The Song of Inquiry | The Untamed 陈情令

Chapter 18: Make Things Right

ASHLEY'S EYES JOLTED OPEN, realizing she is staring at the ceiling of a room she is unfamiliar with, she get up. Already dressed in pinkish kimono with printed flowers and butterflies all around the garment, she realized the place she is staying is none other than in Lotus Pier. As she stood and venture around, she startled when she saw Lan Wangji peacefully playing his qin in the table and stared at her as he realized she is already awake.

"Lan Zhan! You scared me! Whoah..." she muttered as he stood and walk towards her, feeling of longing he felt during her absence, he lit up her chin as he stared at her. Both eyes connect to each other, Ashley - knew what was happening, she look away at pull away his hold towards her chin. She stood and hide the already flushed color in her both cheeks while Lan Wangji - felt the guilt from what he did, he walk towards his table and sat down.

Ashley noticed him and stared towards where he was, "Sorry...I..." she paused, the memories from yesterday realized her something. This is weird... she thought as blurred images from what happened started to haunt her, she let out a deep sigh and sat in her bed. She couldn't remember much of what happened but all she remembered is that she was stumbled towards Lan Zhan, conflict start to roam her thoughts when she suddenly remember the night she wept before she is kidnapped by Xue Yang.

But this worries her, Lan Xichen told her that the song of inquiry is learned from their clan and only the part of them knew, if Xue Yang kidnapped her...how does he able to perform it? Or he told someone to do it for him?

"Liar..." she muttered as Xue Yang gritted his teeth in anger.

"Oiii...why I can't remember why I said that to him..." she asked herself as Lan Wangji heard, he stood in his seat and walk towards her.

He sat beside her and spoke, "Is something bothering you?"

"Uhhh...errr...I...I can't explain..."

He let out a deep sigh, "Ashley...there is something you're not telling me..."

Ohh...that... she thought as she stared at him, to her, she can't say her true intentions...the truth of why she stayed...I can't...I am not ready yet she thought to herself. It is true what Xue Yang had said in Yi City...she does had intentions. They thought she fainted, but she is listening...she listened and realized Xue yang knew everything...including the reason why she stayed after a month of staying in her world.

She stared at him and replied, "Lan Zhan...if I told you...that I knew about my situation...would you believe me?"

Lan Wangji's eyes widen, that word...he heard that word before and he suddenly realized that word came from him...

"do you believe me...?"

Lan Wangji sighed, "I believe in you."

It took a moment before Ashley replied, "Lan Zhan...I...I was allowed to go in the forbidden library to gather information, Lan Xichen aid me there...and we discover something more about the song of inquiry..."

"Zewu Jun!" she exclaimed as Ashley find the book about the song of inquiry. Lan Xichen walk towards her and examined the book himself,"It is..." he replied as they both examined the book itself, the binding is old and the paper as well...it seems it can turn a page somehow. Ashley and Lan Xichen stared at each other before Ashley hold the book herself and open the first book cover. The opening pages is none other than the principle of the book itself and as they venture through the pages, they're stumbled on the page where it is related in time.

"I think this is it..."she exclaimed as Lan Xichen nodded, as she open another page, they stumble upon the page where it seriously talks about time travelling using the song of inquiry.

She read the page, "According to the scripture, when the person travel and went back in time...the timeline slowly changes once the person who traveled in the specific time..." Ashley's eyes widen when she read the first statement,

"that means...there is something more about it?" Lan Xichen stared at her as she stared at him as well.

"That is why...I came back to do some bit of help to find the culprit in the sudden deaths..." she replied as he nodded, "Anything else?" he asked.

"That is all..." she replied as Lan Wangji let out a small smile towards her.

"Ashley...thank you..." he said as Ashley's eyes widen. Lan Wangji...thanking me?? She thought to herself as her heartbeat beats faster than before, now...I feel what wei ying's feeling when he said that...why I feel like I can't resist on liking him she added as her mind became confused.

"Thanks...for what?"

"For staying again..." he replied as the two stared long enough, both eyes connected. Ashley felt the tension as the room became hot. Lan Wangji felt the same as he leaned towards her, Ashley became conflicted with her feelings towards him, both cheeks are flushed, both hearts beat the same. She became confused at what was happening until his lip peck hers.

Her eyes widen as she startled in the sudden action Lan Wangji made, he felt the same reaction as the two - both lips connected, stood still as Ashley brushed her thoughts and be the first one to pull away.

Lan Wangji became confuse as she stood and stared at him, "I...I..." before she spoke, she rushed towards the door and went out as she left the confused Lan Wangji.

Ashley run towards the empty streets of Lotus Pier, it was night so she wouldn't care the surroundings, she kept running while tears already flowing through both of her eyes. I can't take this...not anymore...I just want to make things right...why do I need to feel this pain? I can't...I can't even look at him in the eye...why...me... she thought to herself as she reached the riverside of Lotus Pier, where lotus seeds grow in each of their owner's space. Ashley stop her tracks and gasp for breath.

"Young Miss Ashley?" a voice exclaimed as she turn around and saw Lan Xichen walking towards her. She sighed in relief as he stood not far towards her, "Zewu Jun...I..." tears falling from her eyes as she embraced him. Lan Xichen's eyes widen in surprise, he never received a hug from a girl and Ashley is the first one to do so. Lan Xichen patted her head as she continue to weep, "Calm down...calm down..." he muttered as Ashley continued to cry.

It took a minute before she spoke, "Zewu Jun...do you think what I am doing is right? Avoiding him for good?" she asked him as Lan Xichen replied,

"Depends on you...whether you are doing to yourself be good or not..."

"Zewu Jun, this pain...it hurts...I just want this to end..." she replied as Lan Xichen went in deep thought, he didn't honestly know what will happened...but to him, as long she needs to do according to her plan, their world will be safe...just like what happened to Wei Wuxian.

Even he is a part of the Jiangs, he still helped the remaining innocent Wen Clan selflessly, he took the risk to help them even Jiang Cheng, his brother and a friend back stabbed him. He still felt Wei Wuxian's aura within her...His selflessness is still within her he thought as he watched Ashley weep. He can't take her burden as he place a spell on her to sleep, Ashley felt the heavy weight within her as she fell from his embrace, Lan Xichen bring her in a bridal style as he escort her back to her room where Lan Wangji is playing his qin.

He stood and saw Lan Xichen bringing Ashley to her bed, "Brother, what happened?" he asked as Lan Xichen replied, "I saw her fainted." He lied, he can't say what actually happened as he promised Ashley.

Lan Wangji replied, "Brother...what really happened to her?"

Lan Xichen knew Lan Wangji knew him whenever he is lying, "Brother, lying is not our principle as a Lan Clan." Lan Wangji added as Lan Xichen nod in defeat.

"The truth is...Ashley knew what she is doing...she will tell you once it's time." He replied as Lan Wangji became confused. From what Ashley said earlier about the reason of her return, it seems she is rather hiding something from him, he didn't feel any content with her reasoning and find her in the state of making excuses. Somehow, he doesn't want to suspect Ashley either.

He added, "I must go and rest...I already broke the Lan Sect rules of sleeping in 9 pm..." he bowed as he went outside of their room, leaving Lan Wangji dumbfounded about his new discovery about Ashley's new behavior recently.