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“What the fuck.”
“Jingyi,” Sizhui says, trying to sound chastising but not quite managing it.
“No, Jingyi is right,” Jin Ling agrees. “What the fuck.”
And that’s saying something. Jin Ling is, like, contractually obliged to disagree with Jingyi on all accounts. That’s the rule—one of the only rules that actually matter anyway!
“What the absolute fuck,” Jin Ling repeats.
Sizhui does not seem moved by this very logical and succinct point of reason.
Zizhen collapses onto the bed of one of the guestrooms that they’ve been assigned to, sighing, “How is it possible for Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei to be more intolerable when they’re not even together yet?”
Sizhui relents, finally, nodding, a pained expression on his face.
Which, thank you, Zizhen! Jingyi can always count on Zizhen to come through for him and help translate Jingyi’s point into words that Sizhui understands, helping Sizhui see the light. This is one of the many reasons they’re friends—the fact that Zizhen gives the best hugs is of course at the top of the list.
A lot has happened in the last twenty-four hours, so Jingyi thinks a little cursing is permissible. It’s a perfectly acceptable way to cope, given the fact that it’s not every day that you and your three best friends are sucked down into the water of the Cold Springs and wind up tumbling into some kind of freaky ice cave. Which is, all things considered: abnormal but manageable. Believable within the realm of everyday cultivation shit. A bit unexpected, given that Jingyi had been pretty confident that he knew Cloud Recesses like the back of his hand, but it was nothing to freak out about.
Then they’d seen the startled faces of Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei. And that had also been relatively normal, given that the juniors have a (at certain times, rather unfortunate) propensity for walking in on the two of them in the most unexpected of places. Except that something was… off. Their faces were rounder, softer; Jingyi had felt the urge to reach out and pinch Hanguang-jun’s cheeks. Luckily, he hadn’t, or they really would have never gotten Hanguang-jun to set down Bichen and convince him that they weren’t a threat.
When Zizhen had asked Ah, Wei-qianbei, what’s going on here? Wei-qianbei had looked at them quizzically before laughing with a wagged finger. Are you sucking up to me? We have to be around the same age! You look like you’re a few years older than me, actually. Sorry to break it to you, buddy, but I don’t have any power here, so this isn’t going to do you any favors.
So, yeah. Turns out they’re somehow stuck sixteen years in the past and it’s weird. Weird less because Jingyi has never considered time travel to be possible before this very moment and more so because Hanguang-jun is a teenager! And a moody, broody one at that.
Despite the fact that there’s not really any logical explanation for any of this, Jingyi is totally okay with that! He can go with the flow, roll with the punches, brave whatever it is the world wants to throw at him so long as he has his friends with him. If anything, it’s actually kind of cool, as long as you try not to think too hard about the potential consequences for time traveling—that is, fucking up the timeline that they come from.
Other than that vaguely potentially disastrous outcome, Jingyi has to give it up to Lan Yi and whatever is left of her spiritual essence. Or at least, he assumes that’s how they travelled back. That lady must be powerful enough to do cool shit like play with time and what not. She invented the chord-assassination technique, after all. What could she not do?
But the point is, none of that is that weird if you think about it. Wei-qianbei came back to life once, defying the rules of what was possible; what’s a little bit of time travel in comparison?
And nobody’s died yet! Or been possessed! Or even worse, cried!
What is unacceptable and much more distressing is that somehow Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun are not together. And, like, it’s not Jingyi’s fault for assuming that that wasn’t the case! Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei were literally tied together! With Hanguang-jun’s forehead ribbon, no less!
What was he supposed to do? Not make a joke about how they have been improperly using Lan forehead ribbons since even before they’d even gotten married?!?
To which Hanguang-jun had huffed off in a fit! Hanguang-jun! Hanguang-jun doesn’t huff!!!
Is Jingyi just supposed to accept that that’s normal?!?! That he’s okay with Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun acting like idiots pretending that they’re not idiotically in love with each other?
“How is this happening,” Jingyi says, collapsing onto the bed next to Zizhen.
After they’d gotten out of the cave, Hanguang-jun, still suspicious of them, had dragged them to Zewu-jun, and they had had to come up with a story on the spot. They’d told Zewu-jun that they were students arriving late for shifu’s classes, that they’d hit a delay in their travels, taking a wrong turn. Zewu-jun had given them an amused look that said he clearly didn’t believe them, which is very reasonable given that Jingyi and Sizhui were wearing Lan robes and forehead ribbons. Luckily, Zewu-jun hadn't questioned it, but welcomed them anyway, instructing a disciple to walk them to the guest quarters and show them their rooms.
Mercifully, Hanguang-jun, had not said anything involving the words ‘time’ and ‘travel’ during their harried explanation. Maybe he didn’t believe what they’d said in the cave—Jingyi’s not even sure he would believe it if he hadn’t experienced it himself. Usually Jingyi can read Hanguang-jun pretty well, but this Lan Wangji is… such a teenager, too angsty to figure out. Jingyi thinks that they came across as trustworthy, but he can’t tell if the way Hanguang-jun clenched his fist and gritted his teeth meant that he believed them—believed everything, including what Jingyi had said about Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei getting married one day or not.
It has been harder than expected to keep up the lie, but at least now that they’re alone they can relax. Jingyi lies on the bed and stares up at the unfamiliar ceiling. He’s never had to stay in the guest quarters of Cloud Recesses before. And, worse, it’s not even a Cloud Recesses that he recognizes. Yeah, sure, the layout is mostly the same, but it’s different. The structures are more worn, there’s less open space, the trees are taller, larger with old age, and there’s more of a sense of history here, but one that Jingyi feels divorced from. Jingyi knows why: it’s because this Cloud Recesses hasn’t—hasn’t burned down yet.
And the realization that this Cloud Recesses isn’t his leaves a tight feeling in his chest. He feels like he is underwater, everything distorted around him. It sucks to be here, in this place that looks so much like the Cloud Recesses that he knows and loves, but isn’t quite right. It isn’t his home.
And even though Jingyi was the one who led them into the cave, it’s not like he asked for this! He was just trying to have a good time with his pals who he hadn’t seen in forever: Sizhui, who’d been off gallivanting around the world, trying to find himself or something deep like that; Jin Ling, who’d been crazy busy trying to keep the Jin sect from toppling over on itself after finding out that their previous leader was a secret mass-murderer; and Zizhen, who’d been busy trying to keep his dad from shoving his foot into his mouth during all the politicking. Jingyi just missed his friends, he wasn’t asking to have his whole world turned upside down.
Ugh. Jingyi curls up against Zizhen who begins absentmindedly stroking his hair, which is nice. At least that hasn’t changed.
“They’re stupid,” Jin Ling says. It takes Jingyi a moment to remember that he means Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei specifically, and not… all this. “I mean, we saw how they were at Guanyin Temple,” he adds, meaning himself and Sizhui. Which is very rude of Jin Ling; those are not the rules of this polycule. Jingyi understands that there’s no reason for him to have been invited to the most notorious uncle reunion of the century, but it was terribly exclusionary if you ask him, which nobody has. To bring it up like this and rub it in his and Zizhen’s face is just disrespectful. Typical of Jin Ling to do this, even though Jingyi has done him the courtesy of being kind enough to share his friend Sizhui with him.
“Well, some of us didn’t see,” Jingyi snaps with his eyes closed as he leans into Zizhen’s touch. He probably shouldn't, but he feels like he’s entitled to a little snapping, as a treat. At least Jin Ling is getting to see his idol, Jiang-zongzhu, at his peak.
Although, maybe that’s what’s been causing Jin Ling to be off today. Maybe seeing Jiang-zongzhu—wait, it should be Jiang Wanyin, since he’s not actually sect leader yet—maybe Jin Ling’s sad to see Jiang Wanyin so happy and getting along so well and openly with Wei-qianbei. Because even though Jiang Wanyin had snapped at Wei-qianbei when they’d all stumbled out of the cave right in front of his feet, Jiang Wanyin’s first instinct had been to threaten Jingyi and his friends, demanding to know what they’d done to his brother.
Jingyi isn’t an idiot. He can tell that the Jiang Wanyin they saw earlier in the day is… lighter, more carefree, not burdened by the tension in his shoulders that he wears like robes in their present time—or the future, rather. But whatever! It’s not Jingyi’s fault that Jin Ling’s idol, Jiang Wanyin, grew up to be a sad weirdo loser! Jingyi doesn’t care!
“It is strange…” Sizhui trails off, probably lost in thought about his dads’ relationship—or rather, non-relationship. Just from the tone of his voice, Jingyi can tell that Sizhui’s brows are furrowed and his forehead is creased. He wants to smooth the crease out with his thumb, but then he’d have to open his eyes and get off the soft bed, out of Zizhen’s arms, and walk across the room, and that’s just asking too much of him right now. “But we knew,” Sizhui continues, as if reminding himself as well, “we knew that Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei didn’t actually confess their feelings for each other until that night in Guanyin Temple. So, I guess it would be more strange if they were already together at this point.”
Ugh, Sizhui and his logic! That doesn’t mean it’s not wacky and wrong! There are certain things that you can rely on in the universe, and Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei being the world’s best and most disgustingly in love couple is one of them!
“I guess, you’re right,” Zizhen says, “but something about the way the both of them are oblivious right now to their own flirting is more obnoxious than it was when Wei-qianbei was going around pretending to be Mo—”
Zizhen cuts himself off abruptly because there’s a knock at the door, startling them. Jingyi and Zizhen push themselves up to a seated position on the bed and they all look at each other, unsure and nervous about encountering yet another figure from the past. They need to be more careful with what they say. Given Hanguang-jun’s reaction to hearing about his upcoming nuptials with Wei-qianbei, it’s probably not a good idea for them to go around blabbing the secrets of the future—that plus the uncertain possibility of altering the world as they know it by spreading such information.
Sizhui waits until they’re all ready before saying, slow and cautious, “Come in.”
The door slides open and in comes—
“Hello, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
Jingyi’s never seen a portrait of Jiang Yanli, but given the woman’s purple robes and the way Jin Ling’s gone ghostly pale—almost like he’s gotten his grubby hands on Mo Xuanyu’s face powder—the petite woman standing at their door has to be her. Jiang Wanyin and Wei Wuxian’s older sister. Jin Ling’s mother. Jiang Yanli.
Fuck!
Jingyi had forgotten about the whole dead parents thing—after so long hearing about folks being dead, you just forget that that wasn’t always the case; that they were alive once, you know? But of course it makes sense that they’d also meet Jiang-furen—Jiang-guniang, he means—in Cloud Recesses. She was a cultivator too, after all. But what’s she doing here, now? With a tray in her hands?
Jin Ling opens his mouth, but no words come out.
Jiang-guniang’s eyes flit to each of the four, taking them in. “Oh, well, it seems like this isn’t a great time,” she says. With her appraising gaze, Jingyi feels like she’s seeing him in his fullness, no part of him escaping her attention––as though she’s immediately understood their secret. Jingyi pushes back the urge to blurt out the whole truth to her, just so she’d pat them each on the shoulder and tell them everything would be alright.
Jingyi’s always heard about how Jiang-guniang was gentle and kind, but there’s something sturdy about her presence that makes Jingyi feel that she’s quite the force to reckon with. Wei-qianbei and Jiang Wanyin were probably never successfully able to do something like throw her a surprise party. Which is a shame. Jingyi loves surprises.
“No, no, it’s okay,” Zizhen says, the first one of their group who’s figured out how to speak again. Which makes sense. Three-fourths of them don’t have a single memory of having interacted with their own mother before, let alone a teenage version of her! “Please, come in.”
Jiang-guniang smiles at them and steps across the threshold.
Jin Ling’s eyes are so wide he looks like he’s seeing a ghost. Which is kind of what’s happening here. Jiang-guniang bears an uncanny resemblance to Jiang Wanyin, which shouldn’t be all that shocking, given that’s how family and blood ties work, but she looks like… if Jiang Wanyin were having a nice day. And knew how to smile. Jingyi shudders internally at the thought. Jingyi wouldn’t know what to do if he saw Jiang Wanyin smile. It would mean the world was ending, probably.
“I’m sure you’re all tired anyway, so I’ll make myself brief,” Jiang-guniang says, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “I came by to deliver some soup. It’s lotus root and pork rib. A-Xian told me that you all had a very long and tiring journey to get here and just seemed so exhausted. I know how hard it can be to be away from home. Hopefully this helps; it always cheers up my brothers.”
Well, fuck.
Fuck is the word of the day, it would appear.
They’ve all heard endless praises about Jiang-guniang’s soup. Wei-qianbei and Jiang Wanyin even spent a whole week attempting to recreate the dish for Jin Ling and Sizhui to try—miraculously, nobody was stabbed, but according to Jin Ling, the Jiang kitchen staff were pissed, serving Jiang Wanyin’s least favorite foods for an entire month after. (“You’re not getting what a big deal that is, Jingyi; everyone at Lotus Pier loves jiujiu.”)
“You shouldn’t have gone to the trouble,” Sizhui manages, hoarsely.
Jiang-guniang shakes her head with a small smile. “It was no trouble at all. We had leftovers.”
Jin Ling’s mouth is still dangling open. His jaw must be aching.
“Are you all alright?” Jiang-guniang asks. She is looking at Jin Ling, brows furrowed with concern lining the corners of her eyes. Oh gods, she really looks like Jiang Wanyin when he’s trying to mask worry with anger—just minus the scowl. “You don’t look well. Should I get someone?”
Jin Ling’s mouth snaps shut and he swallows.
“No! We’re fine!” Jingyi exclaims when nobody says anything. Sizhui and Zizhen are looking at Jin Ling, probably trying to follow his lead, but Jin Ling is clearly overwhelmed right now. His hands are bunched up tightly, fisting the edges of his robes.
And so Jingyi decides to take matters into his own hands here. Because even though he may not have ever had parents—doesn’t even know who his parents were—he does know how to pivot, shifting the focus back onto the other when you’re trying to hide something.
Jingyi stumbles forward from the bed and takes the tray from Jiang-guniang’s hands with a polite nod. There’s a larger pot and four smaller bowls to ladle the soup into. “We’re just—just tired. It’s been a really long day. But thank you. For the soup. There’s no way we can repay you for this kindness. It means—a lot. ”
Zizhen has stood up as well and he nods furiously behind Jingyi. “Yes, thank you for thinking about us. You didn’t have to stop by. We really appreciate it.”
“No, no. You sound just like my brothers,” Jiang-guniang protests, but she laughs and it rings in the room clear as a bell. “You exaggerate too much. It’s just soup, but if you ever want more, let me know. We’re housed right across the courtyard. Also, please make sure to reach out for help if you’re actually not feeling well at any point.”
“We will,” Sizhui promises, which is good, because people believe Sizhui when he makes promises.
Jiang-guniang nods, satisfied. “Okay, I’ll leave you all to rest, but I’ll see you in class tomorrow!” she says before turning around and exiting the room.
Once they’re sure Jiang-guniang’s out of earshot, Zizhen collapses to the floor—which would normally be a bit dramatic, but feels warranted in this situation. “My gods.”
“Yeah,” Jingyi breathes, not knowing what to say. “Yeah.” He sets the tray down onto the table, carefully, not wanting to spill anything with his jittery hands. He’s feeling rattled; how must it feel to be—
“Jin Ling?” Sizhui says. “A-Ling?”
The three of them turn towards Jin Ling. He’s frozen, still staring at the closed door. Is he even breathing? Jingyi wonders.
Sizhui steps up to Jin Ling, clasps both shoulders under his hands and instructs, “A-Ling, breathe, it’s going to be okay.”
Jin Ling gasps, loudly, a sharp inhale of breath, almost as if he hadn’t noticed the lack of air himself. “Oh gods,” he says, faintly.
Sizhui guides him to the table and sits him down, before plopping down on the floor next to him, stroking circles across Jin Ling’s back. Zizhen drags himself over to Jin Ling’s other side, resting a reassuring hand on his knee. This leaves Jingyi to sit in front of Jin Ling. He takes him in; Jin Ling looks so fragile and small, almost like he’s the young boy that Jingyi had first met.
Zizhen squeezes his hand on Jin Ling’s knee and asks, “Are you alright? What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking… I’m about to try my mother’s soup,” Jin Ling says, hoarsely, his voice catching at the end.
“Do you want to?” Sizhui says.
Jin Ling nods, small but firm.
Jingyi scrambles up to prepare a bowl for Jin Ling. He lifts the lid from the pot and gets a waft of the scent; it smells delicious, rich and gingery and earthy. Like—like Yunmeng.
Seems like Jingyi was wrong about nobody crying. He probably jinxed it—curse himself for speaking too soon—because Jin Ling’s definitely going to shed some tears tonight.
This soup better be fan-fucking-tastic for the grief it’s putting them through.
+++
The soup does live up to its reputation. It’s probably not worth fighting over, like Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin claim to have done in the past—present, ugh, this is so confusing—but the soup is good. And Jingyi is confident that he’s not biased in his assessment: he doesn't only think that because Jiang Yanli’s soup has been the perfect meal to have after a long group cry; warm and nourishing and comforting.
Jin Ling had swallowed down one spoonful before his face had crumpled and he’d burst into tears—Jingyi should be used to this by now, but Jin Ling is such an ugly crier—which had set off Zizhen, which was to be expected because Jin Ling and Zizhen are the crybabies of the group.
But then Jin Ling had babbled into the crook of Zizhen’s shoulder, “Jiujiu and dajiu… they did get the taste right.”
Sizhui had slowly pried the spoon from Jin Ling’s hand and taken a sip himself. He’d paused for the longest moment and said, simply, “Oh,” all misty-eyed. And Jingyi has never been able to hold it together when he’s seen Sizhui break down in the past, so who could blame him for the way his vision blurred and his nose got snotty, as he reached out for his boys, holding them tightly, reminding them that no matter what, they had each other and that would be enough to get them through the next day?
Afterwards, they drink their soup in exhausted but comfortable silence, each of them snotty and red-eyed. Jingyi is grateful for this silence—that despite the fact that it’s been a while since all four of them have been together in one place, he can still count on the comfort and ease they slip into around each other. The world makes no sense right now, but they do, the four of them and their history and the trust that they have in each other.
The rest of their night ends up being relatively short; for them, at least, considering the fact that they’ve stayed up past curfew countless times before. (Jingyi had grand plans for them to gossip until sunrise as per tradition, preparing alcohol and each of their favorite snacks, before his plans had been unceremoniously ruined.) But the long day catches up to them, kicking their asses, and they’re asleep soon after they clean up. Jingyi and Sizhui don’t even make it to the other room they’ve been assigned to. The four of them pile into the same bed, warm bodies blanketing each other. It’s cramped and Jingyi falls asleep feeling full, the faint thought that he’s going to be sore the next day crossing his mind—but, truthfully, he wouldn’t have the night end any other way.
+++
“Ugh, I forgot you Lans wake up at the crack-ass of dawn,” Jin Ling groans as Jingyi shakes his shoulder. He stretches an arm over his head and smacks Jingyi in the face in the process. Even though Jin Ling’s eyes are closed, it feels intentional.
“Just be happy I woke you,” Jingyi says, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I wanted to have breakfast without you, but noooo, Sizhui and Zizhen insisted we all eat together.”
“You said that you didn’t want to wake Jin Ling so that he could rest longer,” Sizhui says without looking over at them as he and Zizhen set up the table.
Jin Ling scoffs, but he looks pleased to hear about this revelation, corners of his mouth twitching upward as he rubs the sleep from his eyes.
“Sizhui!” Jingyi pouts. “How could you sell me out like this?”
“Come eat,” is all Sizhui says.
“I’m so sore,” Jingyi complains as he cracks his neck when they’re all seated at the table.
Zizhen sighs dramatically, “Well, I’m covered in bruises because someone kept kicking me in the shin in the middle of the night.”
“It wasn’t me,” Jin Ling says automatically.
“There’s no proof of that!” Zizhen says. “Any one of you could have been the culprit.”
Jingyi, who knows that he tosses and turns at night, changes the subject. “You know what Jin Ling is definitely guilty of? Snoring. You’re like a boar, you’re so loud. How has it gotten worse?” —and the table quickly descends into their routine bickering.
Breakfast consists of an excessive number of complaints about the bland Lan breakfast. When they had all first become friends, they could always count on Hanguang-jun to have chilli oil stashed away for Wei-qianbei. But then Hanguang-jun had retired from the role of chief cultivator and the two of them are more often traveling the world together than they are at home. So it’d fallen to Sizhui or Jingyi—although these days it’s mostly Jingyi—to swing by Caiyi and grab a jar of chilli oil in preparation for Jin Ling’s visits. Sometimes Jingyi pretends to have forgotten to restocked their supply, and Jin Ling makes the funniest faces when he has to suffer through the bland soups. Jingyi likes teasing Jin Ling and keeping him on his toes; that’s part of what makes their friendship so entertaining.
But in the past where they are presently, there’s not a single trace of spice in Cloud Recesses—given the current non-state of Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei’s relationship. And there’s not enough time to sneak out to Caiyi before breakfast, or they’ll be late to class. So they suffer through Jin Ling’s whining—it really can’t be that bad in Jingyi’s opinion, the Jiang taste buds are just truly horrific. Zizhen is polite enough to not say anything, but the way he pushes the food around on his plate feels rather pointed. Another betrayal this morning.
Sizhui insists that they show up to class early today, wanting to make a good impression. As they begin to clear the table, Sizhui looks at Jin Ling and says, “Are you feeling ready for the day?”
Jin Ling takes a long breath and nods. “Yeah, I am.”
Sizhui places a hand over his and squeezes.
“Okay, group hug time,” Zizhen demands.
“We literally slept in the same bed last night.” Jin Ling rolls his eyes even as he consents to being tucked into Zizhen’s open embrace. It’s a funny sight: Jin Ling crouching down, lowering himself to be fully wrapped by Zizhen’s slender arms. Jin Ling is always holding himself up so tall and upright, especially when he has an audience.
“That was to rest up after last night. This is to power us up for the upcoming day,” Zizhen counters as he signals for Jingyi and Sizhui to join.
“I would keep you all in my pocket if I could.” Sizhui is such a sap. Jingyi likes him so much.
“Do you think Wei-qianbei could make a talisman that would replicate the feeling of a hug?” Jingyi muses.
“You’re impossible. All of you,” Jin Ling says, muffled, but he sounds, almost impossibly, happy.
Things are already looking up for the day.
+++
Is there no respite from the past? Is nothing sacred? Does Jingyi not deserve some sort of reprieve from the changes that time brings?
Nothing is the same!
Or—“was” the same?
Blah, tenses and grammar, whatever!
What has the past done to Jingyi’s favorite uncle?
“I don’t get it,” Jin Ling says, very unhelpfully, as he munches on a handful of peanuts while watching Sizhui and Jingyi pace back and forth. As soon as Lan-xiansheng had let them out for mid-morning break, Jingyi had pulled them into this empty room to do some dearly-needed strategizing. “Jingyi is always dramatic, but this is what rattles Sizhui?”
“Your shifu has always been a stickler for the rules,” agrees Zizhen, nodding, motioning for Jin Ling to share. Jin Ling extends his hand and Zizhen snags a few peanuts from him. “He’s always going on about tradition this, customs that. He insisted on Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun having a formal ceremony after they eloped because it wasn’t proper.”
“It wasn’t about the rules! Shifu just wanted to be a part of the ceremony!” Jingyi cries, feeling distressed.
“Oh, just like jiujiu,” Jin Ling supplies, still very much unhelpfully. “He wouldn’t stop complaining about how he’d spent all that time wedding planning only for dajiu to ruin it by eloping. He was soooo happy when Lan Qiren insisted on the ceremony because he couldn’t just come out and say that he felt left out.” Jin Ling rolls his eyes.
“No!” Jingyi might be wailing, but that’s besides the point. “Not like your jiujiu! You don’t understand.”
“It’s not about what shifu says,” Sizhui mutters, continuing to pace. “It’s all the things he chooses not to say.”
“I’m still not really seeing the difference,” Jin Ling says around a mouthful of peanuts. “Jiujiu also does that, right, Zizhen?”
“None of the adults ever say what they’re thinking. It’s a miracle they’re managing to keep things running as it is,” Zizhen says, like Jingyi and Sizhui don’t already know that! “Should we be doing something to help them?” he leans over to ask Jin Ling seriously.
“Eh, I think it’ll pass,” Jin Ling says. “I don’t know how this can top seeing my dead mom. Here—”Jin Ling begins to pour peanuts from the bag into Zizhen’s cupped hands,“—take some more peanuts before they snap out of it and try to eat the rest.”
Sizhui stops pacing abruptly and smooths out the front of his robes even though they’re not wrinkled. “I’m fine. We’re fine,” he insists.
Zizhen shoots him a sympathetic look.
“It’s just… For shifu to be so… backwards, it’s alarming.” Sizhui rubs his temples as his frown grows deeper. “He’s so…”
“He’s so mean!” Jingyi exclaims, picking up where Sizhui has trailed off. “The shifu that we know would have never kicked anyone out of the classroom for just hypothesizing.”
“I mean, dajiu just tried to promote demonic cultivation to a class full of impressionable young disciples. I feel like xiansheng’s reaction was appropriate,” Jin Ling says. “Jiujiu was never able to stand anyone who used demonic cultivation, after all.”
“Stop referencing Jiang Wanyin! We’ve already said it’s not the same!” Jingyi is going to murder Jin Ling. “Shifu—he just threw Wei-qianbei out! Shifu would’ve never done that to me and I’ve said stupider, less viable things in class.”
“Does that really count? Xiansheng always went easy on you,” Zizhen reminds him.
“That’s literally not possible,” Jingyi protests. “There are a thousand less rules in this current time! Sizhui, tell them.”
“It doesn’t matter how many rules there are when you’ve somehow gone and managed to break, like, all of them while still being one of his favorites,” Jin Ling retorts. “Admit it, you were spoiled. Plus, it’s not like xiansheng knows yet that dajiu is going to be his nephew-in-law.”
“Jingyi did get used to get in trouble,” Sizhui says. “But it wasn’t ever serious. If anything, shifu was quite lax. He’d always choose to turn a blind eye towards some of our… antics. If it was impossible to ignore, that’s when he’d do something about it. Almost as if he was just doing it because he had to.”
“Maybe xiansheng changed in his old age,” Jin Ling offers.
“Shifu’s already old now!” Jingyi says, head in his hands.
“Jingyi, that’s rude,” Sizhui reprimands automatically, before continuing, “It’s disorienting to see shifu like this, almost like he’s a different person. He’s so hostile towards Wei-qianbei.”
“It’s just wrong, is what it is,” Jingyi tries to explain. “Shifu’s reaction makes no sense, especially since Wei-qianbei is right! Harnessing resentful energy works! I mean, should one do it every day? Maybe not, but in the future, demonic cultivation is basically a norm! We use his inventions like the Compass of Evil and the Spirit-Lure Flags, no problem.” Jingyi’s probably just ranting now, but he continues anyway. “Shifu’s not like that. He is pragmatic and harsh, but never mean for no reason. More importantly, though, shifu in the future is obsessed with Wei-qianbei. If it were possible, he’d be demanding a grandchild. Multiple, actually. It’s so distressing! It’s like,” Jingyi’s whole face scrunches up, trying to think of the most jarring scenario possible, “it’s like watching Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun fight.”
“That is literally what we’re witnessing right now though,” Zizhen points out. “Hanguang-jun refuses to even look at Wei-qianbei.”
“And is it not very distressing?”
“Ah, I see. Point taken.”
“Thank you for understanding my pain.” Jingyi isn’t exaggerating. Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei’s behavior is incredibly distressing. After years of getting used to Hanguang-jun openly flaunting the rules and being so open in his love for Wei-qianbei, it’s painful to witness how repressed Hanguang-jun is as a teen. Jingyi would take being embarrassed by Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun’s antics over this, any day of the week.
“Again, I don’t think Lan-xiansheng’s actions are that big of a deal,” Jin Ling cuts off Jingyi’s thoughts with a huff. “I feel like it’d take anyone a while to get used to the idea of demonic cultivation—it being demonic and all. And you know shifu’ll come around to dajiu eventually.”
“More than shifu acting unreasonable, though,” Sizhui says as he takes a seat next to Jin Ling, brows creased. “It’s disconcerting being around him because I don’t know what our relationship is anymore. I don’t know how to act around him. I feel so—so… distant and formal with him, almost like we’re strangers.”
“You guys are already formal with each other.”
“Jin Ling,” Sizhui says flatly. “You know what I mean.”
“I mean, I guess, but in my very honest opinion, there’s just not enough yelling in your family. How do you know you really like each other if there’s no shouting?”
“There are other, less loud, ways of communicating,” Sizhui says, with far too much patience. They’ve gone over this with Jin Ling before in the past; sometimes comfort is expressed in the quieter moments.
“And, hey, look who’s talking,” Jingyi accuses. “You’re not going around and yelling at Jiang-guniang or Jin-gongzi and, like, bullying them into liking you.”
“Hey! What else am I supposed to do? Be a dick to my parents?” Jin Ling says with so much intensity that he rattles the table they’re seated around.
“Nobody’s saying that,” Sizhui soothes at the same time that Jingyi says, “It’s just weird. You’re actually being so nice.”
“I just figured why not, you know?” Jin Ling says, now picking at his fingernails. “Since we’re stuck here. I might as well try and get to know them, right?”
“I think that it’s very sweet of you to want to do that,” Zizhen says.
“Thank you, Zizhen. You’re the best.”
“It makes sense that you’d want to take advantage of this opportunity to get to know them,” Zizhen responds.
“Yeah, and muqin and fuqin are different from what everyone’s told me,” Jin Ling says, shoulders hunched over. “I don’t know how to describe it, but I feel so tense around them. I just—I dunno, I always thought they had this fairy tale kind of love story, minus the Happily Ever After. Nobody ever said otherwise. But this, just isn’t it.”
“It’s hard to speak ill of the dead,” Sizhui says sagely.
“Mhm. What are your thoughts, though, now that you’ve gotten a chance to meet them?” Zizhen asks, in that way you do when you have an opinion but are prodding to find out what the other person is thinking before you say anything.
“All anybody ever told me was that fuqin was a skilled and upstanding cultivator. And sometimes he was a little prickly, but that’s actually what muqin liked about him. I think… they were maybe being a bit kind when they said he was prickly.” Jin Ling sighs. “He’s a little stuck-up,” he admits.
“Oh, thank the gods you said it first,” Jingyi breathes, slumping down a little in his seat in relief. “I spent the whole morning thinking, This is what Wei-qianbei meant when he complained that one time about how Jin Ling only got his father and uncle’s bad qualities and none of his mother’s good qualities.”
“Dajiu said what about me?!”
“Oops, shit, sorry, um,” Jingyi says, cursing his stupid loose tongue. “I was just joking?”
“Jin-gongzi seems curt, but he’s not unkind,” Sizhui says smoothly, distracting Jin Ling to save Jingyi’s skin. “You were kind of like this when we first met, to be perfectly honest.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. Not my best days,” Jin Ling sniffs. “I guess I just thought that he’d be nicer, especially to muqin. He’s just not really acting like a man madly in love, you know? It makes me wonder if it was all a lie, if my parents weren’t as happy together as people told me.”
“Jin Ling, I’m sure that’s not true,” Zizhen says, taking Jin Ling’s hand in his.
“But how do you know for sure?”
“Everyone’s basically told you the same thing, right? It’d be hard for everyone to coordinate their stories like that,” Jingyi reasons.
“Also, Jiang-zongzhu can’t lie to save his life,” Sizhui supplies. “You know that he and Wei-qianbei wouldn’t talk well of anyone who treated their sister poorly.”
“Hm, maybe.” Jin Ling sounds unconvinced, but contemplative. “It’s just that my parents don’t seem very happy to be around each other. Fuqin ignores her, and that just makes muqin seem sad.”
“I guess, it’s like what you said earlier about shifu: maybe they changed and grew into it,” Sizhui says.
“Maybe they also need a little bit more time?” Jingyi quips. “You were a little bitch when we first met, but—well, you still are, but you’re better now—and if you ever tell anyone I said this, I will deny it: but I would die for you, no exaggeration. Your dad’s still a teenager himself, younger than we are, and we’ve barely got our shit together, so,” Jingyi trails off with a shrug, “you know?”
“I guess you’re right,” Jin Ling sighs. “It’s just weird to see your parents this way.”
“Tell me about it,” Jingyi says.
“Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun are not actually your parents,” Zizhen reminds Jingyi gently.
“They are so,” Jingyi insists. “Hanguang-jun helped raise me and Wei-qianbei calls us all his children, so we are in spirit at least.”
“Alright, alright, whatever you say,” Zizhen says placatingly.
+++
“Is that Hanguang-jun?”
“What? Where? Oh, up ahead—yeah, that’s him. Should we try and catch up to him? Do you think he’ll want to talk to us?” Jingyi asks—too loudly. Hanguang-jun stops in the middle of the road and turns back to look at them. “Oops. Hi.” Jingyi waves his hand hesitantly.
Hanguang-jun greets them with a nod.
Sizhui and Jingyi exchange a glance before Sizhui swallows and asks, cheerfully, like nothing is amiss, “Are you also headed into town, Han—um, Lan-er-gongzi? Shall we walk together?”
“Mn,” Hanguang-jun says. He waits a moment for Jingyi and Sizhui to sidle up into step with him before heading down the path.
“What brings you to Caiyi?” Jingyi asks, curious. Hanguang-jun doesn’t respond, just continues to walk, but he straightens his posture ever so slightly—imperceptible to anyone raised outside Gusu Lan, but it doesn’t escape Jingyi’s attention. He knows Sizhui will have noticed it too.
And Jingyi’s not gotten in trouble in the past, done more headstands than he can count, to not know what the lack of eye contact, the quickening of Hanguang-jun’s pace, and the rigid set of tension in his shoulder means: Hanguang-jun is hiding something—he’s nervous.
“Oh, I mean,” Jingyi continues, filling the space of Hanguang-jun’s silence and easing off, not wanting to make him feel cornered—maybe even trying to get him comfortable enough to lower his walls. “Not that you would need a reason to visit Caiyi! It’s always nice to get out of Cloud Recesses, just to walk around the marketplace and take in the sights. I was just wondering because Sizhui and I are heading to town to buy some chili oil.”
“Did you not say you were from Cloud Recesses?” Hanguang-jun asks, still staring straight ahead.
“What?”
“When you said you were from the future. Why would you need chili oil?”
“Uh,” Jingyi says. Because the thing is, they did say that when they were trying to convince Hanguang-jun not to kill them in the cave, along with some other things that they wouldn’t have known if they hadn’t been telling the truth. And so yeah, maybe they shouldn’t have said, like, you guys fought on the rooftop under the moonlight the first time you met and defeated a waterborne abyss together and also there was the one time that Wei-qianbei was stuck in a tree hiding from a dog and Hanguang-jun stayed there protecting him until the dog left, which is just so sweet and romantic, but that was before they realized what was going on!!!
Since then, the four of them have decided that it’s probably improper to reveal any more information that they know about the future. But Jingyi doesn’t know how to answer Hanguang-jun’s question. From his dry tone, it seems like Hanguang-jun doesn’t quite believe them, but he’s intrigued—he wants to know more. His question is intended to force Jingyi to reveal more details about this so-called future.
Jingyi shoots a glance at Sizhui behind Hanguang-jun’s back, giving him his best help!!!!! what do I say face. It is a face that Sizhui is very familiar with.
“Yes, we did say that,” Sizhui says and doesn’t elaborate further on that point. It is the simplest truth. “But we’re not shopping for ourselves,” he explains. “It’s for our friend.”
“His taste buds are horrifying. What do they feed them over there in Yunmeng? I’ll never quite understand their love of spicy seasoning,” Jingyi says, tapping his chin, mystified as ever as he remembers the way he’s seen Jin Ling, Wei Wuxian, and Jiang Wanyin all douse their food in copious amounts of the stuff any time he’s shared a meal with either of them.
Only then does Hanguang-jun’s gaze waver, flickering to glance at Jingyi out of the corner of his eye, curious.
“Oh. Uh. I mean, Jin Ling—he visited Yunmeng a bunch of times as a kid, even ran around the Jiang sect a little because his, uh, uncle was, um, a disciple, and he got used to the cuisine there, so he really struggles with the food at Cloud Recesses,” Jingyi answers Hanguang-jun’s unasked question. “If I have to suffer through another meal with him whining, I’ll tear my hair out.”
“Which is why we’re headed to town,” Sizhui reiterates. “To buy some seasoning for our friend.” While Jin Ling is busy chatting it up with his parents, Sizhui conveniently leaves out. Zizhen had decided to stay behind in case emotional support and backup was needed.
“Yunmeng’s cuisine is spicy?” Hanguang-jun asks, slowly.
“Yeah, it is. Completely burns your tongue,” Jingyi says as they enter Caiyi.
“It’s a small thing we can do, though, to make him feel more at home and comfortable,” Sizhui says with a soft smile. “It can be hard to be away from home for so long.”
Hanguang-jun gives them a long, considering look, but doesn’t say a word.
“Should we part ways now? We’re headed that way,” Sizhui says, gesturing in the direction of the marketplace. “I don’t want to keep Lan-er-gongzi busy while we shop.”
“I am… also headed to the marketplace,” Hanguang-jun responds.
“Oh! Okay, well, if you’d like, we can continue together.”
Hanguang-jun hums—a rather noncommittal hum, but he doesn’t actively object. And so the three of them make their way through the bustling streets of the town.
“Oh, look, there’s the vendor that we usually buy from!” Sizhui notices. Jingyi looks at where Sizhui’s pointing and yep, there she is. By the river, in between the booths selling combs and Emperor’s Smile is the familiar, albeit much younger, face of the merchant that they’d developed a good rapport with in the future, even getting a discount after they promised her that she’d be the exclusive seller to Cloud Recesses.
“Wow.” Jingyi lets out a whistle. “Sixteen years up the road and she’s still here. Too bad we don’t get to see her kids.”
Jingyi and Sizhui buy a few jars of chili oil from the merchant, along with the special western cumin that Zizhen likes—they don’t know how long they’ll be stuck in the past, so better safe than sorry.
During the interaction, they learn that the woman’s just taken over the family business after the unexpected passing of her elder brother due to the recent water ghouls that have become a problem as of late, and that she’s still getting a handle on everything and learning the ropes. Sizhui and Jingyi impart what they hope are encouraging words, reassuring her that she’s doing a great job without actually saying, You must be a success because you’re still be here sixteen years later!—Jingyi doesn’t want to go too prophetic on folks, that would be creepy. And the whole time, Hanguang-jun stands awkwardly to the side, gaze directed at the ground.
“Thank you for waiting for us,” Sizhui says when they’re done. “Where did you want to go? We can accompany you since you came with us on our errand.”
Hanguang-jun shakes his head minutely. “I will continue to walk around. By myself.” He continues to stand there, making it clear that he’s waiting for Sizhui and Jingyi to leave first.
“Ah, okay, then,” Jingyi scrambles to say. “We’ll get out of your hair then! But it was nice to walk around and chat with you!”
Sizhui and Jingyi scurry away, which feels weird since Hanguang-jun is technically younger than them, but he’s also still basically their dad and being dismissed by Hanguang-jun is not something you question, even if he is an angsty teen.
Before they exit the marketplace, Jingyi spares a glance behind him to see Hanguang-jun at the booth next to the one they were at, picking up a jug of Emperor’s Smile and inspecting the white porcelain.
Jingyi tugs Sizhui’s sleeve and whispers, “Pstttt, Sizhui, look.”
“Huh,” Sizhui says, a slow grin growing on his face.
+++
“Do you think Jin-gongzi is being… a bit rude to Jin Ling?” Jingyi asks as he lies on his back in the grass and stares up at the sky. Since class has ended for the day, the four of them have gone to the meadow—Jingyi’s favorite spot in Cloud Recesses, which is thankfully unchanged, including a smaller population of bunnies—to decompress before dinner. It’s been three days since they’ve fallen backwards in time, and each time Jingyi thinks he’s settled into the strangeness of it all, something new (old?) pops up and surprises him. It’s disconcerting, more so than anything ever has been. “Like, beyond what we’ve established as Jin-gongzi being Jin-gongzi.”
“He’s being quite terse,” Sizhui admits. “In a way that seems a little more pointed, somehow.”
“Oh,” Zizhen says. “Isn’t it obvious?”
All three of them blink at Zizhen.
“What do you mean?” Sizhui asks, petting a bunny in his lap.
“Well, you know…” Zizhen trails off, eyebrows raised at them.
“No, we don’t,” Jingyi says, flatly.
Zizhen waves his hands vaguely at Jin Ling. “I mean, with the way Jin Ling’s been acting? I’m not surprised.”
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” Jin Ling snaps. Then pauses. “What about the way I’ve been acting?”
“Not to mention that Wei-qianbei and Jiang-zongzhu seem quite fond of Jin Ling already,” Zizhen continues, not answering Jin Ling’s question. “It really all makes sense, really.”
Jin Ling snorts. “Of course jiujiu and dajiu like me. Why wouldn’t they? But what the fuck are you going on about.”
“Zizhen,” Jingyi groans. “Can you please just come out and say it? Explain it to us like the idiots that we are.”
“Okay,” Zizhen says, nodding seriously. “So you know how in romance novels—”
Jingyi doesn’t know, but nods in agreement anyway, encouraging Zizhen to get to his point.
“—the couple usually has a fun meet-cute, and maybe there’s some animosity at first—or actually, that’s not a sure-fire rule, sometimes they just get along really well off the bat—but my point is, it usually takes some time for the romantic leads to get to know each other and realize their feelings for each other, right?”
“Uh-huh,” Jin Ling says slowly, brows furrowed in concentration.
“But then,” Zizhen says, animatedly, voice raised a little bit too loudly. “Right when things seem to be going well—maybe one of them has decided they’re going to confess—the author throws in a third party, another love interest, to raise the stakes and heighten the tension between the couple-to-be. That’s what’s happening here!”
They all stare at him. None of what Zizhen has said seems applicable.
Sizhui says as much, except much more gently and nicer than Jingyi ever could.
“Guys,” Zizhen says, exasperatedly, hands waving in the air. “Jin-gongzi’s jealous.”
The three of them continue to stare at him. Zizhen has most certainly lost his mind, it seems. Jin Zixuan, jealous? Of what? Of who? Of Jin Ling??
Zizhen starts listing the facts, counting them on his fingers. “Jin Ling keeps running after Jiang Yanli around like a lost puppy, offering to help her out whenever it seems like she’s struggling in the slightest. He even got teary-eyed when she picked up the handkerchief he’d dropped. And despite the fact that Wei-qianbei and Jiang-zongzhu were initially a bit wary of all that, Jin Ling has gone and won their favor by sharing his chili oil with them during yesterday’s lunch—”
“What’s wrong with that? Are you saying I shouldn’t have?” Jin Ling interjects, a little heated. “It’s good to share. Plus, they were complaining so loudly.”
“Now you know how we feel,” Jingyi grumbles.
“—Not to mention, Jin Ling looks exactly like Jin Zixuan. It’s obvious—Jin-gongzi’s intimidated!”
Zizhen looks at them expectantly and is met with silence. For a moment, the only sounds in the meadow are the cicadas buzzing and the leaves rustling overhead in the breeze.
“Uhhhh,” Jingyi finally manages to say.
“So… you’re saying that Jin-gongzi thinks Jin Ling is vying for Jiang-guniang’s heart,” Sizhui summarizes much more eloquently. He continues to pet the bunny, but more slowly.
“Yes,” Zizhen says emphatically.
Jin Ling looks rather ill. “I need you to take back every single word that you’ve just said.”
“I mean—I don’t think you have to worry about your mom liking you like that, she seems flattered by your attentiveness, but completely uninterested otherwise,” Zizhen reassures them. “But don’t you see the problem? You look exactly like your father, which of course you do, but unlike your father, you’re not being an ass to your mother. The situation already was pretty precarious, but Jin-gongzi seems to have become actively hostile ever since you offered to help Jiang-guniang train.”
“She’s my mother!” Jin Ling cries. “Why would I be an ass to her?”
“Jin Ling, don’t yell at Zizhen,” Sizhui says automatically. He seems deep in thought as he scratches behind the bunnies ear. “It’s weird, but oddly enough it makes sense.”
“I just thought—nobody is offering to train with her, and if she were to cultivate her core more, maybe, at the Battle at Nightless City, she’d—” Jin Ling says before cutting himself off.
“Oh, A-Ling,” Sizhui says. “That’s so good of you to try.”
Jingyi pushes himself up, and places a hand on Jin Ling’s knee and gives what he hopes is a reassuring squeeze. Like, yeah, technically, should Jin Ling be messing with time and changing things up? No, probably not. But, as his good friends, how can they berate Jin Ling for trying to save his mom?
“I didn’t mean to say that your actions in and of themselves are problematic,” Zizhen says, sympathetically. “Certainly the opposite of that—Jiang-guniang deserves the opportunity to wield her sword in a serious manner. Just that, you rushing to her every need and making these puppy dog eyes at her adds up to make it seem like you’re trying to court her.”
“Okay, so actually…” Jingyi starts and then trails off, going quiet before continuing, cautiously, “I would say Zizhen is being bonkers, but I heard something and I didn’t want to bring this up, but….”
“What?” Jin Ling asks sharply.
“You know how I love to gossip?” Jingyi asks and then continues when the rest of them nod like it’s a given. Around company, Jingyi would deny it, but there’s no point in pretending he doesn’t around his friends. “I think… Well, I overheard some people talking and it sounds like they think you’re another one of Jin-zongzhu’s—I mean, Jin Guangshan’s—illegitimate… children.”
Jin Ling’s lips press into a thin line.
“Oh,” Zizhen says softly.
“It’s not technically a bad thing! Nothing wrong with being a bastard! In fact, it’s probably helping us right now. You know with our guise, maintain our cover.” Jingyi waves his hands in the air vaguely. “And we’ve always known that cultivators are a bunch of gossips. But I brought it up because it adds up. Jiang-guniang is engaged to Jin-gongzi and now you, a supposed Jin bastard, just show up, and you’re, like, a dreamboat now that you’ve grown past your pissy little adolescent phase.”
“That one girl did swoon when you corrected her archery stance,” Sizhui reminds. “Luckily, her arrow didn’t hit anyone.”
“It was the gentlemanly thing to do!” groans Jin Ling. “She could have hurt herself!”
“Yes, yes, your jiujiu raised you to do the right thing, we know,” Jingyi says.
“But Jingyi’s point remains,” Zizhen muses. “The context of all this isn’t making things look good for you: it looks like you’re trying to woo Jiang-guniang.”
“You’re supposed to be kind to your mother!” Jin Ling wails. “How else am I supposed to act?”
“Truthfully, it’s less your fault and more Jin-gongzi’s for not being able to hold a conversation with the woman that he likes,” Sizhui says. God, Jingyi loves it when Sizhui’s a judgy bitch.
“Why is fuqin being like this! They aren’t even talking to each other! How are they supposed to fall in love now that I’m in the way, too!” Jin Ling says miserably.
“I mean, maybe, this is how Jin-gongzi flirts,” Sizhui says, trying to be encouraging. “Maybe this is actually how their generation courted each other. Look at my dads. They aren’t talking, either, and this is supposed to be the beginning of their torrid love affair.”
“Hanguang-jun isn’t talking. Wei-qianbei on the other hand…” Zizhen says. “Do you think Wei-qianbei doesn’t realize he’s flirting?”
“There’s no way,” Jin Ling snorts. “Hanguang-jun and dajiu are seated across the room from each other and yet he keeps trying to get Hanguang-jun’s attention with his stupid little paper man. I don’t know how it’s possible, but dajiu is somehow more embarrassing as a teenager than when he was pretending to be Mo Xuanyu.”
“My gods,” Jingyi says, rolling his eyes. “Did you hear Wei-qianbei call Hanguang-jun ‘Ji-xiong’ earlier in class today? What the fuck was that.”
“I thought it was kind of cute, actually,” Sizhui admits.
Zizhen groans, head in his hands. “Gods, same. It’s disgusting how Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun have really ruined romance for us.”
Jin Ling sighs. “Yeah, but you’re right. If they can make it work after such a rocky start, my parents definitely stand a chance.”
+++
“Their engagement was what?!”
“Um, I said their engagement was broken?” says the Jiang disciple, who Jin Ling has cornered in the hallway. Having been the bearer of bad news many times in the past, Jingyi would have more sympathy for the disciple—don’t shoot the messenger and all that—but that’s what they get for blatantly gossiping in the middle of the hallway—at least pretend to have some respect for the rules.
“What do you mean broken?” Jin Ling all but shrieks. The only reason Jin Ling’s not gripping the disciple by the shoulders and shaking them is because he can’t. Jingyi and Sizhui are holding him back.
“Th-they called it off?” the disciple stutters. “Jin-gongzi made some snide comment and then Wei-gongzi rightfully punched him and then Jiang-zongzhu and Jin-zongzhu showed up and decided to break off the engagement and, and, and just, please don’t hurt me.” The disciple’s voice squeaks at the end.
Jin Ling makes a garbled noise of distress. The poor person really is shaking like a leaf now.
Zizhen shoots the disciple a quick smile, reassuring them, “Don’t worry about him! That’s just how he is! You should leave now, while you still can.”
The Jiang disciple scurries off even as Jin Ling struggles against Jingyi and Sizhui, screaming, “Wait, come back, I’m not done asking questions!”
It takes all three of them to wrangle Jin Ling back into the privacy of their quarters. Once they get inside, Sizhui makes Jin Ling take three deep breaths and drink some water. Jin Ling throws his drink back like it’s a shot and chokes a little, like it actually stung, but he no longer seems like he’s going to go on a murderous rampage and burst into tears anymore, so that’s good.
“Is this supposed to happen?” Zizhen asks, nervously.
Neither Sizhui or Jingyi know the answer to that so they look at Jin Ling, who is resting his head on the table.
“I don't actually know,” moans Jin Ling. “Everyone just said it was a love marriage—that they were happy and in love! Nobody ever told me anything about a broken engagement—they’re supposed to be madly in love!”
“Okay, Jin Ling, buddy, I feel for you, but we heard you say in love the first time,” Jingyi can’t help but say even as he strokes up and down Jin Ling’s back.
“Shut up, Jingyi. I’m allowed to have a crisis right now,” Jin Ling says directly to the table.
“If this isn’t supposed to happen, does this mean Jin Ling won’t exist in the future?” Sizhui speculates worriedly.
“Do you think this is happening because of us? Did we mess things up?” Zizhen says frantically. “Did we change the course of time by inadvertently introducing a love triangle into this timeline?”
A realization hits Jingyi. “Wait a second, wait a second. If Jin Ling’s parents don’t get together, does this mean other things will change the rest of the future too? Like, Jin-gongzi wouldn’t ever head to Qiongqi-dao and face Wen-gongzi and then the Battle of Nightless City would never happen either.”
“Maybe, that’s a good thing, though. Like if Wei-qianbei didn’t have to die,” Zizhen says optimistically.
“Hello? I still wouldn’t exist?!” Jin Ling cries.
Zizhen grimaces. “Oh yeah, you’re right.”
“We have to fix it,” Sizhui says, determination etched into his face.
“But how?” Jin Ling says, face turned to the side so he’s no longer speaking into the table. “Me just being here is messing things up.”
Zizhen lets out a small gasp and claps his hands together. “Simple. We’ve got to set them up.”
“Should we?” Jin Ling says, mournfully. “If they don’t even like each other?”
“We know that they have the potential to like each other,” Zizhen says assertively. “Your uncles would not lie to you about their relationship, so things could develop, with the right amount of prodding.”
Jin Ling lifts his head slightly to look helplessly between Zizhen, Sizhui, and Jingyi.
“It’s up to you, Jin Ling,” Sizhui says. “We’ll do what you want.”
“Should we really be trying to mess with the past even more?” Jin Ling asks. “What if things get worse?”
Jingyi thinks it’s slightly rude that when he had his meltdown over Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun not being together, the four of them had let it be, opting for a hands-off approach. But somehow, when it comes to Jin Ling’s panic over Jiang-guniang and Jin-gongzi, suddenly Sizhui and Zizhen are ready to get down and dirty with their scheming? It usually takes multiple attempts at bribery for Jingyi to get either of them onboard with anything this convoluted.
Granted, this is Jin Ling’s life. (Which is why it’s only slightly rude).
But, he sees the logic here. Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang’s marriage is essential for the future that Jingyi knows and loves. Even though the future is full of tragedy, his home is still his. Also, Jingyi would very much prefer not to lose his friend. He’s invested a lot into making Jin Ling a better person, thank you very much.
“What have we got to lose?” Jingyi shrugs. “We’ve already fucked things up.”
A series of emotions flit over Jin Ling’s face, incomprehensible, until his face hardens with resolve. “Attempt the impossible,” he says with a nod, which would be kinda suave and cool of him, but his head is still barely lifted above the table, so his chin hits the wood with an audible thunk.
“Okay, so Operation Get Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli to Like Each Other Enough to Bone so that Jin Ling can Exist is a go,” Jingyi says when he stops laughing.
“Don’t say b—”
“Lan Jingyi!”
+++
“Alright, Jin Ling, tell us what you know.”
“Okay, muqin would always make an extra bowl of soup for fuqin when they were courting during the war. Fuqin was really skilled in archery and muqin fell even more in love with him after she saw him during the archery competition at the Phoenix Mountain night hunt. Fuqin built the lotus pond in Jinlintai for muqin when he asked her to marry him. And then, they had me,” Jin Ling lists. “That’s it.”
“That’s it?” Jingyi asks, somewhat incredulously.
“The fact that I even know that is a miracle in and of itself. Nobody tells me anything,” Jin Ling says with a sniff. “I only learned most of those facts after dajiu came back.”
“That was like three facts, Jin Ling.”
Jin Ling gives Jingyi a look.
“Okay, okay, I just mean, that’s just not a lot to work off of,” Jingyi says, hands held up in the air in surrender. “Especially since nothing you listed happens in this period. What are we supposed to do?”
“That’s alright,” Zizhen says. “We just need to create the right environment for them to fall in love. There’s already so much tension between them, which is great, we just have to nurture that spark into a flame.” Zizhen is such a romantic.
“Spark?” Jin Ling asks. “What do you mean?”
“The tension between Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang! You yourself mentioned it the other day.”
“But, isn’t that, like, bad?” Jin Ling’s brows are furrowed and Jingyi has to agree with him here. He’s not seeing the logic.
“No, no, it would be bad if there was nothing between them. The fact that everything is so fraught between them means that they’re aware of each other in some way. That, we can work with,” Zizhen declares assertively.
“So you’re saying, it’s better that my dad hates my mom than being completely neutral about her,” Jin Ling says, incredulous.
“Yes,” Zizhen responds.
Jin Ling makes an indignant sound.
“Jin Ling, don’t you see? This means we’re not starting from scratch. It’s better that Jin-gongzi feels so strongly about Jiang-guniang because it shows that he must have some kind of feelings about her. We just need to create the optimal setting for those feelings to develop in a more positive, romantic direction—guide them down the right path, in a sense.”
“Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang are always giving each other these long, meaningful glances when they think the other is not paying attention,” Sizhui says, contemplatively. “I’ve actually noticed that Hanguang-jun does the same with Wei-qianbei—well, he looks quite a bit incensed. But if this is how things kicked off for them, then Zizhen might be right.”
Jingyi nods, thinking. Zizhen’s plan is starting to make sense now. Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun are a reliable source material to map their schemes off of. Jingyi might not be as into romance as Zizhen is, but Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun’s love story is Jingyi’s favorite—they make him believe that Zizhen’s books hold some semblance of the truth.
“Okay, so we have to basically make them aware of each other, but in a romantic light?” Jingyi asks. “That seems kind of hard, considering they were already engaged? Is that not romantic enough?”
“Goodness, no! That was dull and dry, set up by their parents and essentially a political alliance. Nothing fun or cute about that. No, what we need is to inject some passion and intrigue into this situation.” Zizhen’s rubbing his hands together. “Gosh, I just knew reading all those romance novels would come in handy one day.”
“You mean memorizing them. You can literally recite them from memory.”
“Psh, semantics! Don’t say this didn’t save your ass later.”
+++
ATTEMPT ONE:
“Are you sure about this, Zizhen?”
“Yes, what seems to be the issue?”
“I don’t know. A letter just doesn’t seem full of the passion and intrigue that you were going on about earlier. Are you sure that this will solve the problem?”
“What do you mean? Letters are the most romantic form of communication there is! They’re a way for you to express all your deepest feelings, the ones you might be too shy to say in person! They’re just dripping with earnest longing! It worked like a charm when Li Zhen finally confessed to Zhang Huang in Romance of the Willow Tree.”
“Alright… if you say so.”
+
“Wait, wait, wait. Why is Wei-qianbei picking up the letter?”
“My gods, did you slip the letter onto the wrong desk?”
“Maybe!!! I was in a rush—I didn’t want us to get caught!”
“Okay, but he’ll see that it’s addressed to Jiang Yanli and pass it along to her right?”
“Uh.”
“Zizhen.”
“What does that mean.”
“Um.”
“Zizhen, please.”
“I don’t remember if the letters are explicitly addressed to either Jin-gongzi or Jiang-guniang.”
“...Why did we not proofread these letters.”
“Zizhen and Sizhui are the ones who possess the brain in this relationship! I trusted them.”
“I was just compiling strings of sentences from a bunch of different novels that I could remember! I didn’t think—”
“Clearly.”
“Zizhen, isn’t that actually kind of impersonal to just copy someone else’s love letter?”
“I chose my favorite novels for this endeavour! They’re incredibly per—”
“Shhh, guys. Wei-qianbei is reading the letter.”
“He’s turning soooo red.”
“Shit, I bet he thinks he has a mystery admirer…”
“Wei-qianbei did always go on about how many people he had falling at his feet in the past, but how nobody ever compared to Hanguang-jun. So maybe in the grand scheme of things, this is actually normal for him and we haven’t completely ruined things? Things are alright?”
“Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang still aren’t together, and won’t ever be at this rate because someone forgot to address the letter! We’re back to square one.”
“Goddammit.”
“Look, Wei-qianbei’s actually tucking the letter away, like he’s trying to keep it. Wei-qianbei doesn’t ever have it together enough to try and keep anything! He always gives his stuff to Hanguang-jun to hold so he doesn’t lose it.”
“Hmm. Interesting. I wonder how this is going to play out.”
“Well, Wei-qianbei’s gone and read the letter now. We can’t do anything to reverse that.”
“Ugh, I just hope that Jin-gongzi didn’t get the letter that we slipped him. That would be awkward.”
+
“Jin-gongzi definitely got the letter.”
“Yeah… It’s pretty obvious. He’s getting so flustered around Jiang-guniang.”
“But, he still won’t even look her in the eye!”
“Oh my gods, why does fuqin have absolutely no game whatsoever. How can anything romantic happen when he can’t even string a sentence together around muqin?”
“But maybe this is salvageable. Jin-gongzi’s attitude toward Jiang-guniang is changing. We just need to get them into a room with each other.”
+
“How could you write something so brazen?” Jin Zixuan’s voice rings from the room.
+
“Okay, so maybe not so salvageable...”
“Let’s be honest, it was a disaster. Who knew this would backfire so badly?”
“I can’t believe that Jin-gongzi would read the letter and think it was some kind of joke.”
“I guess ‘My heart burns for you. Each night in bed, your beauty keeps me tossing and turning restlessly’ was too forward.”
“Zizhen, you wrote that?”
“You’re so red, Jin Ling. Even your ears. Are you a Lan?”
“Don’t tweak them! I can’t believe Zizhen wrote that! That’s—that’s actually so brazen!”
“Just because you Jins are sexually repressed, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t a good letter, Jin Ling!”
“Zizhen, you plagiarized that letter.”
“But it was still a good letter! Ugh, the point is, I actually thought things were going somewhere with Jin-gongzi. It really did seem like he was into the letter. But when Jin-gongzi was actually face to face with Jiang-guniang, he went and just completely shoved his entire foot into his mouth.”
“It feels like Jin-gongzi’s too straight-laced to admit that he’s into it. Like he doesn’t want people to know that he could be a freak in the sheets.”
“Could you PLEASE not speak about my parents in this manner?”
“Calm down, Jin Ling, did no one tell you how you were born? So, you see, when two people love each other very, very much—”
“Shut up.”
“Stop quarreling, please. We likely went at it too strongly. Jumping to a confession was probably too much. Think about Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei. They were courting for years before they confessed to each other.”
“Hmm, you’re right. Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang haven’t really had the opportunity to get to know each other without anyone else interfering.”
“So, we’ve got to let them get to know each other… alright, alright, alright.”
+++
ATTEMPT TWO:
“Wait a second… what’s this?”
“Those are the oars—oh shit, those are the oars.”
“Are you telling me that we just tricked my parents out onto the lake in a boat without ANY OARS?”
“Jin Ling, I was wrong. Please spare me.”
“Is that high-pitched screaming your dad?”
“God, he is so embarrassing.”
“Jin-gongzi should have his sword on him, right?”
“Doesn’t seem like he remembers that he can just fly away.”
“Guys, guys, guys, look. Jiang-guniang is touching him!”
“Okay, but soothing circles on the back to calm someone down from an anxiety attack hardly counts as sexy. And we need sexy vibes if they’re going to get it on enough to make Jin Ling later down the road.”
“Once again, I am asking you to please consider my mental health and well-being when you talk about my parents in this manner in front of me?”
“Sorry, buddy, but that’s the whole point of our scheme.”
“Well, that didn’t last very long at all. Your mom is kind of a badass, Jin Ling. Look at how expertly she’s getting them back to shore.”
“Of course, she knows how to deal with being on a lake. This isn’t child’s play.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re from Yunmeng. We know.”
“Wow, I cannot believe Jin-gongzi just ran away. He didn’t even say thank you to Jiang-guniang for getting them to shore!”
“Ugh, this didn’t pan out well at all. Perhaps, we need to get Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang to spend time together in a more neutral setting.”
+++
ATTEMPT THREE:
“Why is Jin-gongzi showing up to dinner with Hanguang-jun in tow?”
“I don’t know, but it looks like Jiang-guniang’s shown up with Wei-qianbei herself…”
“What exactly did you write in the letter?”
“I wrote ‘Congratulations, you’ve just won a dinner for two at Caiyi’s most illustrious restaurant!’”
“Well, we most certainly did not learn our lesson about proofreading each other’s work... They must’ve thought they could each bring a plus-one.”
“My gods. We’ve just accidentally set them up on a double date.”
“Do you think we have enough money to cover dinner for four? We only budgeted for the two of them.”
“I sure hope so…”
“But in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a bad thing, right? Two couples, one stone.”
+
“Well, that was a disaster.”
“I’m getting a real sense of déjà vu here.”
“I’m just surprised that Wei-qianbei didn’t goad Jin-gongzi into another fight.”
“With Wei-qianbei’s constant ribbing? I honestly wouldn’t have blamed Jin-gongzi for throttling him when Wei-qianbei asked if Jin-gongzi if he swung both ways, because the way you’re staring at me is like, giving me serious vibes, dude, and I think that’s saying something.”
“Nice impression of Wei-qianbei.”
“Thanks, I’ve been perfecting it.”
“Dajiu is so fucking annoying sometimes. Did he really feel the need to jump in each time fuqin even tried to speak to muqin?”
“Imagine if he knew he was preventing his favorite nephew from being born; he’d be so ashamed of himself for cockblocking your existence.”
“I’m his only nephew—”
“Same difference.”
“—I just don’t understand how Hanguang-jun puts up with him, honestly.”
“The power of love and all that.”
“Hanguang-jun didn’t even seem to be enjoying himself at dinner! It’s technically their first date!”
“If I were in his shoes and that was my first date, I’d want a do-over.”
“Gosh, he was so mad. I don’t think he even unclenched his hands long enough to pick up his chopsticks.”
“What do you mean? He was so flustered that Wei-qianbei kept flirting with him.”
“I also thought Hanguang-jun was having a good time, even though it did not seem like he was willing to admit it.”
“Did we just watch the same double date play out? What are you guys on?”
“Didn’t you notice how Hanguang-jun kept ordering the spiciest dishes on the menu?”
“They’re not even that spicy.”
“Jin Ling, your palate is truly terrifying.”
“What’s terrifying is the way you Lans express yourselves. It’s a miracle we’re even friends.”
“Yeah, realize how fortunate you are that we put up with you.”
“Speaking of friendships, I didn’t realize Jin-gongzi and Hanguang-jun were friends.”
“Me neither. I would have never thought they’d get along, but I guess they both do seem like miserable, suffer-in-silence types.”
“Poor them, both stuck on a date with their future spouses and being completely unable to even hold a conversation.”
“More like poor Jiang-guniang. We keep inflicting horrible situations onto her. I’m feeling so apologetic to her right now.”
“What’s incredible is the way that she kept her face so neutral throughout dinner, even though you could just tell that she was like why am I here.”
“She did leave the second that she finished the meal.”
“I thought she would at least wait for Wei-qianbei to finish too.”
“I need to talk to her later and somehow ask about how she manages to do that. I too would like to be able to leave situations I don’t want to be in without offending anyone. That’s talent.”
“The thing is, I can’t tell who she was most annoyed at. Wei-qianbei for continually riling everyone up, or Jin-gongzi for complaining endlessly about how the food didn’t compare to the cuisine they have in Lanling, or Hanguang-jun for being completely silent throughout.”
“Likely all of them.”
“At least Jin-gongzi seemed a bit apologetic about how he’d treated Jiang-guniang previously. That’s progress, right?”
“Guys, this is hopeless. I give up.”
“Jin Ling, you literally won’t exist if we give up.”
“And maybe, that’s fine.”
“One: shut up. Two: shut the fuck up. There’s no world in which that would be fine.”
“But we set everything up for them—private table, candles, music, the whole shebang! And nothing came of it! What more can we do?!”
“...”
“See? Even Zizhen’s stumped!”
“No, no. I was just thinking. Maybe we’re the problem.”
“Isn’t that what I was saying?”
“I mean, our ideas—”
“Yours. They’re yours. I claim no credit for this.”
“—aren’t working. But maybe, someone else’s ideas would… I think we need to recruit some help.”
“But who?”
+++
“Alright, listen up, freaks,” Luo-guniang says as if it pains her to do so. “I don’t know why you’re all so invested in my friend’s relationship problems, but I do actually want to see Zixuan happy with the girl he likes so I’m willing to help.”
“So he does actually like her,” Jin Ling says, his whole body slumping with relief as he covers his face with his hands. “Oh, thank gods.”
Luo-guniang looks alarmed at Jin Ling’s reaction. She’s probably judging them for being completely maniacs about this whole situation—the fact that they cornered her into this room probably does not help with them coming off as normal. Ordinarily, Jingyi would care more about making someone as cool as Luo-guniang thinking he’s cool, but right now that seems like something rather shallow to be worried about, especially when the stakes are this high. And, hopefully, she won’t remember his face sixteen years into the future if they ever meet again.
“Thank you so much for agreeing to help, Luo-guniang,” Sizhui says, emphatically with a nod, gratitude clear from the tone of his voice.
“Yes! You have no idea how appreciative we are,” Jingyi adds, relieved that their gamble had paid off. The four of them, after much deliberation, had decided to go to her because they figured that she knew Jin-gongzi well enough to figure out how to get him to cooperate with them—and stop acting like a dick in their schemes. That and they couldn’t think of anyone else who might also be Jin-gongzi’s friend and know how to court someone in a way that wouldn’t take sixteen-plus years to manifest into a relationship (sorry Hanguang-jun, you’re still the best though!).
Luo-guniang gives him a weird look. She is definitely judging them.
“Again, your investment in this relationship is unnatural and concerning. I would ask why, but I’m worried that the answer is even weirder, potentially even scarring, so please don’t tell me. Just tell me what you’ve tried.”
The four of them proceed to haphazardly tell her about their attempts at setting Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang up. It takes a while, given how none of them can seem to get a full sentence across without another one interjecting to provide more context or qualify their decision in some way. There’s also a moment where things get a little dicey because Zizhen, in his excitement, forgets that the whole time travel thing is a secret and almost spills the beans, but luckily Jingyi manages to cut him off in time. Throughout it all, Luo-guniang seems amused with a twinkle in her eye, as if they’re just here for her entertainment. Jingyi is a bit worried that she’s not taking them seriously, given how inane everything they’re telling her sounds, but by the time they finish, Luo-guniang’s expression has changed to one of serious appraisal.
“This clearly matters a lot to you all,” Luo-guniang settles on saying, after some thought.
“Yes,” Jin Ling confirms with the authority that he’s already grown into during his few years as sect leader. “I don’t say this to sound dramatic, but to me it is as important as a matter of life or death.”
“Well, thank you for coming to me for advice and trusting me enough to help, then,” Luo-guniang says, surprisingly considerate, and with far more politeness than Jingyi would expect from a Jin disciple, given his past experience.
“Oh, it’s not something you should be thanking us for,” Zizhen protests. “Quite the opposite! We welcome any and all advice you would be kind enough to give.”
“We’re not really sure what else to do. Everything we do seems to fall apart,” Sizhui says, mouth pulled into a taut line. Jingyi knows that it’s not obvious to anyone who doesn’t know him, but from the Sizhui’s microscopic frown, he can tell that Sizhui’s far more frustrated and stressed about the situation than he’s trying to let on.
“Well, after hearing about all your insane schemes, it’s no wonder you haven’t had any success.” Luo-guniang laughs softly, shaking her head in disbelief. “You’re operating on the assumption that Zixuan knows how to act like a normal human being. Most people would try and take being placed into an unexpected situation in stride, but Zixuan completely shuts down and he falls back onto his worst traits to cope. Despite the fact that he’s actually a massive romantic.”
“Jin-gongzi, a… romantic?” Zizhen says hesitantly.
Luo-guniang nods her head. “Yeah, most people wouldn’t think it. But Zixuan’s a bumbling fool in love. Being vulnerable just is not his strong suit, he thinks it’s completely mortifying—” which, honestly? Jingyi gets that “—so he goes about things by trying to play it cool.”
“If he’s so in love, why did he have such a negative reaction to the engagement?” Jin Ling questions, cautious but hopeful.
“Oh, I’m actually so glad you asked,” Luo-guniang says. “I never get to talk about this since nobody ever asks.” She rests her weight onto her arms and leans forward towards the rest of them over the table.
And oh man, Jingyi knows what that means. Luo-guniang is down to gossip. Bless.
“Yeah?” Jingyi prompts, leaning in as well.
“Everyone assumes Zixuan’s reaction to his engagement was because he thinks he’s too good to marry someone like Jiang-guniang, but it’s actually because he ended up liking her so much.”
“What.” Jin Ling’s eyebrows are practically knotted together.
“Initially, Zixuan acted so pissily about the engagement because he was mad that his fate was being chosen for him. The fool was so enamoured by the idea of having a happy family, he wanted to choose someone to marry for himself. By the time he actually met Jiang-guniang, he’d thrown such a fuss with his parents that he was embarrassed to admit that he actually really, really liked his fiancée.”
“So he doubled down,” Sizhui concludes.
“Yep, like a dumbass.” Luo-guniang leans so she’s resting her head on one hand. The corners of her lips twitch upwards like she’s recalling something particularly funny. “Boy, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Zixuan’s lack of basic communication skills, coupled with the fact that Jiang-guniang thinks that Zixuan only tolerates her, makes for bad matchmaking.”
“And what would make for good matchmaking, then?” Jingyi asks. Don’t get him wrong, he’s fascinated by this insight into Jin-gongzi’s character, but he’s also getting a little impatient with all this backstory; when are they going to get to the actual advice part of this conversation?
“Well, Zixuan is always going to be an idiot, so you can’t really change that. You’ve got to work on changing their perceptions of the situation, instead. Zixuan comes off as haughty and stuck up if you don’t know his motivations, but when you realize he’s completely enamoured by Jiang-guniang, it’s endearing how unable to hold it together he gets when he’s around her—at least, I think so. Hopefully she’ll think the same. But Zixuan’s never outwardly expressed any interest or taken any initiative on his own. And any time that they have spent together, either their parents forced them to or they were tricked into it by you guys.” Luo-guniang shrugs. “It’s no wonder things aren’t clicking. It’s hard for romance to bloom when you think the other person can’t stand you. Anyways, essentially, my advice is that you need to take a more direct approach with Zixuan, otherwise you’ll get nowhere with him.”
“So you’re saying that we just need to get him to be honest with his feelings?” Jin Ling asks, skeptically.
“Why haven’t you told him that?” Jingyi blurts out before he can stop himself.
Luo-guniang makes an indignant sound. “You think I haven’t? He never listens. As painful as it is to watch him continue to make an ass out of himself, I’m not his keeper. That man is responsible for his own actions. I can’t be bothered to clean up his mess.”
“But then, if he’s not listening to you, why would he listen to us? How would we even get him to change his ways?” Zizhen says.
“That’s not on me to figure out.” Luo-guniang tells them cheerfully. “I can get Zixuan to come here and talk to you guys, but the rest is on you. Personally, I think you have your work cut out for you. Zixuan shuts down the second you make him talk about his feelings—repression is one of his top ten skills. Maybe even top three.”
“But you’ve clearly talked to him about this,” Jin Ling says.
“Yeah, but I’m his friend,” Luo-guniang points out. “He would implode if he didn’t get to wax lyrical about Jiang-guniang’s beauty and grace to someone, and at this point, he’s no longer embarrassed around me. It’s practically my job to embarrass him.”
“We’ll keep that in mind and take the evening to strategize our plan of action, but could you convince Jin-gongzi to meet us here tomorrow at the same time?” Sizhui says.
“Sure, I’ll get Zixuan to come here,” Luo-guniang says, stretching out her arms before getting up from her seat. “Truthfully, I’m somewhat excited to see how you four decide to take this on.”
“Thanks again for your help,” Zizhen says with a nod.
“It was nothing at all. My pleasure, really,” Luo-guniang dismisses with a wave of the hand before she turns to leave. She slides the door open, but pauses before she exits the room. She turns back towards them and says, “So, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian?”
“Oh, uh.” Shit, so they did accidentally reveal something they shouldn’t have when they were telling her their story. Jingyi racks his mind, trying to remember what they’d said. Nothing about time travel, he doesn’t think and—oh shit, Jingyi did say he was surprised Hanguang-jun didn’t crush the cup in his hand as Wei-qianbei shamelessly flirted with him on the accidental double date, but it was a comment that he’d made in such passing that Jingyi didn’t think that’d give them away!
“I see,” Luo-guniang says, sounding satisfied. “Thank you for sharing that. I was suspicious, but Zixuan told me I was just making stuff up in my quest for drama, so I’m glad to feel validated in my assessment of the situation. Well, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Luo-guniang leaves, sliding the door shut behind her.
“Wow, she gets it,” Jingyi says, after a moment of stunned silence. “Will literally every person realize their relationship is inevitable except for Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei?”
+++
“What did you bring me here for?” Jin-gongzi finally asks, scowling. They’ve been sitting in the room in silence for what feels like ten years, although realistically it’s more like five minutes. Normally Jingyi would try to fill the silence—how are you a Lan, again? Jin Ling sometimes asks—but they’d agreed last night that they should let Jin-gongzi initiate the conversation in order to give him some semblance of control. Jin-gongzi has spent the silence glaring at them, eyes flitting between the four of them as if he wants each of them to know how unhappy he is, although he rested most of his attention on Jin Ling. Jin Ling is managing to hold his own from being on the receiving end of Jin-gongzi’s glare, but every so often he starts chewing his bottom lip nervously—a tic he’d forced himself to outgrow when he became sect leader—before catching himself and forcing himself to stop. “Why are they here?” Jin-gongzi demands.
“They want to help you with your relationship woes,” Luo-guniang says, looking like she’s enjoying herself from where she’s leaning on the wall in the corner of the room.
Jin-gongzi drops his glare and gasps. “Mianmian, did you tell—”
“No,” Luo-guniang cuts him off, rolling her eyes. “Do you really have so little faith in me?”
“Then how—?”
“We, uh, already knew,” Zizhen says delicately.
“How?” Jin-gongzi gasps out, barely audible. Jin-gongzi looks like he’d appreciate it if the ground swallowed him whole. Jingyi should have known that Jin Ling’s dad would be as dramatic as he is.
None of them say anything, and Jin-gongzi seems to fill in the gaps himself.
“Is it really that obvious?” he asks, face turning a sickly shade of pale.
Jingyi nods, because even though they technically didn’t have confirmation that Jin-gongzi actually liked Jiang-guniang until they talked to Luo-guniang yesterday, it really is that obvious once you reframe Jin-gongzi’s tongue-tied awkwardness around Jiang-guniang as being caused by hopeless infatuation rather than snobbishness.
“How mortifying,” Jin-gongzi groans. “She’s never going to like me now.”
Sizhui looks to the ceiling. “Heavens above.”
Which, yeah, if Sizhui is having that reaction… This is going to be a struggle. Wei-qianbei punching Jin-gongzi is starting to look like an entirely reasonable response now.
+++
Some time later, Jin Ling drags his chair so that he’s seated directly in front of Jin-gongzi and places both his hands on his shoulders.
“Listen.” Jin Ling doesn’t say bitch, but from the tone of his voice he might as well have.
Jin-gongzi glances down at Jin Ling’s hands with an affronted look on his face before looking back up at Jin Ling. “I do not have to.” For some reason, though, he doesn’t shake Jin Ling off.
Maybe it’s because they’ve been in this godforsaken room for the last two and a half hours, going around in circles with Jin-gongzi. Jingyi was starting to think that it was impossible, but perhaps they’ve finally begun to wear him down.
They are at their wit’s end with Jin-gongzi. In the time since, they’ve managed to bully him into agreeing to consider cooperating with them, but he’s thrown back every plan that they’ve suggested in their face, shooting them down as too tacky, forgettable, not extravagant enough, and Jingyi is going to be experiencing major hair loss at the end of this. Yeah, maybe Zizhen’s idea to write Jiang-guniang a poem was a bit tame, but he didn’t even consider Jingyi’s own idea about serenading Jiang-guniang, immediately dismissing it as over the top and too public. Luo-guniang even left for at least half an hour in between and returned with an apple, saying I see we’ve made no progress, typical of Zixuan. Seems like even though she hadn’t been planning on sticking around for long, she was enjoying the show too much.
Now, Luo-guniang shoots them all a pointed look. “This is what you signed up for, don’t forget.”
“How on Earth do you deal with this every day?” Jingyi asks. Luo-guniang should get paid for her service of being Jin-gongzi’s friend. Gods only know how inane Jin-gongzi would be without her influence.
“I tune most of it out, honestly,” Luo-guniang answers, munching on her apple. “But Zixuan’s a good friend, otherwise. He’s just impossible around someone he likes. Which has made this whole summer somewhat unbearable, actually.”
“Mianmian.”
“You’re trying your best and I applaud you for that, babe,” Luo-guniang says, which is entirely too kind of an assessment. Jin-gongzi deserves zero applause—what he’s doing hardly counts as trying! “But they’re right. If you don’t do anything, nothing is going to happen between you and Jiang-guniang.”
“How about,” Sizhui says, sounding like he’s at the end of his rope. “you just tell her?”
Jin-gongzi turns his head to look at Sizhui over Jin Ling’s shoulder. “What do you mean just tell her?”
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Jingyi replies, thinking about what he’s heard of Wei-qianbei’s own famous confession. “You sit down and say, Jiang-guniang. I like you, I fancy you, I want you, I whatever you. No scheming, just the simple truth.”
“I can’t—I can’t just say that,” Jin-gongzi hisses, sounding scandalized. His entire face is beet red. “That’s—that’s not something you can just do.”
“Oh my gods.”
Jingyi will forever be impressed that Jin Ling doesn’t shake Jin-gongzi back and forth by the shoulders. Jin Ling does, however, tighten his grip enough on Jin-gongzi’s shoulder that he goes, “Hey! Watch it. I’m putting up with a lot here.”
Jin-gongzi thinks he’s putting up with a lot here? Jingyi’s scalp, taut with pain from wringing his own hair, begs to differ.
Zizhen leans over and tugs one of Jin Ling’s arms, and Jin Ling releases his grip, throwing his hands up in the air. “Whatever you say, dad—Uh, dad, dad, daddy-o.” Jin Ling quickly transitions from frustrated to flustered as he attempts to cover his slip up.
Luo-guniang glances quizzically at Jin Ling, but doesn’t say anything. Jin-gongzi seems not to have noticed, too harried at the thought of having to be honest about his feelings.
“Okay, okay,” Zizhen says, placatingly. “So maybe it’s a little hard to just tell someone you like them, right off the bat. If it makes you feel more comfortable, why don’t you show her how you feel through your actions—something like, giving her a gift?”
“Gifts. I can do that. I can do gifts,” Jin-gongzi responds eagerly, like he’s willing to do anything if it’ll get him out of having to actually talk to Jiang-guniang.
Which, why hadn’t they figured out that the way to get Jin-gongzi to do things was by threatening him with the far worse alternative of being vulnerable with his feelings? Jingyi could have saved himself like half a head of hair if they’d realized this even an hour ago.
“But, it has to be natural—I don’t want it to look like I’m desperate or trying too hard,” Jin-gongzi amends quickly.
“It has to look…” Sizhui repeats, trailing off incredulously. He closes his eyes and breathes slowly through his nose. “Yes, we can do that. We can figure it out. We can find a way for Jin-gongzi to give Jiang-guniang a gift in an incredibly natural way, without the need for him to put any effort in.”
They’ve got to wrap this up soon, or else Sizhui will Lose It. The last time that happened, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Yao-zongzhu still won’t look Sizhui in the eye to this very day.
Jingyi bites his thumb as he thinks. Romantic, but not trying too hard. Casual, but effective. A low-key gesture… And then it hits him—“The sky lantern ceremony!” he exclaims. “It’s tomorrow!”
“Sky lantern ceremony?” Jin-gongzi repeats, eyes narrowed into skeptical slits—but he hasn’t shot them down immediately, which is a promising start.
“Ohhh, yeah, that’s perfect,” Zizhen agrees, ignoring Jin-gongzi, which is probably wise—if there’s anything they’ve learned in the last two hours, you just can’t reason with the man.
“It minimizes the need for Jin-gongzi to talk as well,” Sizhui says, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Jiang-guniang would know the implication of him offering his lantern to her.”
“Implication?” Jin-gongzi repeats again.
“He could draw a lotus for Yunmeng,” Jin Ling suggests. “It’s very neutral. Can’t go wrong with that.”
“A lotus?” Jin-gongzi asks, frustrated.
“And if she accepts his lantern, they’re guaranteed to be together forever,” Jingyi jokes.
Jin-gongzi blinks and says, slowly, voice a little mystified, “Forever?” Then he shakes himself like he’s trying not to get distracted. “What are you going on about? Am I missing something? What’s this about the sky lantern festival?”
The four of them finally turn to look at him. Jin-gongzi no longer looks skeptical, but genuinely baffled. So, he wasn’t just asking questions to nitpick and be his generally unhelpful self.
“You know? The superstition about giving your crush a lantern during the ceremony?” Jingyi says, waving his hand in the air. When he’s met with blank faces from both Jin-gongzi and Luo-guniang, he elaborates further, “If your crush accepts the lantern you’ve made and you release it into the sky together, your love will be blessed and you’ll live happily together—” Jingyi catches himself from nearly saying just like Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei, “—forever, even into your next lives? No? Not ringing any bells?”
“Into your next lives…” Jin-gongzi says, eyes unfocused, looking off into the far distance a bit dreamily. Luo-guniang leans over and flicks him with her forefinger.
“Focus. Don’t waste their time with your indulgent fantasies,” Luo-guniang reprimands.
“Ow!” Jin-gongzi whines as he rubs the back of his head before turning towards the rest of them. He clears his throat. “I’ve never heard of this ritual before.”
“Oh, is that not how things work now—” Jin Ling says, stupidly, before cutting himself off because Zizhen has narrowed his eyes at Jin Ling.
“You may not have heard of it,” Zizhen says, towards Jin-gongzi while pointedly facing Jin Ling, his face drawn into what Jingyi would describe as the most polite don’t fuck this up for us, Jin Ling face that he’s seen. “But it’s a really popular tradition. Everyone does it because it’s the perfect setup: sunset, pretty lights, beautiful scenery—what else could you ask for? And since it’s a ceremony that everyone is obligated to be at, you wouldn’t even have to do something, ah, demeaning like invite her to attend with you.”
Even though this tradition doesn’t seem to have been invented yet, Zizhen is technically telling the truth. The sky lantern ceremony does actually double as one of the most romantic nights of the year in Cloud Recesses—sixteen years into the future, at least. It’s a night eagerly anticipated by all, where courting culminates in confessions and canoodling (and if you’re Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun, who never fail to use the ceremony to celebrate the anniversary of the end of their first summer spent together, scarring the junior disciples with their exhibitionism).
Luo-guniang has an eyebrow raised, but all she does is helpfully point out, “It is our first summer in Gusu, Zixuan. We’re still unfamiliar with all the customs of the area.”
“If everyone does it, though, it’s not classy enough, right?” Jin-gongzi protests, but it’s a question rather than a statement and his haughty expression has morphed into one of worry.
“Everyone does it because it’s basically guaranteed to work,” Jingyi reassures. They’re so close to getting through with Jin-gongzi, he can practically taste it. “A hundred-percent success rate for any and all confessions.”
And now, Jingyi is definitely stretching the truth, but the sky lantern ceremony does have what is probably statistically unlikely rates of success. Maybe it’s because there’s something in the air during the night of the sky lantern ceremony, or maybe it’s because after a whole summer of flirting, people know who they’re going to be lighting their lanterns with, only bothering to ask when they’re certain that the other party will accept—whatever it is, the sky lantern ceremony has a proven track record of producing new couples, not to mention helping old couples keep the spark alive. Looking at you, Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei.
The night has almost become a cliche at this point. There have been some very sappy confessions, especially in the years since Wei-qianbei came back; each year a new boisterous young person in love attempts to outperform the extravagance of the year prior. Last year some Nie disciple had convinced Hanguang-jun to play Wangji qin while the disciple professed his love to a guniang from a new sect (you know it’s a night of romance when even Hanguang-jun is indulgent; not that it takes much these days to convince him to do anything if you’ve already gotten Wei-qianbei on board). But there are also the milder and simpler confessions, following the tried and true formula of offering a lantern with a drawing that represents the other person before writing your names side by side together and releasing the white paper lanterns into the sky.
It is one of Jingyi’s favorite times of the year, not only because they have enough gossip—ahem, cultivation world updates—fodder to last the next few months after all the other students leave, but because the night seems magical in and of itself. Something about seeing everyone so happy makes his heart tight in his chest and he feels so full, surrounded by all the joy and love. But don’t tell Zizhen that, and especially don’t tell Jin Ling; if they ever find out how much of a sap he gets about it, he knows he’ll never live it down. But it's still wordlessly understood why Jingyi's best friends come visit Cloud Recesses at summer's end every year, without fail. (And honestly, it’s not Jingyi’s fault that at this point Sizhui, who he’s been releasing a lantern with since childhood, would be offended if Jingyi didn’t share a lantern with him and Jin Ling and Zizhen.)
“My own parents released a lantern together when they were teenagers attending shifu’s class for the first time,” Sizhui tells Jin-gongzi. “Their love weathered various trials, staying strong and steadfast across numerous years despite…” Sizhui's voice wavers and he swallows, “the distance between them when they were separated.”
“Thank you for sharing,” Luo-guniang says kindly.
Jin-gongzi is quiet for a long moment before he opens and closes his mouth and then opens it again. “Are you sure,” is all he says.
Jin Ling nods enthusiastically. “Yes. It’s simple, but clear and direct.”
“What if she says no?” Jin-gongzi’s voice comes out sounding rather small.
Jingyi thinks about how each year since Wei-qianbei has come back, he’s watched Wei-qianbei draw a rabbit for Hanguang-jun on their lantern, his tongue sticking out of his mouth and brow furrowed in concentration. How Hanguang-jun’s mouth ticks upwards into a small smile that he reserves only for Wei-qianbei when Wei-qianbei bounds up to him and says Surprise! Lan Zhan, remember when?
How, even though everyone says that Wei-qianbei is the one who takes and takes and takes in their relationship, taking advantage of Hanguang-jun and leading him astray, nobody else does things like that for Hanguang-jun. Nobody else looks at Hanguang-jun and says ah Lan Zhan, you’re tired, let’s go rest? Or Look at what I got from the marketplace, this hairpin is so cute, perfect for my cute husband.
How it wasn’t until Wei-qianbei came to Cloud Recesses that Hanguang-jun truly became happy. Not that Jingyi had realized anything was wrong previously—Hanguang-jun had always been kind and caring and giving, but not... content in the way Jingyi is familiar with now: his relaxed posture at dinner as Jingyi and Wei-qianbei chatter while the rest of the family actually observes the rules of silence, how even though Wei-qianbei is the one to drape himself all over Hanguang-jun, Hanguang-jun leans into his hold. Sometimes, Hanguang-jun even sleeps in, the two of them arriving at breakfast together, moving languidly like they have all the time in the world.
How Hanguang-jun’s walls only ever seem to come down around Wei-qianbei, how Hanguang-jun properly became a real person to Jingyi, rather than someone to idolise, when Wei-qianbei came back—vulnerable, delicate, human.
And now, Jingyi thinks about Jiang-guniang, who has been unreadable the last few weeks or so as she’s endured the fallout around her engagement with incredible grace, holding her head up high even when halls were abuzz with the news. Who had sat through dinner with Jin-gongzi, face devoid of emotion, devoid of the pleasant smile she shares so easily with everyone just like she did on their first night when she’d smiled so kindly at them, making them feel more at home.
“She might say no,” Jingyi admits and he continues, even though the rest of the room is staring at him like they want him to shut up, “but she deserves to know that things didn’t fall apart because you don’t like her. At the very least, it would probably make her feel better. It seems like she’s been a bit sad lately.”
“Sad?” Jin Zixuan’s brow furrows into a knot. “I’ve made her sad?”
“It’s scary to think of how you might be rebuffed, but that fear and pain goes both ways, and you’ve just turned her down in a very public way,” Sizhui says, picking up on the point Jingyi is trying to make. “She’s probably feeling very rejected and maybe a little hurt right now.”
“I didn’t mean—” Jin-gongzi starts then stops. “I would never try to hurt her,” he says miserably.
“We’re not saying that what happened was on purpose,” Sizhui continues, “But your actions had an impact, and Jiang-guniang is suffering from the consequences of the broken engagement. Now that you know, though, you have an opportunity to make things clear with her before you head back home to Lanling.”
“I don’t want her to go back to Yunmeng thinking that I hate her. That’s the last thing I want,” Jin-gongzi says, voice teetering on the edge of despair.
“You’ve got to tell her, then,” Jin Ling says.
“Sometimes that’s the risk you have to take for love. It’s vulnerable, but brave too,” Zizhen adds.
“I could do that,” Jin-gongzi says, straightening his posture and sticking his chin out a little. “I can be brave.”
“Good for you, A-Xuan,” Luo-guniang says, sounding genuinely proud of her friend.
“Great!” Zizhen says. “Now, we just need to coach you through what to say to her.”
“Alright, fine,” Jin-gongzi groans, which warrants celebration. Fuck the rules, Jingyi’ll be making the four of them drink tonight.
+++
“Guys, do you think we’re stuck here forever?” Zizhen says abruptly.
Jingyi blinks at him. They’ve finished talking to Jin-gongzi and Luo-guniang for the day (finally) and are in the midst of a late mid-day meal.
“Like, we have finally gotten Jin-gongzi onboard with Operation Sky Lantern Ceremony, so barring some kind of disaster—” Which is actually fairly likely, in Jingyi’s opinion. They shouldn’t go counting their chickens before they’ve hatched. He interrupts Zizhen to say so, but Zizhen shakes his head and persists, “—we’ll have made the past right again and Jin Ling will still exist. And if this plan doesn’t work, we’ll try something else. There’s no way we would give up until things were right again, but does that matter if we can’t get back home?”
Sizhui chews before swallowing. “I have been considering that possibility as well.”
It’s also something that Jingyi has been thinking about. It’s nearing a month since they’ve arrived in the past. And the question of how they’ll get back home has been lingering in the corner of his mind—everyone’s mind probably, but nobody's been brave enough to voice that fear out loud, until now.
“It has to be possible,” Jin Ling insists. “We got here somehow, there has to be some way to reverse the process and go home. We can’t—we can’t continue to stay here; what if we, like, run into ourselves? As children? That’d be too much.”
“I believe Jin Ling is right. There must be some mechanism—cultivation technique or otherwise—that will help us go back to the future. It’s just about finding out how,” Sizhui affirms. “After Jin-gongzi and Jiang-guniang are together again, that’ll be the next step we’ll take. We’ll figure out a plan to get back to the right time.”
“Are you worried about it, Zizhen?” Jingyi asks. There has to be a reason that Zizhen has broken their silence on the subject and brought it up so abruptly.
“I just—I miss home.” Zizhen’s whole face scrunches up and he begins to blink rapidly, even though Jingyi knows that’s not going to do anything to stop the tears that will soon streak his face.
“Oh,” Jingyi says, a lump suddenly in his throat. “Me too.” Jingyi scrambles up so that he can wrap Zizhen into his arms, not caring that their food is going to grow cold. Zizhen is always the first one to insist on giving them all hugs; sometimes Jingyi forgets that Zizhen needs to be on the receiving end of one too.
Zizhen begins to cry, hiccuping quietly into Jingyi’s embrace as he holds him through it. Jingyi feels Jin Ling and Sizhui shift to come near them, Sizhui bringing a hand to rest on Zizhen so that he knows he’s there too, Jin Ling grumbling quietly about how if Zizhen was upset, he should have told them earlier.
Zizhen cries easily and freely—one time he teared up when he saw a duck leading its ducklings across the path they were traveling on, watching them until he was sure they all made it to the lake adjacent. They’re a family, he’d said weepily. It happens so frequently that Jingyi forgets sometimes that it’s because Zizhen feels things so deeply, so intensely. But Zizhen hasn’t cried since their first night here—none of them have, but it’s atypical of Zizhen to go over a week without shedding at least a few tears.
“Zizhen, you’ve been so strong,” Jingyi murmurs, and Zizhen blows his nose into Jingyi’s sleeve in response. It’s gross and disgusting, but Zizhen gets a pass—it's not like Jingyi hasn't cried all over Zizhen's robes himself several times over the years.
Zizhen pushes himself up and out of Jingyi’s embrace, blinking up to the ceiling as he wipes the tears from his face. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” he says.
“You clearly aren’t,” Jin Ling points out as he wipes Zizhen’s face with a handkerchief that he’s procured from his sleeve.
“It’s okay even if you aren’t,” Sizhui says gently. “We all know how you feel. The last few weeks have been disorienting to say the least.”
Zizhen sniffles as he says, “It’s not that I’m upset to be stuck here with you three of all people—in fact, I'm really glad to be on this insane journey with you all, but it’s just been hard to be here. I don’t mean any disrespect towards your families, but as someone not from one of the major sects, everything makes me feel so out of place.”
Jingyi, Jin Ling, and Sizhui exchange a look. Back home, in their time, the cultivation world has made strides towards tearing down its exclusive walls, accepting the minor sects, in large part due to the policy changes that Sizhui and Zizhen—supported by the new Jin-zongzhu and Hanguang-jun—have pushed for. One of them, crucially, being that anyone could now be invited to come study at Cloud Recesses.
There had never previously been any rule that explicitly excluded minor sects or rogue cultivators from sending their children to Cloud Recesses for summer lectures, but the expectation of lavish gifts in offering of thanks for Gusu Lan’s hospitality, coupled with the fact that families outside of sects could barely afford a loss of working hands during the summer, had been prohibitive all the same. With Jin Ling, it had taken Wei-qianbei’s resurrection for Jingyi and Sizhui to meet him because Jiang Wanyin had refused to send him to Cloud Recesses to study—but that had been a personal decision. Zizhen, as one of five siblings, never had the luxury of a choice—the Ouyang sect, struggling to recover in the wake of the Sunshot Campaign, had only been able to send Zizhen’s eldest brother, who was then tasked with bringing the knowledge to the rest of his family.
Jingyi has never felt as out of place in Cloud Recesses as he does now. But even then, he knows what’s to be expected of him, the implicit rules of decorum around juniors and seniors. He’s comforted by the knowledge that at least he knows some version of class here at Cloud Recesses. Zizhen has never walked these halls before and now has to deal with the cliques, the strict expectations and pressures of class, and the fallout from peers if he fails to perform.
“I’m so sorry, Zizhen,” Sizhui says. “We should have checked in with you sooner. It’s your first time in Cloud Recesses as a student, after all.”
“It’s not your fault,” Zizhen says, wetly. “I’m sorry for crying.”
“Don’t apologize,” Jingyi tells him as Jin Ling presses a cup of water into Zizhen’s hands. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for.”
“I know, I just remember thinking that ge was so lucky,” Zizhen blubbers on, “that he got to go all the way to Cloud Recesses to study. When he told me that he had a difficult time, I didn’t really get it back then, I didn’t get how it could be hard, but now—I feel so uncomfortable here sometimes.”
Jingyi kicks Jin Ling in the shin, lightly, prompting him to say something. Jin Ling shoots him a glare before saying, “That sucks,” very unhelpfully.
“Yeah, it does,” Zizhen says, simply. “Thanks for listening. I just feel like such a mess, and I have you guys. I can’t imagine showing up and being all alone here, like ge was.”
“We’ll always be here for you,” Sizhui reassures. “You don’t suffer silently and alone. You take care of us and we want to do the same in return.”
“Sizhui is right, Zizhen,” Jingyi says. “And you think you’re a mess? Just look at us, Zizhen—even Sizhui is hopeless when it comes to making an edible meal without you there.”
Zizhen lets out a snotty laugh as Sizhui rests an arm around him, stroking his hair.
“There’s no way we would have lasted one day without you here,” Jin Ling says.
“Oh gods, even though all my plans sucked?” Zizhen says, but the usual twinkle in his eyes is back, the corners of his eyes crinkled.
“Imagine how much worse we would be if you hadn’t been here. Jiang-guniang would have qi deviated and then we really would have been fucked,” Sizhui says seriously and Zizhen laughs so hard at that that he chokes a little on his own snot.
When Zizhen’s life is no longer in imminent danger, Jin Ling looks him in the eye and says, “We’ll figure it out. I promise.”
Zizhen looks around at Jin Ling, Sizhui, and Jingyi. “How did I get so lucky?”
Jingyi thinks that exact thought at least five times a day—more in the time since they’ve tumbled back into the past. He thinks about how, even with their world turned upside down, he always feels grounded and reassured because he has his friends, each of them making him feel normal and okay when everything else is off-kilter and strange. Jingyi thinks about the ways that his friends’ patience and care and love for him and for each other have helped him through so much. He reaches out and squeezes Zizhen’s hand. “We’re lucky to have each other,” he says, resolutely. Then because he’s Jingyi and he has to make light of the situation somehow, “If we don’t figure it out, we’ll just grow old together here.”
“Wasn’t that always the plan?” Sizhui asks. Gods. Jingyi loves Sizhui so so much.
“Even when you’re old, you won’t be able to get rid of us. You’re stuck for life,” Jin Ling adds.
“What am I going to do with you guys?” Zizhen complains, but he looks happy. “Come here, all of you.”
+++
Jingyi decides to drag Zizhen along with him on his outing to Caiyi town to buy alcohol. Maybe it’s risky, given the fact that shifu is much more strict than he used to be—will be—and has only just punished Wei-qianbei and Hanguang-jun for drinking upon their return from defeating the waterborne abyss. But Jingyi is no amateur. He knows how to get around the rules without causing a scene.
Jingyi could have gone by himself; he enjoys taking the time to walk down to Caiyi. Most don’t expect it of him, but sometimes he needs the chance to sift through his thoughts, alone. He tried explaining it to Jin Ling once, who’d asked, Can you not do that in Cloud Recesses when you, like, meditate or whatever? But being alone is different from silence. Silence isn’t ever lacking in Cloud Recesses, but he’s never alone—which Jingyi is grateful for, sure, he just also likes taking the time to reflect on his own. It makes him appreciate the presence of others anew when he returns, too.
Today, he foregoes that option, deciding that Zizhen could do with some time away from Cloud Recesses. And so they leave Sizhui to his reading in the library—he wants to read as much as he can before this library burns—and Jin Ling to his training with Jiang-guniang.
The lively bustle of the marketplace seems to do Zizhen some good, because he relaxes and begins to hum mindlessly—tunes that he makes up on the spot and instantly forgets—the way he always used to, in the future. Although, now Jingyi comes to think of it, it’s something Zizhen had stopped doing, this past month in Cloud Recesses. Jingyi really should have noticed the signs pointing towards Zizhen’s discomfort earlier. Now, though, more in his element, Zizhen makes lively conversation with the villagers, chatting easily with the other shoppers while Jingyi does what he came here for: spending the last of their money on four jugs of Emperor’s Smile—perhaps it is indulgent, but Jin Ling has inherited his uncle’s tolerance for alcohol and Jingyi refuses to run the risk of running out. Not tonight.
Zizhen isn’t ready to head back just yet, so Jingyi slips the jars into his qiankun pouch, and they walk around the marketplace, taking in the different sights and smells and sounds of the people and shops around them when they hear—
“Hey! If it isn’t Yi-gege and Zhen-gege!”
Jingyi winces internally as he and Zizhen turn around to see Wei-qianbei bounding over towards them.
“Hello, Wei-qian—” Jingyi cuts himself off before forcing himself to say, “Wei-gongzi.” I’m so sorry to insult you like this, Wei-qianbei, please please please forgive me, it was outside my control.
Zizhen wisely chooses to nod his greeting instead, sparing himself the need to disrespect Wei-qianbei himself.
“What brings you down to Caiyi?” Wei-qianbei asks.
“We were just here to take a stroll through the marketplace,” Zizhen answers innocently, which Jingyi is grateful for, because even though he could lie, he doesn’t want to—not to Wei-qianbei.
Wei-qianbei nods and says, cheerfully, “I get that. Sometimes you just need a change of pace!”
“What about you?” Jingyi asks in return.
“Ah, you know,” Wei-qianbei says, noncommittal, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “I had a craving for loquats all of a sudden, and I figured why not come to Caiyi on our day off. After all, I can drink here in peace without anyone tattling on me.” Wei-qianbei laughs as if it’s not obvious who it is he’s talking about. Jingyi wants to respectfully headbutt him for being an idiot.
Jingyi exchanges a look with Zizhen and he can tell that Zizhen feels the same.
“It will be dark soon,” Zizhen observes neutrally. “I think we should head back to Cloud Recesses. Would you like to walk back with us?”
“Oh, I’d love that!”
The three of them head back towards Cloud Recesses, making pleasant conversation. Wei-qianbei prattles on endlessly about his day and despite the fact that Wei-qianbei keeps calling him Yi-gege, Jingyi almost forgets that this isn’t the Wei-qianbei that he knows. But then Wei-qianbei says, “Shijie was telling me about this thing she heard about the sky lantern ceremony tomorrow.”
Jingyi’s so startled by the tone of Wei-qianbei’s voice that he nearly trips over his own feet. He’s never ever heard Wei-qianbei talk about Jiang-guniang like that before, so carelessly and nonchalant, not tinged with the sorrow of loss. In the future, every mention of Jiang-guniang is carefully doled out, like a piece of treasure that Wei-qianbei’s choosing to share.
“What did she say?” Zizhen asks casually, while Jingyi is still recovering.
“Shijie said that there’s this superstition that if you and your loved one release a lantern together, your love will be blessed, able to weather any span of distance or time. Have you heard of it? I’ve been asking around, but nobody else seems to know of it.”
Luo-guniang works fast.
“Of course, we’ve heard of that!” Jingyi rushes to say. “It’s a common practice.”
“Huh,” Wei-qianbei says, considering.
“Did you have someone you were hoping to share your lantern with?” Zizhen asks carefully.
“Ahaha, no, of course not!” Wei-qianbei denies, turning bright red. “Wouldn’t want to offend any maidens by singling out one over all the others.”
“You’re not going to draw a rabbit for Han—Lan-er-gongzi?” Jingyi blurst out, feeling a little offended. Zizhen shoots him a look, and Jingyi mentally slaps himself. Wow, he’s really gone and fucked up majorly. But it feels wrong to hear that Wei-qianbei doesn’t want to share his lantern with Hanguang-jun. Even if they’re not in love yet.
“Jingyi,” Zizhen warns.
“Lan Zhan?” Wei-qianbei asks slowly. “Why would I give—? And a rabbit?”
“He has a whole meadow full of them!” Jingyi exclaims, at a loss for what else to say. He can feel Zizhen struggle to hold back a groan beside him. God, how’s Jingyi supposed to help to lead Cloud Recesses in the future if his already poor filter gets even worse when he’s flustered? He should never be sent to make negotiations with anyone—maybe he’ll figure out a way to rope Sizhui in to do that. Jingyi’ll have to bribe him, but it would give him a proper excuse of forcing Sizhui to visit Cloud Recesses more often.
“How do you know that?” Wei-qianbei says, sharply. “That’s supposed to be a secret.”
“Uh,” Jingyi stutters.
“Are you all really from the future?” Wei Wuxian says, stopping in the middle of the road.
“Ummm,” Jingyi says.
Zizhen opens his mouth to say something, presumably to help Jingyi out, but no words come out.
“Is it possible,” Wei-qianbei continues before either of them can collect their brains enough to form a coherent response, “that you can’t tell me the truth because there are possible consequences to me knowing this, especially if I believe that everything you’ve said about the future is true?”
“Yes, yeah, that,” Jingyi nods in what he hopes is an authoritative and confident manner.
Zizhen sighs deeply, shaking his head.
“Hmm,” Wei Wuxian says contemplatively as he starts to walk up the path again. “Okay, so, if, hypothetically, you are from the future, then you must be trying to get back home?”
Zizhen, who was most certainly preparing himself to tell Jingyi not to answer Wei-qianbei’s question, freezes.
Jingyi glances at Zizhen and figures why the fuck not? What more harm could they cause? He’s curious to know what Wei-qianbei is getting at. “Hypothetically,” he says, “yes.”
“And this is a future in which Lan Zhan and I are married, right?” Wei-qianbei looks down at his feet as he asks this question.
“Big hypothetical,” Zizhen replies, “but yes.”
Jingyi raises an eyebrow at Zizhen and Zizhen gives him a shrug, which, fair. Jingyi did start this.
“Okay. Okay, okay, okay,” Wei Wuxian says, his stride slowing as he processes that information. He blinks rapidly like he’s seeing glimpses of his potential future flash before him. His cheeks are dusted pink.
Jingyi and Zizhen wait, unsure of what to say next.
Then, Wei-qianbei says, “Wait, but I’m not a cut sleeve, though?”
“Um,” Jingyi says.
“...my gods,” Zizhen mutters.
Wei-qianbei's brow is furrowed as he continues speaking under his breath, “I’m not… so how does that work? What does that mean?” Then he gasps aloud, as if something has just hit him. Jingyi is praying that things have finally clicked into place for him. “Did Lan Zhan write that letter that I found?”
Okay, so that’s not exactly it, but not too far off the mark either.
“What letter?” Jingyi squeaks. “I don’t know what you mean?”
“Did you receive some kind of anonymous letter, Wei-gongzi?” Zizhen asks, much more smoothly, but his voice is still a pitch higher than usual. Jingyi’s not sure if someone who wasn’t as familiar with him would notice, though.
Wei-qianbei looks at them suspiciously. “If you don’t know… Huh… So Lan Zhan didn’t write it….” His voice is tinged with the slightest hint of disappointment.
Jingyi coughs. “Um, I mean, he totally could have.”
“We just wouldn’t know, you know?” Zizhen says.
“But shouldn’t you know if you’re from the future?” Wei-qianbei demands.
“Again, big hypothetical here,” Jingyi responds, “but those kinds of details wouldn’t exactly make it into the history books. Why would we know?”
“I guess you’re right…” Wei-qianbei says, sounding stumped.
“Anyway, why did you ask if we were trying to go back to the future? Do you think it’s possible? Do you actually believe us?” Zizhen asks, cautious, but eager to return to Wei-qianbei’s original point.
“I’m honestly a little surprised if you do,” Jingyi says. “I don't know that we’re the most trustworthy bunch.”
Wei Wuxian waves his hands dismissively. “Oh, you guys definitely aren’t.”
“Hey!” Jingyi says, deeply insulted even though he said it first.
“Since you got here, all you guys have done is run around after shijie and drag her into one mess after another,” Wei-qianbei says. “How am I supposed to trust you like that?”
“Wait, so you knew… you knew what we were up to?” Zizhen stutters out. He blanches. “Did Jiang-guniang know?”
Wei Wuxian levels a look at him. “You guys provide very loud commentary.”
Jingyi knew that the walls in the restaurant were not sound-proof!! Did Jiang-guniang hear everything? Even when Jingyi made that joke about her and Jin-gongzi boning? How can Jingyi get the ground to swallow him whole right this second?
“Anyway, you guys are not very trustworthy, but what you’ve said does add up,” Wei-qianbei says, adopting his ‘time for a lecture, kids!’ stance. “We really did fight a waterborne abyss, and I’ve been looking at some of the library’s forbidden scrolls—the concept of time travel doesn’t seem that unfeasible. Pretty easy actually, if you know what you’re doing.”
“Oh. I see...” Jingyi blinks. “Wait. Does that mean you know what you’re doing?”
“I’ve figured out how one could, hypothetically, do it,” Wei-qianbei tells them. “I haven’t technically done it myself. I haven’t had anything… anyone to test it out on, you know?”
“So… you want to experiment on... us?” Zizhen says.
“Well, I figured if you really are from the future and need to go home, why not…?” Wei Wuxian trails off.
“Well, that’s insane,” Jingyi says.
Wei-qianbei deflates, looking a bit put out. “You don’t have to reject me like that—”
“Let’s do it,” Jingyi interjects decisively.
“What? Really?” Wei-qianbei asks, shocked.
“What do you think, Zizhen?”
“We should check in the others, but if they say yes, I don’t see why not,” Zizhen says as they approach the entrance of Cloud Recesses. “It’s our first real lead to how we might get back home.”
“Great, sounds like a plan!” Wei-qianbei throws his arms around them both. “You won’t regret trusting me with this.”
It is, unfortunately, at this very moment that they happen upon Hanguang-jun, walking in the direction of the main hall.
“Ah, Lan Zhan! Hi!” Wei-qianbei exclaims, lifting the hand he has on Jingyi’s shoulder up to wave at Hanguang-jun.
Hanguang-jun sends them a brief glance before he abruptly turns around and walks back towards the direction he’s coming from.
“No, Han—Lan-er-gongzi, this isn’t what you think! We’re not—! No, please don’t walk away! Are you coming to the lantern festival tomorrow—”
“Ah, it’s okay, Yi-gege, he’s like that. You get used to it.” Wei Wuxian gives Jingyi a sympathetic pat on the back.
Jingyi doesn’t bother stifling his groan. He’s going to get wasted tonight.
+++
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Jin-gongzi asks for the ten-thousandth time. Or maybe twenty-thousandth. Jingyi isn’t not too sure—he hasn’t managed to keep count given the pounding in his head.
“Could you not speak so loudly?” Jingyi asks and then immediately winces. His voice is too loud.
“I’m not speaking loudly,” Jin-gongzi bites back, immediately defensive. He finally takes a chance to look them over properly for the first time. “Wait, are you all hungover? Did you drink?” he questions, now sounding scandalized.
Zizhen grunts, which Jin-gongzi takes to be an affirmation.
“You drank?” Jin-gongzi’s voice is getting increasingly shrill. “When you know that Operation Sky Lantern Ceremony is today? Everything is going to fall to pieces now. And these are your plans!”
“Ignore him. All of them, actually,” Jin Ling says, which, fuck him. He’s the only one who’s completely fine. Even Sizhui has the decency to at least have a slight headache in solidarity with Jingyi’s plight. “Do you know what to do?” Jin Ling asks his dad.
“I draw a lotus on the lantern. I find Jiang-guninang and present it to her. And then, we're, um, together?”
The plan is exceedingly simple. Jingyi doesn’t really know why they had to meet up to go over this.
“Yes, that's it,” Sizhui says pleasantly. A little too pleasantly. Did Sizhui lie about his headache to appease Jingyi—
Before Jingyi can accuse Sizhui of deceiving him, Jin Ling elbows him in the side, giving him a pointed look and then cutting his eyes towards Jin-gongzi meaningfully.
“Oh, yeah, uh, you got this,” Jingyi says weakly. He pumps his hand in the air for a small show of enthusiasm. It must not translate because Jin Ling reaches out a hand to steady him, muttering, “Careful.” Jin Ling guides him to a seat next to Zizhen. It is so nice to no longer have to stay vertical.
Jin Ling turns towards Jin-gongzi and says, “You can do it. We'll find you just before the lanterns are to be released?”
Jin-gongzi nods and turns around to leave the room. He takes two steps before he halts to a stop and turns back around.
“Hey, uh, thanks for this,” Jin-gongzi says awkwardly.
“Oh, uh,” Jin Ling says, flustered by Jin-gongzi’s sudden display of sincerity. “Don't mention it.”
For a long moment father and son stand there, eyes trained on the ground.
“So! I'll, uh, get going?” Jin-gongzi says abruptly.
“Yeah, yes, go,” Jin Ling says with a wave.
Jin-gongzi exits the room, not bothering to slide the door closed behind him. The four of them watch Jin-gongzi’s retreating figure and when he's no longer in sight, Jin Ling’s hand drops to his side and he sighs, “He does not ‘got this.’”
+++
Jin-gongzi thrusts the lantern towards Jiang-guniang and says, “Here.” He does not look her in the eye.
Zizhen smacks a hand to his forehead. Jingyi agrees.
They're crouching in the bushes in a secluded part of the forest, watching the scene of Jin-gongzi’s confession attempt unfold. It's half an hour till the lanterns are to be released. Jin-gongzi stalled until the last possible moment to approach Jiang-guniang, testing Sizhui and his compulsion to do everything in a timely manner.
“What is this?” Jiang-guniang asks, making no move to accept the lantern from Jin-gongzi’s outstretched arms.
“A lantern,” Jin-gongzi mutters, scuffing his feet back and forth.
“Yes,” Jiang-guniang says simply.
The two of them stand there in agonizing silence. Jiang-guniang holds herself tall and stares directly at Jin-gongzi, almost as if challenging him. Jin-gongzi’s head bows down to look at his feet, likely uncertain what to do.
Jingyi wants to crawl out of his skin and die from the sheer embarrassment that he feels for Jin-gongzi. Jingyi would rather watch Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei flirt shamelessly about having a baby, he would rather face a horde of gui—anything would be better than this.
“Remind me in the future never to take your character growth for granted,” Jingyi mutters to Jin Ling.
“Normally, I would be offended, but I understand,” Jin Ling says. “If I ever get like that, please feel free to smack me.”
“You’re the one who said it,” Jingyi says. “No take backs.”
Sizhui hushes them.
“Do you not remember what Wei-qianbei said about us being loud?” Zizhen hisses. “At least try to whisper if you feel the need to comment.”
Sheepishly, Jingyi mimes sealing his lips and throwing away the key. He will try his best to be quiet, especially knowing that if it really came down to it, Sizhui wouldn’t hesitate to inflict the silencing spell on all of them.
Jiang-guniang’s gaze flickers towards the bushes momentarily and Jingyi swears that they make eye contact. He barely holds back a small eep, which is good because it seems like Jiang-guniang has finally decided to take mercy on all of them.
“I cannot accept what hasn’t been offered to me,” Jiang-guniang says, even though Luo-guniang had successfully helped spread the gossip regarding the lantern custom. The implication is clear: You need to say it.
“I’m sorry, Jiang-guniang,” Jin-gongzi blurts out. “I shouldn’t have treated you that way. If you’re willing, would you—would you want to light this lantern with me?”
And at those words, Jiang-guniang smiles fully, eyes twinkling with their usual spark. Jingyi sees the way that Jin-gongzi’s shoulders relax and the four of them breathe a sigh of relief in solidarity.
“I would like that,” Jiang-guniang says, finally reaching out to take the lantern from Jin-gongzi’s hands.
“Oh, okay, yeah,” Jin-gongzi breathes. “Me too, I like you—I mean, I’d like to light the lantern with you, too.”
“So, you don’t like me?” Jiang-gunaing asks, the slightest hint of teasing in her voice.
“No!” Jin-gongzi cries out.
Heavens above, he is really struggling here. Against all odds, Jiang-guniang seems amused, rather than annoyed. She waits expectantly for Jin-gongzi to continue speaking.
“I mean, I do!” Jin-gongzi says. “I like you, and I would like to release this lantern with you.”
Jingyi makes an impressed face that means Well, would you look at that, and Sizhui nods in agreement.
Jiang-guniang laughs, but not unkindly. She turns and begins to walk towards the mountainside where the ceremony is to take place. Jin-gongzi stands frozen, watching her go before she stops and turns around. “Are you not coming?” she asks. “The ceremony begins soon.”
“Yes, yes! I’m coming,” Jin-gongzi calls out as he runs after her.
The two of them disappear off into the setting sun, which is horrendously cringe-worthy, but sweet. It feels fitting for the situation.
Zizhen hiccups as they stand up from the bushes. Jingyi turns to face him properly and realizes that his face is wet with tears. Happy tears, it seems like, from the way that he says, “I love love,” with a sniffle.
“Oh, Zizhen, sweetie,” Sizhui murmurs as he dabs at Zizhen’s cheeks.
“I can’t believe that went well,” Jingyi says with satisfaction. “Our work here is done.”
“You didn’t do anything,” Jin Ling says, voice wobbly. His eyes are wet. “You were hungover this morning.”
“Hey, the sky lantern ceremony was my idea—” Jingiy begins to argue—stupid little spats like this always make Jin Ling feel better because it distracts him from his feelings. For some reason, he has problems acknowledging how he feels. Seriously, what do they feed them over there at Lanling?
Suddenly, there’s a rustling sound from behind them.
Jingyi turns to see Wei-qianbei emerging from the trees with—Hanguang-jun? Odd, given that just yesterday, Hanguang-jun had walked away when they bumped into him.
Then, Jingyi sees it, and he has to fight back the way he’s suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to burst into tears as well. It’s almost like he’s been punched in the gut.
Because Hanguang-jun’s holding a lantern himself. With a drawing of a rabbit on it.
“Hey! Fancy seeing you all here,” Wei-qianbei greets as he runs up to them.
His hair is, quite noticeably, disheveled.
Jingyi blinks back tears and notices that Hanguang-jun’s robes are loose around the collar. His ears are bright red.
Oh.
Okay then!
Sizhui coughs. “We’re headed to the sky lantern ceremony.” He’s making a funny face where he looks like he could also cry, but is too flustered to. His ears are a matching red to his father.
“Oh, yeah, that makes sense. By the way, have you all had a chance to think about my proposal from the other day?” Wei-qianbei waggles his eyebrows at them.
“Yes,” Jin Ling answers. “We’ll do it. It’s our best bet.”
“Perfect, meet me in the library at noon tomorrow,” Wei-qianbei says and then yelps because Hanguang-jun has picked him up, slinging Wei-qianbei over his shoulder. Hanguang-jun nods at them politely before turning away.
“Hey! Lan Zhan! What are you doing?” Wei-qianbei shouts, hitting his fists into Hanguang-jun's back.
Hanguang-jun doesn’t reply and keeps walking.
Wei-qianbei gives up and lifts his head to yell back back towards the four of them. “Tomorrow! Don’t forget!”
Hanguang-jun and Wei-qianbei disappear off into the sunset as well and Wei-qianbei’s laughter rings around them. “You’re so impatient, Lan Zhan. Does everyone know you’re like this?”
“Do you think they—?”
“Oh, a thousand percent.”
“Wow, two couples, one stone indeed. We really did win, guys.”
+++
“FUCK!” Jin Ling yells. “My eyes!” He slams the entrance to the library shut, breaking about four rules in one go without even trying.
“What’s the matter?” Sizhui asks.
Jin Ling backs away from the door, holding his palms to his eyes, like that one time he accidentally rubbed his face after chopping chillis. “I need to wash out my eyes.”
“Oh,” Zizhen says, quickly understanding. “You just saw them—” He waves his hand in a crude motion.
“Jin Ling, you prude, we’ve totally seen worse,” Jingyi says because it’ll get under Jin Ling’s skin, and that’s fun, and why not live a little after their success, you know? “Do you remember that time when we found them roleplaying their slaughter of the Tulu Xuanwu—”
“Shut UP! I do not need a reminder.”
“And then there was that one time during that archery competition—”
Jingyi is sadly interrupted by Wei-qianbei coughing. His voice travels through the screen. “You guys can, uh, come in.”
Jin Ling wearily slides the door open and the four of them enter the library to find Wei-qianbei sheepishly tying his robes together. He looks like a wreck.
Hanguang-jun, on the other hand, looks regal as ever, except that his forehead ribbon is slanted, he has a single hair out of place, and he won’t look any of them in the eye.
“Sorry about that. Are you guys all ready?” Wei-qianbei asks them.
Jingyi exchanges a look with the other boys and grins, knowing that they’re leaving the past the way it should be.
“Yeah, ready,” he says.
Wei-qianbei claps his hands together. “Alright then, let’s send you guys back home.”