On the Petals of a Flower, I found something that does not belong to me

43

For the ones who drown their hearts.

 When night fell it was time to go. I took the knife that Nie Mingjue had given me and put in my 'bag', with also a bottle of water and some food. As soon as I got ready, I went out.

 When I got to the meeting point, there was no one. I had heard some disciples say that they would go to the night hunt with the little ones I knew, Wen Ning and Lan Wanji. So I went ashore and said in front of all the Sect leaders that I want to go too. To learn to adapt to battles. Maybe the experience would make me learn at least to protect myself.

 The Sect leaders did not give me much notice, they just nodded. They simply accepted it. They didn't want to have much to do with me.

 I waited for a long time for them all to show up together. When they reached me, Lan Wanji threw a dry 'let's go' and everyone passed me without a second thought.

 We walked into the forest. I remained a little behind. Not because of my wounds this time. But because of my unwanted presence between the others.

Shrrt. Shrrt.

 Two red eyes gleamed in the dark. Night hunts were monster hunts. The monsters were not the ones we wanted to defeat. They were monsters that many had encountered before and knew about. It was like a hobby, at the same time an experience for the cultivators. If you have nothing to do at night and you are bored, go to a night hunt. As we say in my time, you go to a boxing club or watch a movie in the cinema.

 With the thought that I have to move first, to catch the monster unready, but also to prove even a little bit of myself to others, and more to myself, I moved towards the eyes.

 A hairy monster passed me and moved towards Lan Wanji.

 "Lan Wanji! Watch out!" I shouted and ran towards him.

 I barely managed to get between Lan Wanji and the monster and drew my knife. The hairy monster, in the form of a wolf, rushed up to me.

 I held the knife well in both my hands. My eyes tried to read its movements. It was not slow. But not too fast.

 But before attacking the monster, one hand pushed me towards it and I lost my balance.

 "Eh?"

 As I fell towards the monster coming at me with a rush, I turned my head back.

 And I saw Lan Wanji, with a look full of hatred, with his hand outstretched in front of him.

***

 The next few minutes were full of chaos. I remember falling in front and the monster trampling me. And I remember its fingernails getting into my flesh as its weight broke something. I also remember the pain. It was terrible. But I did not scream. Only tears escaped from my eyes.

 And I also remember the mental pain. Lan Wanji's hateful look as he pushed me to fall on the monster, and as a result, I getting killed.

 After the pain everything turned black. But maybe it was better that way. No one was worried about me back home according to Des, so that was good. So what would it do if I let it all turn black? What if I get away from everyone and everything? If I did not care about anything? Would I be selfish if I left my own people behind?

 I also remembered the reason I wanted to go to that night hunt. Oh yes. There was a reason. It was definitely going to get some fresh air and get away from all the judging looks. I could go to any night hunt. But I wanted to go to the one where Lan Wanji was going. To apologize to him. For my mouth that ran before my mind.

 Only I could never do it. Before the night hunt even started, I had already lost.

 "...o do that?"

 "Not...right."

 "Say....something."

 "A.... She made! Why... so?"

 ".... chen. This was inhuman. He wanted to kill her. To kill her. In cold blood."

 My eyes flickered. My eyelids were heavy and my body was immobile.

 "Oh, she's coming!"

 I knew that voice. When I opened my eyes, the blurred figure with the blond long hair appeared in front of me.

 "... Des" I said with difficulty.

 I felt hands holding me. And then to lift me up and hug me.

 "Yes it's me. I am here. Do you know how much you worried me? Do you know that I was left with three cigarettes? What will I do?" I heard my girlfriend say. Was she crying?

 Things around me started to take shape. I was in Gusu again, in the room I was sharing with Des. Inside the room were also Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren.

 Des left me and wiped her eyes. She was really crying.

 "What happened?" I said with difficulty. I felt my throat dry. "What...Why are you crying?"

 Des looked at me. Her green eyes pierced me. "We're going back Charlie, okay? We will go back. I promise. Do not leave me before we do this. Okay?"

 I nodded. I did not mean to. I intended to go back. That and only that. Together with Des. The two of us. Nobody else. No one else was with us. Neither Wen Ning nor anyone.

 The corner of my eye caught Lan Qiren leaning over and resting his head on the floor. I blinked to see better. I was wearing lenses, but I was wondering if my eyes were playing with me. Plus I felt them dry.

 "Maiden Charlie. Forgive my niece's rudeness," he said. "It was very wrong what he did. He went against the most important rules of our clan. I feel very ashamed. I am so sorry. I was a failure as their uncle. I did not teach them properly. Forgive me."

 Lan Xichen followed Qiren's example and rested his head on the floor. "Maiden Charlie, forgive me and my uncle. We did not teach my brother properly. Forgive us."

 My gaze softened. I understood what had happened. Lan Wanji had gone to kill me. To throw me at the monsters. Because I was the bad person. And the wicked deserved to die. Because I had taken his beloved away.

 "It does not matter" I did. "He was not wrong. He is hurt by the whole situation and..."

 "Are you fucking serious?"

The voice made me jump a little. Des next to me, got up.

 "Wounded or not, there is no excuse for him to kill you because you said an opinion about Wei Wuxian going as a bait! Which in the final Wei Wuxian himself accepted! No! I will not tolerate it" she turned to the two Lan who had their heads on the floor. "I demand that he accepts the most inhuman punishment. And if no one does it to him, God, even if I do not believe, but really in what I have sacred, I will punish him with my own hands!"

 It was one of the few times I had seen Des angry. And maybe the first time I saw her get so upset at this time.

 "Do not worry Maiden Des. We will arrange for Lan Wanji to suffer the consequences of his actions," said Lan Qiren.