Lan WangJi turned to Wei WuXian, "Wait for me."
Wei WuXian, "How about I go in along with you?"
Lan WangJi shook his head, "He will be angrier if you go in as well."
Wei WuXian thought about it and agreed. Whenever Lan QiRen saw him, it was as if he was a flickering candle about to have a heart attack. Even his breaths became heavier than usual. Wei WuXian felt he should do him a favor and save him the exasperation by getting out of his sight.
Lan WangJi looked at him, as though he wanted to say something. Wei WuXian immediately added, "Fine, I know. No walking too fast, no speaking too loud, no this, no that, am I right? Don't worry. Now that I'm back with you, I'll definitely be as careful as possible to not violate any of the sect rules on your Wall. As careful as possible."
Lan WangJi didn't even think about it, "It is fine. Even if you violate them..."
Wei WuXian keenly picked up, "Hm?"
Lan WangJi seemed as if he finally realized that what he said wasn't too appropriate. He turned his head to the side for a moment before turning back, his face serious, "... Nothing."
Wei WuXian looked confused, "What did you say would happen even if I violate them?"
Lan WangJi knew he was asking even though he knew the answer. He maintained the strict face, "Wait for me outside."
Wei WuXian waved his hand, "Waiting it is, then. Don't be so aggressive. I'll go play with your rabbits."
And so, Lan WangJi went to face Lan QiRen's lecture alone, while Wei WuXian was dragged behind Lil' Apple, sprinting. Ever since Lil' Apple entered the Cloud Recesses, it seemed especially excited and full of strength. Wei WuXian couldn't even slow it down as it hauled him onto the verdant patch of grass.
Quietly curled-up within the grass were more a hundred plump little snowballs. Their pink, three-petaled mouths twitched now and then, at times shaking their long, rosy ears. Head held high, Lil' Apple squeezed amongst them and found an area for itself, while Wei WuXian squatted on the ground and randomly grabbed a rabbit, scratching its stomach as he thought, Were there so many the last time I came? Is this one male or female? Oh... Male.
When he thought so, Wei WuXian finally realized that he'd never cared to notice whether Lil' Apple was male or female. He couldn't help but glance at it. But before he could get a nice view, he suddenly heard something and turned around to look.
Holding a little basket, a young, petite girl was hesitating on coming over. Seeing that Wei WuXian turned to face her so suddenly, she momentarily didn't know what to do, her entire face glowing red shyly.
The girl was clothed in the GusuLan Sect's uniform and also wore with formality a white forehead ribbon without the pattern of flowing clouds. Wei WuXian, This is extraordinary! Can't believe I ran into a real one!
This was a female cultivator. A female cultivator of the GusuLan Sect.
Known for its stringentness, the GusuLan Sect had recited things like men and women were different and thus should not be over-intimate with each other for tens of thousands of times by the ears of its disciples. The studying and resting quarters for male and female cultivators were strictly separated so that nobody could walk a step over the line. They rarely wandered out of their own areas, and even night-hunts were mostly separated by gender, either all men or all women, almost never both. The inflexibility was almost horrifying. Back when Wei WuXian was studying at the Cloud Recesses, he'd almost never seen any maidens here, holding quite heavy doubts about whether or not female cultivators really existed in the Cloud Recesses. A couple of times, he thought he heard the sound of girls reciting from the scrolls and curiously wanted to see. Immediately, a few acute disciples who were patrolling the grounds discovered him and called Lan WangJi over. After a few times, Wei WuXian had lost all enthusiasm and never went out exploring again.
