Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

Radiant, Part Ten

"Have you grown tired of me, Wukun-ge?"

Meng Xingyao's face was impassive but Pan Wukun could tell just how uneasy he was.

"What makes you think that, Xingyao-di?"

"You went partying with the guest disciples the other night."

"Without me" went unsaid.

Pan Wukun placed a hand on Meng Xingyao's shoulder. "I would never abandon you, Xingyao-di!"

Meng Xingyao turned his head slowly, keeping his eyes on Pan Wukun's hand to make sure it was actually there on his shoulder. "...You're not ashamed to be seen with me?"

"Of course not."

"Why were you with the guest disciples then? You're not the partying type, Wukun-ge."

"I needed to get close to Wei Wuxian. That way, he'll help me smuggle books from the Library Pavilion."

"Why would you need the books from the Library Pavilion?"

"It's personal, Xingyao-di." Pan Wukun grabbed the spirit-trapping pouch with the unknown sect emblem. "A personal, private matter..."

Seeing the spirit-trapping pouch Pan Wukun always acted so guarded about, Meng Xingyao knew not to pry any further.

And what could he even do to help Pan Wukun? He couldn't possibly ask Lan Xichen for access to the Library Pavilion's books. He was a mere rogue cultivator, not a guest disciple.

Meng Xingyao couldn't just break into the Library Pavilion and smuggle the books out either. He found that he couldn't break Lan Xichen's trust, no matter how much he cared for Pan Wukun.

So he just silently nodded. "Right. You go and continue your work with the healers. I'll just stay here and write my letter to Sisi."

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"Breaking the ribs is not actually required for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Pan-xiushi."

Pan Wukun blinked. "Oh...I see..." Her cousin did tell her not to push down so hard on the pillow. She said that she wouldn't be surprised if Pan Wukun ended up breaking someone's ribs one day...

Sure, her cousin turned out to be right. But being alive with broken ribs was better than dying!

The healers had constructed a practice dummy and were currently running breathing tests on it. They were observing how much strength was needed to push down on the chest to be able to reach the heart.

The healers acted as usual with Pan Wukun, eager and inquisitive. They did not kick her out of the infirmary and the Cloud Recesses for partying with the guest disciples. But that was only because Wei Wuxian took the blame for her...

Pan Wukun didn't even know how Wei Wuxian was doing. She couldn't bring herself to visit him in the guest disciples' quarters.

As for Lan Wangji, she avoided him as much as possible as well.

The healers put their medical instruments away. "Thank you for your hard work, Pan-xiushi. That will be all for today."

Leaving the infirmary, Pan Wukun decided to stroll through the forest within the Cloud Recesses, losing herself in her thoughts.

Should she even keep staying here? Her presence was jeopardizing Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's relationship!

But she couldn't just up and leave now! She still needed to get to those books in the Library Pavilion!