Protect You | Nie Huaisang

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Mo Dao Zu Shi and The Untamed do not belong to me. The settings, characters, and plot belong, respectively, to Mo Xiang Tong Xiu and the screenwriters of The Untamed. Here, only the plot of this fanfiction and my four OCs, Huang Minghui / Lan Minghui, Lan Biyun, Li Xingsi / Wei Xingsi, and Bai Yilian / Nie Yilian, are my creations. And an important reminder that this ISN'T REAL; please value your lives and do not try to get hit by a car to get this sort of adventure.

Seven years later

Wei Xingsi, now sixteen years old, was sitting in a boat with Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, and Wei Wuxian. The four of them picked lotus seeds from the lake, occasionally eating a few. In the boat opposite them, four other Jiang disciples were crowded on the boat, laughing and splashing water at each other. Jiang Yanli, Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian, and Wei Xingsi grinned and returned the favor.

A few hours later, the disciples jumped back on the dock of Lotus Pier, sopping wet. They hurried to change into dry, clean clothing. Still laughing a little from the craziness of the late afternoon, Wei Xingsi joined her siblings for dinner.

"Shijie, are you excited for the Gusu lectures?" Wei Xingsi asked.

"There's plenty to look forward to," Jiang Yanli answered. "A-Xian, A-Cheng, and A-Si, we've got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. Make sure to rest plenty today."

"You too, Shijie!" Wei Wuxian added. "We're not the only ones who are going; you're coming, too!"

Jiang Yanli laughed softly, patting their heads. "Okay, I will."

***************

Mid-morning the next day, the Jiang disciples set off. They split into groups of four for every boat, and naturally, Wei Xingsi, Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, and Jiang Yanli ended up in the same boat. The disciples chattered eagerly about every possible aspect of their visit, from what they would learn and the people that they'd meet to how Gusu would be like, and of course, the famed Emperor's Smile. The rays of the midday sun drifted down from the sky, making Wei Xingsi feel warm, comfortable, and sleepy. She closed her eyes and let her drowsiness take over her, falling asleep.

***************

"A-Si, wake up! We've arrived in Caiyi Town." Jiang Yanli's gentle voice brought Wei Xingsi back to a waking state.

Wei Xingsi sat up and stretched. The boats had docked in Caiyi Town, and the disciples were getting off. Wei Wuxian was still lying in the boat, snoozing away with a lotus pad on his face. Jiang Cheng didn't have much patience to wait.

"WEI WUXIAN! WAKE UP AND GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT OF THE BOAT NOW, OR I'M SETTING THE DOGS ON YOU!" he roared.

At "dogs", Wei Wuxian shot up immediately, throwing the lotus pad off clumsily. "WHAT?! Dogs? Where?!"

Jiang Yanli and Wei Xingsi laughed as Wei Wuxian climbed out of the boat, grumpy that his sleep had been disturbed. Once all the disciples had gotten out of the boat, they made their way to the inn, where they would stay until the lectures tomorrow. But of course, Jin Zixuan and the disciples of the Lanling Jin Sect booked out the entire inn, and the Yunmeng Jiang Sect's disciples had little choice other than to leave. Wei Xingsi knew that they would have to stay outside for a while because they lost their invitation, but she didn't bother asking Jiang Cheng to let her manage it instead. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji needed their moonlit duel.

Though Wei Wuxian tried, he failed to get the Jiang disciples a place to stay, so they decided to go to the Cloud Recesses immediately. However, due to having lost their invitation, they were barred from entering. Wei Wuxian tried to take advantage of Lan Wangji's arrival to get them in, but got his mouth sealed by the Gusu Lan Sect's silencing spell instead. As Wei Wuxian made loud, muffled noises of complaint, Jiang Cheng just rolled his eyes, while Wei Xingsi tried not to laugh and just patted his head.

As night fell, the temperature dropped. It had felt pleasantly cool earlier, but now, the wind rattled the branches, sending shivers down the spines of the Jiang disciples, who were only wearing thin white robes. Wei Wuxian jumped up and ran back to Caiyi Town to find their invitation. He did not want to spend the rest of the night in the cold.

***************

Wei Xingsi didn't know how long she and her fellow disciples had been sitting in the chilly clearing next to the stream. Suddenly, there was a sound of rustling footsteps behind her, and her shijie called, "Hanguang-Jun? Lan-xiaojie and Lan-er-xiaojie?"

Three members of the Gusu Lan Clan stood by the clearing, their faces devoid of much expression and their postures stiff. She could immediately tell that the first was Lan Zhan, courtesy name Lan Wangji, also known by the title Hanguang-Jun, the second young master of the Gusu Lan Clan. When she saw who the two girls by his side were, Wei Xingsi nearly dropped Xuejiang, her sword, in shock.

She'd spent so many years wondering and worrying about her friends. Were they treated well by their fellow sect members? Were they safe and healthy? And would they meet again? Seeing Lan Biyun and Lan Minghui standing in front of her, with the faintest hints of inexplicable joy, relief, and longing. Wei Xingsi didn't even know she was crying until Jiang Aojuan, one of her fellow disciples, asked, "Wei-guniang, you're crying. Are you alright?"

Quickly nodding to cover up her unexpected reaction, she said, "The wind was just making my eyes water. I'm okay!"

Wei Xingsi, Lan Biyun, and Lan Minghui didn't have another chance to talk. They just exchanged looks that they put everything they wanted to say into before the three of them separated for the night. As Wei Xingsi lay down in bed, she tried to force herself to sleep. Just one night, and you'll be able to see them again...

(A/N): Non-canon character names:
Jiang Aojuan (江奧娟)
江 (Jiang) = River
奧 (Ao) = Secluded; deep; hidden away
娟 (Juan) = Beautiful; graceful
Based off of a real person, Duan Aojuan