It was the second day of the big Gusu lecture. Xiao Ying woke up and got ready, she couldn't be late today as it was the official start of the lecture. She woke up a bit under the weather, but she didn't know why, she just didn't feel good. It wasn't like she was ill or anything of the sort, but she felt off. When she was done she went to meet her brothers for breakfast.
As the three ate together Xichen could tell that Xiao Ying was a bit off, not herself. "Lan Ying, are you okay? Is there something wrong?"
"I don't really know, I just don't feel good. I'm not ill, I feel fine but at the same time, I don't feel right. I don't know what it is."
Xichen didn't know what to do for her other than comfort her with words. How do you even help someone else who doesn't even know what is wrong with themself? Wangji felt she was off as well, but chose to ignore it as he was more worried about the issues at hand.
The three cleaned up and headed down to the classroom that would house the lecture. Each sibling took their rightful place, Xichen next to GrandMaster Lan, and the two younger siblings next to each other. Wangji sat on the outside of the first row with Y/N on his left.
Disciples from other clans began their pledges. Lan Ying tried her best to listen and pay attention but found herself drifting into daydreams more than once. The poor girl was stuck in a daydream until the doors bursts open and in came disciples clad in red and black.
What in the world?! What is the Wen Clan doing here? They never attend other clan lectures. Did Xue Yang come by any chance?
She scanned the room for her long-ago friend but didn't see any familiar faces. The room suddenly abrupted with disciples pulling out their swords. Wangji grabbed her arm, shielding her away from anyone pointed their way, but before a physical fight could break out Xichen pulled out his flute and disarmed the disciples. A girl by the name of Wen Qing apologized for the behavior of Wen Chao before their clan took their leave to their rooms, but not before making eye contact with Xiao Ying. Wen Qing narrowed her eyes at the girl before leaving out the door.
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Grand Master Lan dismissed the disciples for the rest of the day but reminded them to be here bright and early tomorrow for their first lesson. The three siblings left the room together but went separate ways. Xichen and Wangji needed to head to their grandfather's study to examine the unconscious disciple that was brought in the day before. While Xiao Ying made her way to the waterfall out in the back of Gusu. She needed a break from the world, and that was the regular place she went to get away, apart from the bunny nest and her parents' grave. On her way out she ran into Mengyao, he came as an escort for Nie Huaisang.
"Greetings Miss Lan."
"Greetings Mengyao. Where are you headed off to?"
"I just wanted to say goodbye to you before I leave."
"Leave? Why? Aren't you staying for the rest of the lecture?"
"I'm afraid not. I can't as I'm not a disciple, I am nothing but an assistant for the Nie clan leader and his younger brother."
"Maybe in terms of ranks you aren't, but your intelligence and the way you hold yourself in front of others in a situation as important as the clan pledge is much better than many of us who are disciples can. You talked with such passion and poise today during the pledge! I'm sure you have many talents that we disciples could not compare to, don't talk about yourself so low. Please, call me Lan Ying. I'm not too big on being addressed formally anyways."
"Thank you for your praise then Miss, I mean, Lan Ying. I just wanted to tell you that I admire you for all your achievements in the cultivation world. Now that I've talked to you, you are even nicer than everyone says."
"Thank you Mengyao. I have to get going now. Oh, before I go, don't listen to what others say about you. We can't change who our parents are and how we were born, just how we choose to live our lives and contribute to the world. Have a safe trip back home." she smiled and bid him goodbye and was on her way, not knowing that she left a boy who was blushing and smitten behind.
Xiao Ying sat down on the rock and took in all the nature around her. The sound of the rushing waterfall that was rough but calming all at the same time, the birds, and the calm atmosphere. Cloud Recesses was anything but calm right now with all the bustling disciples. As Xiao Ying closed her eyes to revel in the peace, she heard footsteps approaching her. She quickly got up and turned around, on high alert as she didn't want to fall victim to anyone's pranks today. Instead of being met with Wei Wuxian or Nie Huaisang, she came face to face with Wen Qing, much to her surprise.
"Greetings Miss Lan." She bowed to the girl in white.
"Greetings. Can I help you, Miss Wen? What are you doing so far in Cloud Recesses?"
"I was looking for you actually. I had asked your older brother when I ran into him and he said if you weren't in the library I might find you here."
"Oh. May I ask why?"
"Do you know anyone by the name of Xiao Ying? A friend wants me to give something to her. I assumed you would know as I don't think asking your brother would've been of help. I'm not sure if he knew all of the female disciples around here seeing as he seems to be busy as a Clan Leader."
"The only Xiao Ying I know around here is myself, actually."
"But, aren't you a Lan?"
"Long story short, I was adopted by GrandMaster Lan and had my name be changed from Xiao Ying to Lan Ying."
"Oh. Well then, here you go, this is for you. Have a good day then Miss Lan, I will see you tomorrow during our lecture."
Wen Qing dropped the blue pouch into Xiao Ying's hands and left after bidding her a good day.
Who on earth would send me a pouch? Is it him?! It couldn't be.... could it?
Xiao Ying left the waterfall and retreated back to her room. She sat down at her desk and opened up the pouch, inside a set of hairpins and a note.
Xiao Ying, meet me at the gate like we used to do.
She smiled at the note and put it away in a drawer next to her bed and quickly put the hairpins into her hair. Xiao Ying went about her day, excited to see her childhood friend once more.
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It felt like the sun purposely took longer to set just to antagonize the poor girl, but nightfall eventually came. The disciples had all gone to bed, knowing that tomorrow would be a long tiring day. Xiao Ying tip-toed through Cloud Recesses and down the steps. She went through the warded gate and onto the other side of the Cloud Recesses entrance.
"Xue Yang?" she whispered and looked around, but she didn't see anyone.
How strange... he said to meet by the gate like we used to.
"Xue Yang? Are you here?"
Xiao Ying was again met with silence. She let out a small pout and turned around to go back inside when she came to face with a broad chest, clad in black robes. She looked up and into the person's eyes.
It's him. He looks different, but his eyes are still the same. The same shade of warm brown, but even they look a little different.
"Xue Yang!" she squealed and pulled him into an embrace, her faced buried in the crook of his neck. As the two let go to face each other again, they each had the biggest smile either of them has smiled in quite some time.
"I thought we were meeting in secret. You probably woke up every single disciple inside." He noticed that she had the hairpins in. He raised his hand to brush over the hairpin that was secured to the right side of her half up half down hairdo.
"Do you like the hairpins?" she nodded in response.
"How many years has it been? You still look exactly the same 小美女 (Xiǎo měinǚ, little pretty)."
"I haven't changed at all? You've changed though 可爱( Kě'ài, cute) gege."
"How so?"
"You've grown a lot taller, we used to be the same height. But other than that you're still the same."
Xue Yang gave her a small smile. The two went and sat behind the bush where Xue Yang used to sleep a night while waiting for her.
"Xue Yang, are you here for the lecture tomorrow? Why didn't you come with everyone else today?"
"I'm not here for the lecture. I have other things I have to do. I just came to see if you liked the gift, and to see you."
"So I won't see you again after tonight?"
"I'll be in town for the next few days. Let's meet here every night like we used to."
"Okay."
The two made small talk until it started to get even later.
"Go inside now. Won't you be tired when the lecture starts?"
"But I don't want to leave yet...."
"I'll be here again tomorrow night remember?"
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Xue Yang walked Xiao Ying up to the gate and watched her walk up the stairs before leaving back to where he needed to be.
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What you just read friends, is called a crappy filler chapter. Nothing is edited or revised so if there were any grammar or misspelled words please ignore those.
Yay! Another chapter after how many freaking months I've been gone! It's been a while so I hope my writing isn't too bad. I feel like my writing is awful now. I don't have much to tell you guys other than I'm finally on summer break! I had writer's block for the longest time but I'm kind of getting back into the groove of writing and I'm rewatching The Untamed again so it's inspiring me to write again!