my mother and I'm the exact replica of my mother especially in attitude." he added with a sigh.

Wei WuXian, "How can there be anyone who doesn't like his own son? Stop thinking such things! Those who have loose mouths I'll beat them up whenever I see them, beat them up so hard that their mothers wouldn't even be able to recognize them."

Jiang Cheng, "There is, though. He doesn't like my mom, and so he doesn't like me either."

This one really was difficult to refute.

"See." said Jiang Cheng.

"My future self agreed with me." he added.

"Jiang Cheng." said Wei Wuxian.

"It's okay, Wei Wuxian. I've long accepted it." said Jiang Cheng.

"We can't force a person to love you." he added.

"You have us, a-niang." said Jingyi.

"Jiang Fengmian, just how hard it is to show your feelings?" asked Wen Rouhan.

"What feelings?" asked Jiang Fengmian.

"Can't you feel your son's pain?" asked Lan Qiren.

Jiang Fengmian refused to answer as he stared at his son who is inside Lan Xichen's embrace.