The Song of Inquiry | The Untamed 陈情令

Chapter 20: Make Things Right

SIX YEARS LATER

It's been a long time and she never thought it would be easy for her, Ashley doubt if her choice to go and occupied herself for a while is worth it, she opened the pages of her journal...it contains her journey and additional information that she gathered and never mentioned to them except Lan Xichen. Originally, Lan Xichen secretly helped her in gathering information from the forbidden Library Pavilion where they gathered some information about the song of inquiry. Yet, the difference from what she said from Lan Wangji is that she didn't tell him the whole details,

"...therefore, this person needs to maintain the timeline itself by not associating his/her self in the people who are living in that time differently. Zewu Jun...that means...I can be different in the future isn't it...?" she asked as Lan Xichen nodded.

"From what I read in that book, the reason you knew what will happen is that I think you knew somehow because you're from the future." He replied as she nod in his statement.

"It is true...so...what I had to do is to help you guys find the culprit and that's it...I need to return in my time so I'll prevent things from stopping what's about to happen..." she replied.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Ashley let out a deep sigh.

"Zewu Jun...promise me you will not tell anyone...even Lan Wangji...please..."

He thought for a moment and replied, "Whatever you need to say, I will keep my promise."

She nodded, "Well then, now that I knew some information about the song of inquiry and its rules...that means I need to return in my time after solving this dilemma...I can't stay much further nor get close to him either..."

Tears began to flow in her eyes, "I highly admit Zewu Jun, I'm in love with your brother...but I want things to be different...because I knew...Wei Wuxian will return...I am sure of it...I don't want to be the substitute for him to move on...I don't belong in this world...in this time...I believe I experience something more than to stay long in here..." she added as Lan Xichen nod.

"Ashley...are you sure? From what I think...you are being selfless...doing this to make Wei Wuxian's return happened...why?" he replied.

Ashley knew this as well, but she can't change the timeline...she don't want to mess up everything...or else...who is she in the future?

"I love my family...if the time comes I have to choose...I choose nothing but them...that is why I need to help you guys in this situation...before I say goodbye to this world I am not belong."

"You sacrifice your feelings just to make everything right?"

Ashley stared at him and nodded, "Yes...I had to...feelings are just feelings...Lan Wangji deserves Wei Wuxian better...he waited him and I knew how much he longs for him...I don't want to be a burden for the both of them...I believe I experience much more outside of this world..." she replied.

Lan Xichen nod and agree to her, for Ashley knew that not every protagonist is the main character in every story...sometimes she considered herself as the side character, who did everything it could to make the main characters be together. And she knew in her heart, that this world she is living...is where she is not belong.

"What I'm doing...it's for the benefit for them..." she muttered to herself as she glanced at her journal...she wrote every detail she experienced until a memory from what happened bothered her, an image of a man whose captive with her is nowhere to be found. Ashley's eyes widen in her sudden realization,

"T-that man...whose with me...could it be?" she asked herself when she remembered the words that man uttered when he was supposed to say his name,

"M-Mo..." he was interrupted when Xue Yang exclaimed, "Quiet!"

So the man was with her is none other than Mo Xuanyu all this time.

She smirked, "Mn...so...that's how it's done huh?" Ashley mutter to herself as she chuckled in her new discovery, she knew it will happened all of the sudden and no matter how long will it be...she knew if that day come, she will likely return to make things right.

Lan Wangji glanced at the night sky, the memory from six years ago bothered him and he knew to his heart that Ashley left without even explaining the whole thing. Suddenly, a sound of a firecracker make him look in the direction as he saw the logo sign of their clan, he knew what it meant. He summon his qin and placed it in his back, his long strands of hair flow through him as the cold wind brushed both of his shoulder blades through the night.

He still remember what his brother had told him 6 years ago, before Ashley's return in her time...that one day he would understand...that he would fully understand the reason why she returned. A small smirk stretch upon his lips and stared at the signal once more...before he position his tracks where he flew towards the direction...

Where the cacophony of screams echoed through the Mo Mansion.