Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

The Pursuit of Knowledge, Part Six

"Holy shit...the newest volume of The Legend of Evil Spirits?!"

Pan Wukun's hands shook as she held the sacred book.

The package had been sent to her in Gusu City from Pan Heng.

Pan Wukun shook her head fondly.

No matter how much she said, "A-ge. You don't have to, I have money from my cultivation jobs", Pan Heng would respond back, "Nonsense. It's my gift to you for all your hard work".

Translation: "I am your older brother. Let me spoil you."

Pan Wukun clutched the book close to her chest. She was going to get cozy with it tonight. No stressing out over canon characters. Just relaxing in bed reading as she always did back home.

As Pan Wukun returned to the Cloud Recesses and entered the guest disciples' dormitory, Wei Wuxian popped up behind her.

"Oooooooh. What do you have there, Chun-ge?"

Wei Wuxian peeked over Pan Wukun's shoulder. Upon seeing the book's title, he gasped. "The newest volume of The Legend of Evil Spirits!"

The other guest disciples' heads whipped to attention at Wei Wuxian's shout.

Before Pan Wukun knew it, the other guest disciples crowded around her.

"Pan-xiong! You read that series too?"

"Can I borrow your book after you're done, Pan-xiong?"

"Hey! I asked him first!"

"No, me!"

The guest disciples clasped their hands together, giving Pan Wukun puppy eyes. "Please?"

Pan Wukun sighed. There was no way she was going to be able to lock the other disciples out of her room. But she also couldn't bring herself to just reject them either. "It's no use lending my book out to so many of you! I'll just read the story aloud to you instead!"

Wei Wuxian excitedly clapped his hands. "Yay! Storytime!"

Everyone quieted down and sat in a circle around Pan Wukun.

Pan Wukun was surprised to see that even the female disciples showed up.

Was it just her? Or were there some female guest disciples that she spotted out of the corner of her eye looking at her and giggling sometimes?

Just how fast did the word spread at the Cloud Recesses?

Teen gossip...It spread so quickly it was scary.

Pan Wukun cleared her throat and began reading.

She felt like a librarian reading aloud to a bunch of bright-eyed kids. Not that she minded. She remembered being enamored when her teachers and librarians read books aloud to her class. It was a much-needed break from school troubles for her to get lost in a story.

As Pan Wukun continued reading, she didn't realize that Lan Wangji had appeared and sat down next to Wei Wuxian.

Fifteen minutes passed by without anyone noticing.

Lulled by Pan Wukun's soothing voice, Wei Wuxian's eyes drooped and his head landed upon Lan Wangji's shoulder.

Lan Wangji stiffened.

Jiang Cheng hurriedly lifted Wei Wuxian's head to rest on his shoulder instead. "Apologies, Lan-er-gongzi!"

Pan Wukun's head lifted up in surprise. Lan Wangji had been sitting there listening to her read the whole time? And he had been sitting next to Wei Wuxian without fighting him? Had those two finally gotten friendly with each other at some point? That would be a relief.