Mei Nianqing didn't notice her, Jun Wu didn't notice her, they were too focused on the being behind Y/n.
༻ ❍ ༺
Y/N FELT IRRITATED WITH JUN WU, THE MAN WAS CONFUSING AND WANTED SOMETHING FROM Y/N. BUT WHAT?
Y/n didn't know, he didn't have the time nor patience to think about it. His head itched with the sudden memory of the fact that at the end of this month, he had to leave to be in the ghost city, a place ruled by Hua Cheng.
The ghost king scared him, Y/n didn't know how Xie Lian didn't pass out on the spot when he found out it was a ghost king who escorted him as a bride. Because Y/n sure as hell would've!
But, now that Y/n had answers on his past in this worldc he wanted to know the events of book four and five that he missed. That's why he needed to get Mei Farewell, because she seemed like she was more knowledgeable on this whole freak show than Y/n.
There was no way he was about to ask Hua Cheng what happened, and he didn't know where the hell Xie Lian was, Jun Wu and Mei Nianqing were out of the question, and no one else knew the events in detail. Hence why Mei was his last hope in finding answers.
From what Y/n found on Twitter and other social media; apparently book four was actual hell and five was semi-hell with a good ending and more humor. But not knowing the future events of being dragged into TGCF, he ignored anything that had spoilers on it. So thanks to his fear of being spoiled for a book he was no longer reading, he doesn't know what the hell even happened!
It wasn't like he could run away, after all Mei Nianqing had a tracker on him the first time; and he would bet a lot of money that he put another one on after the first wore off. But he would only be gone for a little bit, only to ask Mei questions. Knowing Mei Nianqing for the short time he has Mei Nianqing wouldn't mind too much, only put up more security.
As for Jun Wu, honest to god, he had no clue what Jun Wu would do. The ex-heavenly emperor's actions were random and unpredictable, some days he would completely ignore Y/n or sit on the other end of a table. Others he would almost be clingy and got near Y/n every chance he had, constantly ask to trace his face and have Y/n brush his hair. There was no pattern to these days. Y/n couldn't even imagine what Jun Wu would do if he left. Would he ignore it? Would he hate Y/n for it? Would he go out himself and catch Y/n?
Y/n didn't know, but yet again, did he actually want to know?
"Hello?"
Y/n blinked and saw Mei Nianqing waving his hand in Y/n's face.
"Sorry, I zoned out..."
"It's fine, it's common in teenagers after all."
"..about that,"
"Yes?" Mei Nianqing said as he tucked his arms in his turquoise sleeves.
"How old is Da Hong?"
"..." Mei Nianqing paused for a few moments, deep in thought. "...Well the fall of Yushi happened 800 years ago, and The Tragedy of The Burning Cities also 500-800 years ago, Da Hong is 800."
"It's that what they called it? The Tragedy of The Burning Cities?" Y/n asked gloomily.
"Yes, it nearly made its place to the four great tales, however Pei Ming forbid it being told anywhere in his palace. Since he is the god of the north and second strongest martial god; that habit became relevant everywhere. Everyone knows the story, just doesn't really have the guts to openly tell it."
"I see," Y/n got his answer, but couldn't help but press on. "But, if the tragedy of burning cities happened in the time frame of 500-800 years ago, wouldn't that mean Da Hong did something to lengthen his life before Hua Cheng got to him?"
"Yes, I couldn't show you in the dream because it would be too complicated to even understand. But, it's easy to tell..." Mei Nianqing cleared his throat. "Da Hong noticed how half the world was after his head, so he basically took a gamble with death, or The Reverend of Empty Words. The deal was that he became immortal if he won, but if he lost the reverend got to give him the curse that it intended to give him when he was a baby."
"How did Da Hong and the reverend battle over it? And how did he win?" Y/n felt like he was giving this poor dude an interview, but he knew he had every right to.
"That's a mystery,"
"..."
"Also, fall is coming up and it's getting colder. You don't go outside a lot, but I want you to have different clothing, so come with me."
Mei Nianqing didn't give Da Hong's past another thought before he grabbed Y/n's wrist and dragged him into his room.
───༻ ❍ ༺───
"Straighten your arm a little." Mei Nianqing's yanking voice demanded.
Y/n obediently unbent his arm as Mei Nianqing drew the tape measure from his shoulder to his wrist.
Mei Nianqing figured that Y/n wouldn't fit in his own robes, much less Jun Wu's, so he was going to take Y/n's body measurements to a kind lady that he met in the market who did custom clothing making.
Y/n wanted to go to her and have her do the measures since it was less back and forth type stuff, but Mei Nianqing refused since The Tragedy of The Burning Cities and Da Hong was a well known topic in her area.
Y/n questioned how Mei Nianqing knows what Da Hong looks like, apparently he had no little number of paintings made for him, often depicting him as a ghost who punished people for their wrongdoings.
"Only one more arm." Mei Nianqing said as he scribbled down Y/n's measurements on the piece of paper he had.
As Mei Nianqing drew the tape measure over Y/n's other arm, Y/n couldn't help but let another question slip off his tongue.
"Did you know the old man that sent me here?" The question made Mei Nianqing pause entirely, Y/n rose an eyebrow.
"...yes, he was a friend of mine when he was still young."
"What's his name?"
"...I'm afraid I'm not willing to say."
"...k'ay." Y/n mumbled, trying to keep a burning feeling of irritation inside his throat.
The two returned to silence as Mei Nianqing folded the tape measure back up and wrote down the last batch of measurements.
Y/n went back to his normal posture and crossed his arms yet again, beginning to zone out once more.
"What are you thinking about?" Mei Nianqing had no intention of letting Y/n zone out and Y/n couldn't help that it sometimes got on his nerves.
"A little girl named Ya Wenling,"
Mei Nianqing seemed to pause, his face darkening. Y/n shrugged at him before moving to turn around.
But the pause didn't last for long before he grabbed Y/n's shoulders and roughly shoved him against the wall. Y/n hissed in surprise and pain as his head hit the back of the wall.
"What the fuck-"
"How do you know that name."
"Wha- why are you so- fuck stop digging your nails into my shoulder!" Y/n growled as Mei Nianqing's stabbing grip tightened.
"Did you meet her." Mei Nianqing demanded.
"Yes- I met her when I had the incident with Pei Ming a few weeks ago!"
Y/n used all his strength to push Mei Nianqing away and he backed into the middle of the room so that he wasn't cornered against a wall.
"Why are you being so damn aggressive?!"
"Ya Wenling is the name of one of the brides Xuan Ji killed!"
"..." Y/n's mouth went dry.
At the clamor, Jun Wu came in his eyes wide and a concerned expression on his face in what seemed like milliseconds.
Y/n's throat was knotted. Y/n fell back against a window and gripped the smooth wooden end for balance, he was faced away from the outside, he was so close to going away. To escaping.
Jun Wu took a subconscious step forward to Y/n.
"No...no...she's a little girl...she died because of the demon lady with the human face disease..." Y/n's voice was shaky and unleveled. His hands trembled.
Jun Wu and Mei Nianqing's features darkened at the mention of the human face disease.
Y/n's mind was dizzy and blurry, he couldn't think straight, not now.
There was no way that Ya Wenling had also deceived him, it had to be a coincidence.
But all of his thoughts of the possible coincidence was blurred when he saw a young maiden, dressed in a ripped red wedding dress. She was behind Mei Nianqing and she only smiled at Y/n softly. Mei Nianqing didn't notice her, Jun Wu didn't notice her, they were too focused on the being behind Y/n.
BEFORE Y/N COULD PROPERLY REACT TO THE DEAD BRIDE, HE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE WINDOW HE HAD PROPPED HIMSELF AGAINST.
MEMESMEMESMEMESMEMESMEMES
You can't tell me this isn't what happened during the Banyue Arc.