A Clan of Our Own | The Untamed/Chen Qing Ling/ Modao Zushi

Launch The Lanterns

Needless to say, Jingyi and Sizhui went on multiple dates after that night at the tavern. They really enjoyed the other's company, and when the actual Banquet came, they bought snacks, watched the various artistic performances on the street and forgot any problems they had back at their respective homes. Jingyi still heard that small nagging voice in his head regarding what Jin Ling brought up, but he pushed it down into the darkest corner of his mind. It wouldn't make sense, after all. Hanguang Jun is dead, or at least he was as good as dead. He also knew of how Sizhui's parents would react if they found out about them being together too close: that scared him. Should Sizhui reject him because of them, he'd understand, but the sting would not be lessened at all.

"There's so many petals flying around," Sizhui remarked a month later in one of their spontaneous dates, watching the petals descend and coat the floor. "So much pinks and reds and whites."

"I'd expect no less for the Lady Florist," Jingyi replied. "She was popular. The one person who did see her claimed that she was beautiful beyond all expectations. Zizhen wouldn't shut up about it when he found out."

"He seems to be the romantic type." Sizhui mused.

"That's an understatement," Jingyi groaned. "He loves romance, and falls in love easily. God, he will fall in love with anything vaguely resembling an attractive human."

This statement brought out a laugh from Sizhui, who then proceeded to cover his mouth as to stifle it.

"Sorry...that was a little over the top."

"Oh no, it's fine." Jingyi insisted. "It is pretty amusing. Plus..."

He patted Sizhui on the shoulder, then leaned in.

"I like hearing you laugh."

Even after weeks of being subjected to Jingyi's flirting, Sizhui always began to hide his face in his hands and mumbled some form of thanks or blush a very cute shade of pink, as Jingyi reluctantly put it to Zizhen and Jin Ling. Of course, Zizhen cooed and Jin Ling guffawed at such remarks. That wasn't to say that the teasing was unreciprocated, as whenever Jingyi tried to act cool, Sizhui was always quick to knock it back with some provocative words. He supposed that he thought that an embarrassed Jingyi was....adorable.

Whenever he thought of such things, he always heard his parents lecture him about being too trusting. He wished that he didn't have to be so cautious all of the time. These feelings of desire, the desires to be selfish were foreign to him. Lan Zhan and Wei Ying raised him to be the ideal child: filial, intelligent and skilled. But was that what he wanted to be?

"Don't be so shy."

Jingyi moved back and and grinned. Sizhui immediately dismissed any worries in his mind, and returned the smile.

"Let's not waste any time. You wanted to see the lighting of the lanterns, didn't you?"

Jingyi nodded.

"You do know where the event is, right? It's outside of the main area, so I don't want to get lost."

"If I remember right, if we walk west for five minutes out of the gates we'll be there." Sizhui explained, trying to remember the route that Ubcle Ning had given him as they walked towards the entrance. "The lanterns are going to be even more beautiful this time, and there'll be more of them."