A Chanting Night in the Clear River

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Smitten

"Lan Zhan of the Twin Jades of Lan, courtesy name Lan Wangji."

Jiang Cheng tallied the number of times she made those remarks.

How many?

Three.

Times.

First set, she uttered it in the form of a question.

Second set, she said it as a statement.

Third set, she voiced it as an exclamation.

Before it could add up to four, Jiang Cheng said, evidently annoyed. "Can't you say anything else other than 'Lan Wangji'?"

Jiang Cheng has been rolling his eyes.

Nie-xiong has been fanning himself.

A-Jie has been (painfully) smiling.

The Peacock has been deafeningly silent.

This... whole... time... she has spoken the names!

As if it were sacred.

"He's particularly handsome." Bewitched, Wei Ying says, living up to Jiang Cheng's instruction.

But she misunderstood it.

And Jiang Cheng phrased the question incorrectly.

He facepalmed.

Was this the side effect of being infatuated?

Wei Ying stressed, "Clothed all in white, with a cloud-patterned ribbon on his forehead, a longsword strapped to his hip." she describes, her silver eyes glinting like shot silk in the sunlight, "Very pretty, but all rigid in the face, as if he's grieving at a funeral."

A-Jie let out a low-volume, bubbly giggle before asking, "A-Ying, when did you see him?"

Wei Ying disclosed a toothy grin, "Last night!"

"Last..." Jiang Cheng was taken aback, "last night?!"

How come he didn't know?!

"Wei Ying, there is a curfew in Cloud Recesses." Jin Zixuan informed.

Jiang Cheng asks, "Where did you see him?"

"Over there." Wei Ying gestures coolly.

The location she pointed was a high eave.

Her audience was speechless.

Jiang Cheng was sure his eyes were bulging like pudding, "Causing problems for us from the moment you arrive!"

"Wei-jie, come tell us what happened!" Nie-xiong urged, very much intrigued.

With a raised chin, Wei Ying started her narrative...

"Last night, I tossed and turned until I couldn't hold it in anymore. So, I sneakily went outside the gates, and brought the two Emperor's Smile jugs from their hiding place."

Atop the rooftop, she met a striking boy in white,
The two teenagers were bathed in soft, clear moonlight.

'Emperor's Smile! I'll share you a jar!' She offered.
He had told her, 'Alcohol is prohibited.'

Wei Ying was brazen, downing her wine in front of his face.
Lan Zhan was not the slightest bit unfazed.

They danced with their swords.

The outcome?

It broke one of her liquors.

...and finished it with, "Lan Zhan's skills are quite impressive."

She began beaming, outshining the sun above them.

Jiang Cheng, "ಠ_ʖಠ"

A-Jie, "(◍•ᴗ•◍)"

Peacock, "=_="

Nie-xiong, "(✯ᴗ✯)"

They all assumed she was smitten.

Nie-xiong said after recovering, "You're dead, Wei-jie! Lan Zhan has never experienced such grief from anyone before. He'll never take his gaze off you now. You better watch out. Lan Zhan may be in the same classes as us, but he's in charge of punishment in the Lan Clan!"

Her attention was elsewhere.

It was fixated to a certain 'someone'.

"Wei Ying?" They traced her line of sight.

Within the Orchid Room, they noticed a white-clad youth sitting extremely poised and proper. His long hair and forehead ribbon were fastened orderly. The atmosphere around him appeared to be shrouded in icy frost.

He shot them a cold look.

It was as though the Silence Spell had suddenly struck dozens of mouths.

Jiang Cheng, "..."

A-Jie, "..."

Peacock, "..."

Nie-xiong, "..."

Wei Ying, on the other hand, "(๑♡⌓♡๑)"

The group entered the Orchid Room silently, chose their seats discreetly, and left any open seats around Lan Wangji alone.

Wei Ying craned her neck to see Lan Wangji's side profile,
Despite herself, her heart raced a mile.

He is a prepossessing sight,
Exceptionally elegant and refined.
His posture is unrivaledly upright.

Her spirit soars high like an upbeat kite.

A surge of inspiration blanketed her person.
In her heart, a beautiful flower was born.

The euphoria she felt, however, extinguished when she heard him declare:

"Wei Ying, you know what...?"

Driving her to emotional despair.

"...You are a real nuisance."