The sky crawled bright again. The hungry spirits slowly being pushed back to the dark of the forest. Zhuo Cheng's face was as pale as a dead man while his hands clutching on his chest. He fell from the tree when it was broken. In another second the hungry sprits would catch him and maybe consume him, if there wasn't something or someone who catches him and brings him to the big tree where He Peng is.
"What was that just now?" He turned to He Peng who also puzzled. He was also shocked when he saw Zhuo Cheng fell.
Both of the boys saw the black shadow, but they couldn't catch up about its glimpse. It was look like a person in a long black gown.
"I-I don't know...!" He Peng stuttered.
Zhuo Cheng looked at the ground. The glimpse of the hungry spirits faded away into the forest again.
"Do you think we can get down now?" Asked Zhuo Cheng.
"No! Let's stay here until Xiao Zhan comes back!" Replied He Peng.
"Whoooaaa....! You call him by his name now, huh?" Zhuo Cheng snickered.
"It this kind of situation, should I bully him, still?" He Peng glared at Zhuo Cheng.
Zhuo Cheng didn't respond. He looked st where Zhan and Yibo were gone.
"I hope they're alright...." He mumbled.
"He'll be alright. I know how tough the buck teeth is....!" Commented He Peng.
Then they're silent.
✓✓✓✓✓
Zhan and Yibo walked following the man who introduced himself as Wei Ying. Yibo walked behind Zhan to make sure that Zhan won't left behind and will be alright.
"What happened to Wangji actually?" Asked Zhan, breaking the silence.
"He's being punished for leaving Immortality without enter the gate first. I guess it was because of your boyfriend!" Answered Wei Ying.
"My boyfriend?" Zhan stunned.
Wei Ying turned around.
"Yes. Isn't he your boyfriend?" He pointed at Yibo.
Yibo suddenly feels his face heated up. Zhan turned to see Yibo, then turns back to Wei Ying.
"Wangji is my boyfriend!" He said.
"What?" Wei Ying snapped.
"Wait! Wait! Let's get the things straight first!" Yibo jumped between the two men who seem ready to fight.
"Nonsense! You know very well, no one of us is straight here!" Wei Ying snapped at Yibo.
"Ok! We're not...." Yibo muttered. "But, we can explain this mess, so there is no misunderstand between us!"
"I know you have misled Lan Zhan to come to this lad! But why did you go too far??" Wei Ying scowled.
"I didn't! I have left Lan Wangji's frame when it happens!" Denied Yibo.
"So, do you want to say that Lan Zhan cheated me on his own will!" Wei Ying snarled at Yibo.
"Yes! I mean... Yes! I don't know! I guess he was being grateful to Zhan Ge for breaking the curse on him!" Replied Yibo.
"What curse?" Wei Ying furrowed his brows.
Yibo seemed confuse. He didn't know how to start the story. He glanced at Zhan who only pouted. Then he turned back to Wei Ying.
"After I left his frame, he was stuck in a house and never be able to get out of there for a century. Until Zhan came and set him free...." Said Yibo.
"Wait! What?" Zhan voiced out, butting into the conversation. He looked at Yibo who seems to panic.
"A century Wangji been there. And you left his frame for 100 years... Wang Yibo, how old are you actually?" Asked Zhan.
"I'm 19!' cried Yibo.
"Then how could your soul possessed Lan Wangji who thousands of year old?" Investigated Zhan
"Zhan Ge... Let me explain to you.... The time in our world is not the same as in the Immortality. It could be faster or slower. And, I think I went to the faster time than our world. So, I went into the Immortality for a few years in our world, but it was hundred of years here...!" Explained Yibo.
Zhan stared at Yibo with an "I don't get it" look.
"Aiyaa! I don't want to think about the time's difference now!" Zhan waved his hand. "Now, I just want to help Lan Wangji! He needs me!" He said
"Ok," Yibo mumbled
"No! He needs me! Not you!" Wei Ying snapped.
"He loves me!" Cried Zhan, glaring at Wei Ying.
"He's crazy about me!" Wei Ying fired back.
"I can prove it!"
"So do I!"
"Here's the prove!" Zhan showed the mark on his arm. "Where is yours?" He challenged Wei Ying. But he was taken aback when he saw its color was fading. But he didn't want ti show his worry to the other guys.
"Oh?! so do you want a proof? Fine! It's on my ass! Do you want to see it?" Wei Ying smirked.
"Eww! Who wants to see your ass?" Zhan scrunched his nose in distaste.
Yibo who watched them bickering, only shook his head.
"Well, since Lan Zhan likes.my butt so much, so he marked me there!" Wei Ying suppressed his laugh.
"You,-!" Zhan snapped at Wei Ying, almost hit him. But he halted. He only glared at him and shouted, "Pervert! You're lying! Lan Wamgji.always told.me thst he os unable to do such things before the marriage!"
"Lan Zhan loves it!" Cried Wei Ying. "He's the one who started to do it! We did it first time behind the tall grass!"
Zhan almost cry hearing Wei Ying's bold confession.
"Enough! We are here not to argue. We need to help Lan Wangji,Lan Zhan, or whoever!" Yibo meddled in their bickering.
Zhan and Wei Ying glared at each other, then they huffed and looked away from each other. Again, Yibo shook his head.
"Senior Wei, please lead us the way..!" Said Yibo.
We Ying turned to look at Yibo. His tight expression loosened but gets tight again when he glanced at Zhan.
"Ok. Let's go!" He said. He began to walk again.
"Zhan Ge. Come!" Yibo grabbed Zhan's hand when he refuses to go along.
Grumbling, Zhan obeyed Yibo. Yibo has to keep holding Zhan's hand so he won't stop following or taking another way since he has a grudge toward Wei Ying.
On the other side, Zhan felt the warmth poking in his heart when Yibo holding him. His hand was soft and warm, despite his cold expression he showed. Zhan enjoyed being held by him and refused when Yibo loosened his grip. He even gripped on Yibo's wrist once, when he feels a pain sting on his arm. He wanted to take a look at it, but he didn't dare to accept the reality he would witness later if his thought was right. Because the sting he felt on his arm was where Lan Wangji has marked him.
"It's okay...." Zhan heard Yibo whispering. And he stared at his hand where Yibo was caressing his hand with his thumb.
Zhan turned his gaze at Yibo's back. He still kept walking, following Wei Ying.
"Are they real in the past? Are they soulmates like the novel said? Who are they actually? And who is Wang Yibo?"
The questions loaded in the back of Zhan's head. But he wasn't sure if he wil find the answer.
"Wei Ying."
There was a deep voice presented, but Zhan recognizes it as Lan Wangji's voice. He was about to say the name when Wei Ying overtook the act.
"Wa..."
"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying overtook Zhan's voice.
Zhan looked at Wei Ying who stopped walking and looking around the surrounding.
"Wei Ying."
Again the voice sounded again. And this time a pang of pain slipped in Zhan's heart.
"Why didn't Wangji call out of my name?"
Yibo felt the feeling Zhan has. He glanced at Zhan's hand that squeezing his arm. Yibo grabbed Zhan's shoulder and brought him into a hug.
"I'm here...." Yibo whispered. He stroked the back of the boy's head.
Zhan gripped tightly on Yibo's shoulder. He got no idea, Yibo's voice was somehow calming his heart which is in chaos. Pain, jealousy, and anger lingered in him. But Yibo's touch had reduced them down.
"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying shouted again.
"Wei Ying. I'm here."
Hurt, Zhan pulled back from the hug. His eyes were wet.
"Wangji!" He shouted.
There was no answer. Even after some times he waited.
"Wangji!" Again Zhan shouted. And waited.
Still, there was no answer.
"Lan Zhan!" Wei Ying also shouted.
No answer, as well. The three of them looked at each other.
"Wei Ying."
Zhan fell and sat on the ground. He felt has no more strength to go on.
"Zhan Ge!" Yibo grabbed him.
Zhan holding on Yibo's arms. He couldn't hold back his tears. He was hurt and upset with Lan Wangji. How could he never remember him?
"I... I'm... Defeated...." Zhan spoke. His voice almost didn't come out.
"You're not! You will know later, you're lose nothing...!" Said Yibo.
Zhan shook his head.
"He didn't remember me...."
"Lan Zhan is not forgetting you. But here is our world. He knows you in your world. Not ours. If you want him to recognize you, you have to bring him back to your world which is impossible. Because he won't survive long in your world without something to lock him up like in that house. He only can survive there, but you won't be able to touch him although you might able to see him. And you also won't survive here without possessing someone who lives here....! Wangji feels he has a bond with you because you're Wei Wuxian's reincarnation in the future. You are me. And I am you...!" Wei Ying explained.
Zhan stared at Wei Ying. His lips quivered.
"I... Don't get it," said Zhan, stuttered.
"You will, one day. Like this lad!" Wei Ying pointed at Yibo.
Zhan glanced at Yibo who lowered his face.
"Mr. Wang. I suggest you to go back now. Let me take care of Lan Zhan from here. If you both still here, I'm afraid he won't survived...!" Said Wei Ying, pointing at Zhan.
"No! I want to see Lan Wangji! I have to talk to him!" Zhan snapped.
"Mister.... You can die if you keep go on...!" Wei Ying frowned.
"I don't mind!" Zhan insisted.
"Hey... You don't care, but how about him? If you die, your friends maybe will cry over you for a day and feeling sad for three days. Your parents will cry for three weeks. But him? He will cry for three years! Don't you get it? After three years if crying, he might die, too!" Wei Ying rambled.
Zhan turned to Yibo.
"Why do you need to cry over me for three years?" He asked Yibo with a scowling face.
Yibo startled. He didn't aware if Zhan will ask him such question.
"I... I..." Yibo stuttered.
"Ah! Isn't it obvious that he likes you?" Wei Ying interfered.
"Senior Wei!" Yibo snapped.
"Ah! Ah! Wang Yibo! Don't be another Lan Zhan who kept his feeling for years toward Wei Ying. In the end he lost me for 16 years and had to hold back the pain on his lower body for so long because he was too dumb to confess...!" Wei Ying ranted about.
"Wei Ying."
Wei Ying startled.
"Ah- hahaha.... Lan Zhan! You're eavesdropping! That is forbidden in Gusu Lan Sect rules!" Wei Ying laughed awkwardly.
"Come!"
"Uh? Do you miss me that much?"
"Faster!!"
"Ok, ok! You don't need to raise your voice at me! No more every day means everyday later!" Wei Ying pouted.
Without a prior notice to the boys, Wei Ying ran further the red forest.
"Hey!" Zhan shouted. He got up.
"Zhan Ge!" Yibo pulled him.
Zhan looked at Yibo.
"He went away, Yibo! He want to have Wangji all to himself!" cried Zhan.
"They're destined, Zhan Ge!" said Yibo.
"No! Wangji loves me!" Zhan didn't want to accept it.
"Zhan Ge, there is nothing you can do to save him from the punishment. He deserves it for run away from his fate. Let Wei Ying helps him. Because he is you, as well...! In he past time...!"
Zhan looked at Yibo with a confused look.
"What do you mean?" Zhan asked.
"You knew it well, Zhan Ge..!"
"I-I... I don't know!" Zhan shook his head, denying what Yibo said.
Yibo held Zhan's shoulders.
"Lets' wait for them here. Lan Wangji, will come to you later, after Senior Wei makes a deal with the Hell's guard...!" said Yibo, pushed Zhan to sit on the ground that carpeted by the flame-red leaves.
Zhan didn't fight him. He was too confuse to struggle. He didn't know what he's doing here if Lan Wangji is going to forget him and goes to another man who looks like him.
"Yibo... Who are you actually?" asked Zhan after they stayed in silence for a while.
"I'm Wang Yibo. Your Junior in the Uni...!" said Yibo.
Zhan turned his gaze at Yibo.
"How do you know this place?" asked Zhan.
Wang Yibo didn't promptly answer Zhan's question. He fixed his sitting position and cleared his throat.
"Umm... When I was little my soul was wandering here. But in here, I turn to be an adult person. My soul can't survive here without using someone's frame who lives here. I found Lan Wangji who escaped from the Hell. I know he wants to find his soulmate. Wei Ying. But I control him to not go to seek him. And I and him just wandering around to place after place, travelling the time and being unseen. Until finally, I jumped into the place where you found him that day. I left him dare,because I feel, I could hear someone was calling my name. And I found an old man who stroking a boy's head who was being tied up to the bed. He kept calling me. "Wangjie. Wangjie. Come back, Son....""
"Wangjie?" Zhan stopped Yibo from telling the story.
"That's how my grandpa call me. It's the nickname he gabe to me....!" Said Yibo.
"Then.... If you've been here before, why can't you recognize Wei Ying and remember Lan Wangji when I and Zhuo Cheng mentioned him?" Asked Zhan.
"After the. Calling out ritual did by my grandpa and the other Monks, my memory about this afterlife completely erased. I remember nothing. I can't even see something astral. Until Xue Yang came and sought a help from me...!" Replied Yibo.
"Do you know who is Xue Yang?" Asked Zhan again.
"He's the chief of Hell guards....!"