Chapter 136
Chapter Summary: [While humming the word "black," he suddenly realized that it wasn't black at all.]
In the past, we went all the way to the dark...
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As he hummed the word "black," he suddenly realized that it wasn't black at all.
In the past, he would reach the darkest mountaintop, but tonight, as he returned, things were quite different.
The area around the small shacks had been swept clean, even the weeds had been pulled out. Several red lanterns hung in the nearby woods. The lanterns were all handmade, perched on branches; round and simple, they emitted a warm light, illuminating the dark forest.
In a mass grave like this, once littered with corpses and now scarred, dark, and desolate, the presence of a few red lanterns would have been quite terrifying.
But the scene depicted by Tianying was quite different. The simple, handmade lanterns, like bright stars in the night, illuminated the small patch of land where people of all ages were busy setting out bowls and dishes, chatting and laughing. They reflected smiles that hadn't been seen in a long time, warming the hearts of those who came across them.
Normally by this time, the fifty-odd people would have already finished eating and were curled up in their own dilapidated wooden huts with the lights off. But today, they were all gathered in the most spacious shed. This shed was just a roof supported by eight wooden stakes, big enough to accommodate everyone. The small hut next to it was the "kitchen," so it served as the dining hall.
Wei Wuxian felt strange and walked over with Wen Yuan in his arms, saying, "Why are you all here today? Aren't you sleeping? There are so many lights and it's so bright."
Wen Qing came out of the kitchen, carrying a plate, and said, "These are for you to hang up. Make a few more tomorrow to hang on the mountain path. You're always rushing around in the dark and don't walk properly. Who knows, you might slip and break a bone one day."
Wei Wuxian said, "Even if I break a bone, I still have you."
Wenqing said gently, "I don't want to do extra work, and I won't get paid for it. If you break your leg, don't blame me for breaking your bone when I set it."
Wei Wuxian shivered and quickly slipped away. Inside the tent, everyone quickly made room for him. There were three tables, each with seven or eight plates filled with steaming dishes. Wei Wuxian asked, "What's wrong? Has no one eaten?"
Wenqing said gently, "No. We're all waiting for you."
Wei Wuxian said, "Why are you waiting for me? I'm eating out."
He realized his mistake as soon as he finished speaking. Sure enough, Wen Qing slammed the plate down on the table, causing the red chilies on the dish to jump up. She angrily said, "No wonder you didn't buy anything, you ate it all at a restaurant, didn't you? I only have so much money, and I gave it all to you. You spent it so lavishly!"
Wei Wuxian said, "No! I didn't..." At this moment, Granny Wen also came out of the kitchen, leaning on her cane with one hand and carrying a plate in the other. Wen Yuan twisted and turned, wriggling off his elbow, and ran over, saying, "Grandma!"
Wen Qing turned to help, complaining, "I told you not to carry them. You don't need to help, just sit down. It's too noisy inside. Your legs aren't good and your hands aren't steady. If you drop them, there won't be many plates left. Transporting all these porcelains up the mountain isn't easy..."
Although these are words of admonition, they subtly reveal a unique affection and bond between family members.
Jiang Yanli's eyes welled up with tears as she watched this scene.
Wei Wuxian has always loved lively places since he was a child.
Before the age of 6, he had a mother who played and laughed with him and a father who was taciturn but indulgent towards his wife; after coming to the Jiang family, he had Jiang Cheng, who was about the same age as him, his senior sister who was like a mother to him, his uncle Jiang who patiently taught him, and his strict wife Yu.
But this ordinary life vanished without a trace with the deaths of his parents and the extermination of the Jiang family.
Wei Wuxian is optimistic by nature and never cares about what he gains or loses.
But not caring doesn't mean you don't need it.
They were all of marriageable age, and while others were growing up under the protection of their parents, he had already experienced two lives and two separations.
Seeing the Wen family members now treating him like family, how can one not feel heartache?
However, this warmth was not long-lasting.
The other Wen family cultivators set out chopsticks and poured tea, making room for him as the head of the household. Wei Wuxian found it somewhat difficult to accept this arrangement.
In the past, he wasn't oblivious to the fact that these members of the Wen family were actually somewhat afraid of him.
These people had all heard of his infamous exploits during the Sunshot Campaign, his widely circulated and notoriously cruel methods of venting his anger, and had personally witnessed him killing people by unleashing corpses. For a while, Old Madam Wen's legs trembled at the sight of him, and Wen Yuan hid behind her, only daring to slowly approach him after many days.
However, at this moment, more than fifty pairs of eyes were fixed on him. While there was still an element of fear in those gazes, it was a fear of reverence, tinged with a hint of flattery and caution. But more than anything, there was the same gratitude and goodwill in the eyes of the Wen siblings.
She said softly, "You've had a hard time these past few days."
Wei Wuxian said, "You... you're suddenly talking to me so nicely, I'm a little surprised?"
Wen Qing and Tian Ying clenched their fists and ground their teeth in unison, then waved at the back of Wei Wuxian's head, which was resting on Lan Wangji's arm.
That's a really rude thing to say. It would be better to be nicer to him.
Wenqing's five fingers seemed to crack, and Wei Wuxian immediately shut up.
Wenqing continued speaking softly.
"...Actually, they've always wanted to have a meal with you and thank you. But you're either running around everywhere or locked up in the Demon-Subduing Cave for days and nights without coming out, and you don't want to be disturbed. They were afraid of interfering with your work, upsetting you, and even thinking that you don't like interacting with people and don't want to talk to them, so they were too embarrassed to talk to you much. Today, Aning woke up, and Fourth Uncle said that he absolutely had to have a meal with you...Even if you've eaten your fill outside today, please sit down. It's okay if you don't eat, just sit and chat, have a few drinks."
Wei Wuxian was taken aback, his eyes lighting up: "Drinking? There's wine on this mountain?"
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but roll his eyes.
The Wen family has really found Wei Wuxian's weakness.
Look how bright their eyes are when they hear there's wine; they're brighter than the lanterns next to them.
Several older members of the Wen family, who had been watching this side with slight apprehension, immediately said upon hearing this, "Yes, yes. There's wine, there's wine." He picked up several sealed bottles from the table, handed them to him, and said, "Fruit wine. Made from wild fruits picked from the mountain, it's very fragrant!"
Wen Ning squatted down by the table and said, "Fourth Uncle also loves to drink. He brews his own, and he brewed it specially. He tried for many days."
Because he spoke slowly, uttering each word carefully, he didn't stutter. Fourth Uncle smiled somewhat embarrassedly, still staring at Wei Wuxian, a little nervous. Wei Wuxian said, "Really? Then I definitely have to try it!"
He sat down at the table, and his fourth uncle quickly opened the bottle and handed it to him with both hands. Wei Wuxian smelled it and smiled, "It really smells good!"
The others sat down with him, and upon hearing his praise, they all seemed to have received a great compliment, beaming with joy and picking up their chopsticks.
For the first time, Wei Wuxian couldn't taste what the wine was like.
He thought to himself, "Should I just go down this path to the bitter end...?"
Even the faintest glimmer of light at the end of darkness is good.
It's not very dark.
Suddenly, I felt refreshed and invigorated.
Fifty people crammed into three tables, chopsticks darting about nervously. Wen Yuan sat on his grandmother's lap, showing her his new treasures, demonstrating how to fight with a small wooden knife and sword. The old woman grinned from ear to ear. Wei Wuxian and his fourth uncle chatted enthusiastically about the wines they had drunk, ultimately agreeing that Gusu's famous Emperor's Smile was the undisputed masterpiece. Wen Qing circled around, pouring fruit wine for the elders and their subordinates, emptying the bottles after only a couple of rounds. Wei Wuxian exclaimed, "How come it's all gone? I haven't even had much!"
He said gently, "There are still a few bottles left. Save them and drink them slowly. Don't drink any today."
Wei Wuxian said, "How can that be? As the saying goes, it's better to have a cup of wine now than to have a posthumous reputation. Enough said, fill it up, thank you."
Today was special, so Wenqing filled his glass and said, "Don't do it again. I really think you need to quit drinking; you've been drinking too much."
Wei Wuxian said, "This isn't Cloud Recesses, why should we abstain from alcohol!"
Mentioning Cloud Recesses, Wen Qing glanced at Wei Wuxian and said casually, "I forgot to ask you, you've never brought anyone to the Burial Mound before, what's going on today?"
Wei Wuxian said, "You mean Lan Zhan? We met him on the road."
Wenqing asked, "You bumped into them? How did you bump into them? Was it another chance encounter?"
Wei Wuxian said, "Yes."
Wenqing said, "What a coincidence. I remember you two met by chance in Yunmeng before."
Wei Wuxian said, "It's not surprising. Cultivators from other sects often appear in Yunmeng and Yiling."
Wenqing said, "I heard you calling him by his name directly just now. You're quite bold."
Wei Wuxian said, "He just calls me by my name too. It's nothing, we're used to it since we were kids, we don't mind."
Wen Qing said, "Oh? Don't you two have a very bad relationship? It sounds like you're irreconcilable enemies, fighting every time you meet."
Wei Wuxian said, "You're just listening to rumors. Our relationship wasn't great before, and we did have a few heated arguments during the Sunshot Campaign, but it wasn't as bad as people say. It was alright, I guess."
Warmth fell silent.
The group listened as a bunch of grown men drank and talked loudly about everything under the sun.
As they listened, the conversation drifted back to the Emperor's Smile from Suzhou.
Everyone: ...
Then, Wenqing urged him to quit drinking, and the conversation drifted back to the Cloud Recesses.
Everyone: …………
Jiang Yanli couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, while Jiang Cheng next to her frowned again.
At that time, even Wen Qing probably noticed that Lan Wangji treated her differently and wanted to give him some pointers.
Unfortunately, Wei Wuxian was really a blockhead; he didn't hear anything, let alone sense it for himself.
Fortunately, it was the well-educated, reasonable, and devoted Second Young Master Lan. If it were someone else, three visits would have been enough to make him lose interest.
The food on the plate was quickly devoured, and someone tapped the bowl and called out, "Ah Ning, go and cook a few more dishes!"
"Cook a lot, get a bowl to hold it!"
"Where would we get a basin for you to hold vegetables? It's for washing your face!"
Wen Ning didn't need to eat; he had been standing guard by the shed. Upon hearing this, he replied slowly, "Oh, okay."
Seeing an opportunity to show off his skills, Wei Wuxian quickly said, "Wait! Let me do it! Let me do it!"
Wenqing asked incredulously, "You can cook?"
Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow and said, "Of course. I'm equally at home in the living room and the kitchen. Watch me. Everyone wait."
Everyone clapped in anticipation. However, after Wei Wuxian placed the two plates on the table with a wicked grin, Wen Qing glanced at them and said, "From now on, get as far away from the kitchen as possible."
Wei Wuxian retorted, "Just eat it. You can't judge a book by its cover. You'll know it's delicious once you taste it. This is the taste."
Wenqing said gently, "Eat my ass! Didn't you see how much Ayuan cried after eating? It's a waste of food. Don't even touch your chopsticks, don't give him that face!"
……
Everyone: ...
Lan Jingyi thought of the taste of the porridge he had drunk back then, and instantly choked on his own saliva: ...cough cough cough!!!
Lan Sizhui patted his back and couldn't help but smack his lips; the taste was truly unforgettable.
And... it turns out he actually fell for it twice!
Jiang Cheng really wanted to give Wei Wuxian a good whack on the head. As the biggest victim who had believed countless lies from him since childhood, he now wanted to hit Wei Wuxian whenever he saw the food he cooked.
I don’t know if Wei Wuxian ever cooked this for Lan Wangji. I just don’t believe that Lan Wangji would praise a dish that tastes like this.
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