Fateful Turn

We know now

When the four of them reached Qiongqi Path along with Wen Qing who insisted that she would follow, it was already nighttime. Against the dark veil, cold strands of rain quivered in the air.

"It's cold." Wei Wuxian complained to Lan Wangji. 

"Use my cloak." Lan Wangji said, taking off his cloak and putting it on Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian grinned appreciatively at his gesture. "Thank you."

"Oh, come on!" Jiang Cheng snapped at their back, "You used to jump into the lake like a maniac while it was raining cats and dogs, and you're what? Cold? Why aren't you using your spiritual energy?"

The couple stiffened, but didn't answer Jiang Cheng's question. Wei Wuxian's face fell and Lan Wangji had a deep frown as he shot a sharp glare towards Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng raised his brow but he didn't say anything else afterwards. The glare that Lan Wangji's sent him was enough to raise goosebumps on his body. 

Lan Xichen noticed the grim look they're both wearing at Jiang Cheng's word and couldn't help but wonder why. But he didn't question them because it wasn't the right time to do so.

Wen Qing followed the men closely, trembling as though she was cold not from the outside but from the inside. Although she carried umbrella with her, the cold and wet breeze sent chills to her bone.

As they continued to walk in silence, Jiang Cheng couldn't ignore her looking so pitiful. After all, he used to have a crush on her. He didn't think about her any more than that, but since she helped them in the past, he offered her his outer coat, "Wear this."

Wen Qing hesitated for a moment but then accepted. "Thank you." She said quietly.

Before the valley was a row of shacks built temporarily for the prisoners of war to spend their nights. From a distance, they saw a figure walked slowly carrying a large flag. When it walked nearer, it became clear that the person carrying the flag was a wobbly old woman. She carried on her back a young toddler who paid attention to nothing but nibbling his fingers, fixed into position by a few cloth rags. The old and the young walked to and fro across the road. The old woman found the flag to be quite difficult to carry. She had to rest after walking for just a few steps, putting down the flag.

Seeing this, Wen Qing yelled with red eyes, "Granny! It's me!"

The old woman probably couldn't see or hear well. She couldn't tell by sight or by hearing who the person was. All she knew was that someone approached and shouted something at her. She hastily took up the flag again, her face full of fear, as though she was scared that she'd be found out and scolded. Wen Qing ran over and grabbed the flag from her, "What is this? What are you doing?"

A large sun, crest of the Qishan Wen Sect, was painted over the flag. However, it a blood-red cross was plastered on top of it. The flag itself was torn to bits as well. From when the Sunshot Campaign ended until now, countless people were labeled "leftover Wen-dogs'. Countless methods were used to torture them too, even called the euphemism "self-reflection'. Wei Wuxian knew it was likely because she was too old and couldn't be a laborer like the others that the leader here came up with such a way to torment her. She had to carry the Wen Sect's tattered flag and walk around in self-humiliation.

Surprised, the old woman first flinched. When she could finally tell who it was, her jaw dropped.

Wen Qing asked, "Granny, where's A-Ning? Where's Fourth Uncle and the rest? Where's A-Ning?!"

The old woman looked at the men behind her, and didn't dare say anything. She only looked in the direction of the valley.

Wen Qing turned her head quickly, her heart skipping a beat. She knew that meant... Wen Qing gave Jiang Cheng his coat back before she sprinted over, abandoning her umbrella.