The second morning, Wei WuXian somehow woke up earlier than Lan WangJi did. His legs were shaking throughout the entire day.
The tapir* incense burner was seized and scrutinized by them for a long while. Wei WuXian took it apart and put it back together, but he still couldn't understand the mystery behind it.
*TN: This refers to the mythical animal in the shape of which the incense burner was built. These creatures are often connected to dreams.
Sitting beside the desk, Wei WuXian pondered, "If it's not a problem with the incense, then it has to be a problem with the incense burner. What a thing. It feels so real even Empathy might not compare to it. Was it ever recorded in the Library Pavilion?"
Lan WangJi shook his head.
If he shook his head, that meant it was certain nobody had ever recorded it. Wei WuXian, "Oh, well. Its potency has already passed. We should store it properly for now so that other people don't come into contact with it by accident. If some master of spiritual tools ever visit us, we could take it out again and ask them."
They both thought that the incense burner's potency has passed already, yet what happened was beyond what they expected.
At night, after a round between the sheets, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi fell asleep side by side, lying within the Jingshi.
Soon after, he opened his eyes again only to discover that he was again lying below the magnolia tree outside the Library Pavilion. The sunlight spilled onto his face through the flowering branches. Wei WuXian squinted, covering it with his hand. He slowly got up.
This time, however, Lan WangJi wasn't beside him.
Wei WuXian cupped his right hand around his lips, shouting, "Lan Zhan!"
Nobody answered. Wei WuXian wondered, Looks like the incense burner's potency hasn't passed yet. But where's Lan Zhan? Don't tell me I'm the only one affected by the incense burner's leftover powers?
Before the magnolia trees was a small path of white pebbles. A group of the GusuLan Sect's disciples, wearing white clothes and forehead ribbons, passed carrying a few books each, as though they were about to attend their morning lectures. None of them spared Wei WuXian a single glance, still unable to see him. Wei WuXian went up the Library Pavilion and stole a look. Lan WangJi wasn't inside, no matter the big one or the small one. And so he got down again, beginning his aimless stroll throughout the Cloud Recesses.
Not long afterwards, he managed to make out the whispering voices of two boys. He walked closer, finding that one of their voices sounded quite familiar, "... Nobody had ever kept any within the bounds of the Cloud Recesses. To do such a thing is unheard of."
After a moment of silence, the other boy answered, somewhat dejected, "I know. But... I have already made my promise. I cannot go against my word."
Wei WuXian picked this up. He sneakily glanced over. As expected, conversing amidst a clearing of green grass was Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi.
It was a spring day vibrant with soft winds. The young brothers seemed to be two immaculate pieces of jade, reflected against each other. Both were dressed in snowy robes, their wide sleeves and forehead ribbons flapping in the wind, almost as if they were a painting. The Lan WangJi at this point in time was also just about sixteen. He frowned slightly, as though he was worried about something. What he held in his arm was a white rabbit, sniffing its pink nose, and beside his foot was another rabbit, its long ears perked up as it stood clinging to his boot, trying to climb up.
Lan XiChen, "How could the casual remarks between two boys be considered a serious promise? Is it really because of this?"
Lan WangJi looked at the ground and said nothing.
