Chapter 120

Extra Chapter of the Published Edition - Morning and Evening

It had been long past the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), and the person still hadn't returned.

The paper lamp on the table remained lit, and Lan Wangji stared at the hazy glow, his eyes unblinking.

After a moment, he rose and strode to the door of the Jingshi, pushing the wooden door open.

He stood for a moment when a strange thud sounded from behind.

Lan Wangji turned sharply to see that the window had somehow opened, the window sash still swaying slightly in the night breeze. The thin quilt on the bed bore a large, odd lump, as if something had broken through the window and rolled in, now curled up inside, rustling and shifting.

After a brief silence, Lan Wangji gently closed the door, returned to the room, blew out the lamp along the way, closed the window, and got onto the bed.

He lay beside the large lump, silently pulling over another quilt and closing his eyes.

Soon after, a cold, large thing suddenly wriggled into his quilt.

This cold, large thing pressed against his chest, cheerfully exclaiming, "Lan Zhan, I'm back, welcome me."

Lan Wangji hugged him back, saying, "Why are you so cold?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "I've been out in the wind for half the night. Let me warm up."

No wonder he was covered in grass and dirt; he must have taken the younger generation of the Cloud Recesses to the wild mountains to wreak havoc on the birds, beasts, and demons of the mountains.

Despite being so filthy and rolling into his bed and quilt, Lan Wangji, who was naturally clean, didn't show any disdain. He quietly tightened his arms, holding Wei Wuxian even closer.

After sharing his warmth for a while, Lan Wangji said, "At least remove your boots."

Wei Wuxian said, "Okay." He kicked off his boots with his feet and then snuggled back into the quilt to chill Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji said indifferently, "Stop squirming."

Wei Wuxian said, "I'm already in your bed, and you still want me not to move around?"

Lan Wangji said, "Uncle has returned."

Lan Qiren's residence was not far from Lan Wangji's Jingshi. He already disliked Wei Wuxian, and if any improper noise were to occur, he would likely be furious the next day, venting his anger at Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian, however, inserted his knee between Lan Wangji's legs, provocatively and mischievously nudging twice, clearly expressing his attitude with his actions.

After a moment of silence, Lan Wangji suddenly flipped over, pinning Wei Wuxian beneath him.

His movements were too abrupt, causing the two to crash together with a loud "thud" on the wooden bed.

"Slow down, slow down, slow... down!"

Lan Wangji pressed Wei Wuxian firmly onto the bed, plunging into him with unstoppable force, pushing all the way to the bottom until his lower abdomen was completely pressed against Wei Wuxian's bare buttocks, unable to go any deeper, and then he stopped moving.

Wei Wuxian took a couple of breaths, shook his head, and dared not move much, only rolling his eyes and uncomfortably twisting his waist, trying to push the thing inside him out a bit. But Lan Wangji noticed his intention, grabbed his waist, and immediately filled him back up.

Wei Wuxian let out a cry, "Hanguang Jun!"

Lan Wangji, restraining himself, said, "You asked for it." After a pause, he began thrusting in and out.

Wei Wuxian, firmly pinned beneath him, curled his legs, his black hair disheveled, his face flushed, his body moving up and down with each thrust. Lan Wangji thrust once, and Wei Wuxian cooperatively moaned once; thrust twice, moaned twice. After a while of this, Lan Wangji could no longer let him continue like this. Suppressing the rapid breaths threatening to burst from his chest, he whispered, "You... keep it down."

Wei Wuxian reached up to touch his face, thinking to himself how strange Lan Zhan's thin face was. It was already unbearably hot, but it didn't show any redness, still as cold and beautiful as frost-covered snow, making his heart race uncontrollably. Only his earlobes bore a faint hint of pink.

He gasped breathlessly, "Second Brother Lan, don't you want to hear me moan?"

Lan Wangji: "..."

His conflicted expression filled Wei Wuxian with an overwhelming thrill, making him wish he could consume Lan Wangji entirely. He said, "Afraid someone will hear me? That's simple, just put a silencing spell on me."

Lan Wangji's chest heaved violently, a faint red hue appearing in his eyes. Wei Wuxian urged, "Come on! Silence me, do whatever you want, even if you kill me, I won't make a sound..."

Before he could finish, Lan Wangji leaned down and captured his lips in a kiss.

Once his mouth was silenced, Wei Wuxian's limbs wrapped around him, and the two entwined together on the bed, the blanket had long since fallen to the floor. During their intimate moments, Lan Wangji usually didn't change positions frequently. After being pinned and penetrated for half an hour, Wei Wuxian felt numbness from his back down to his buttocks and legs, seriously wondering if he would remain in the same position all night. Seeing Lan Wangji's relentless determination, with no sign of stopping, it seemed likely. So, Wei Wuxian took the initiative to flip over and mount Lan Wangji, wrapping his arms around his neck, rising and falling, nipping at Lan Wangji's earlobe as he moved, asking, "Is it deep?"

The whisper in his ear was hot and breathy. Lan Wangji reached out and pressed his shoulder down hard.

This move was utterly devastating. Wei Wuxian let out a sharp cry and clutched tightly to him. Lan Wangji massaged his lower back, asking, "Is it deep?"

Wei Wuxian, still trembling, lips quivering, hadn't yet answered when he suddenly grimaced and cried out, "Ah! Wait! Nine shallow, one deep!"

One hand weakly shielding his abdomen, the other clutching Lan Wangji's strong but not overly muscular shoulders, he nearly screamed in panic, "Lan Zhan! Do you understand nine shallow, one deep? Not every time, not every time like this, like this..."

The latter half of his sentence, broken and fragmented by the relentless thrusts. Lan Wangji said, "I don't understand!"

Although he had cried out pitifully earlier, saying anything to beg for mercy, by the middle of the night, after two rounds, Wei Wuxian's legs were still tightly locked around Lan Wangji's waist, not letting him leave.

Lan Wangji's body covered Wei Wuxian entirely, carefully avoiding putting his full weight on him. The parts of their bodies that touched and connected were wet and slippery. Lan Wangji seemed about to get up, but with just a slight movement, Wei Wuxian's legs tightened, and the small gap that had just formed was immediately sealed back.

Wei Wuxian lazily said, "Don't move, there's a draft, let's lie down for a bit."

Lan Wangji complied and stayed still. After a while, he asked Wei Wuxian, "Aren't you full?"

Wei Wuxian pitifully replied, "I am, I'm so full. You didn't even listen to how miserably I was calling earlier."

"..."

Lan Wangji said, "I'll pull out."

Wei Wuxian immediately changed his expression, bluntly saying, "I like being filled by you like this, it's quite comfortable."

After saying this, he clenched tightly. Lan Wangji's expression changed, his breath hitching for a moment. After enduring for a while, he hoarsely said, "...Shameless!"

Seeing him almost at his limit, Wei Wuxian laughed and kissed his lips, saying, "Second Brother Lan, what haven't we done together? Why be shy now?"

Lan Wangji helplessly shook his head slightly, whispering, "Let me out, you need to bathe."

Wei Wuxian was already a bit sleepy, mumbling, "Not bathing, I'll bathe tomorrow, I'm exhausted today."

Lan Wangji kissed his forehead, saying, "Bathe. Be careful of discomfort."

Wei Wuxian, too sleepy to hold him anymore, finally let his limbs go limp. Lan Wangji got off the bed, first picking up the blanket that had been thrown to the floor, covering Wei Wuxian's naked body completely, then hanging his scattered clothes on the screen, putting on his own clothes, quickly dressing, and going out to fetch water for bathing.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Wei Wuxian, almost asleep, was carried by him and placed in the bathtub. The tub was placed next to Lan Wangji's desk. Wei Wuxian, soaking in the water, swam around for a bit and then perked up, patting the edge of the tub, saying, "Not joining me? Hanguang Jun!"

Lan Wangji said, "I'll wait a bit."

Wei Wuxian said, "Why wait? Come now."

Lan Wangji glanced at him, seemingly pondering something. After a moment, he said, "In the four days since you returned, four bathtubs in the quiet room have broken."

That glance made Wei Wuxian feel the need to defend himself, saying, "The last one breaking wasn't my fault." Lan Wangji placed the soap pod box within Wei Wuxian's reach, calmly saying, "My fault."

Wei Wuxian poured a handful of water over his neck, the red kiss marks becoming even more vivid as he scrubbed. He said, "Yes, and the one before last wasn't my fault either. Honestly, if we're being fair, it's always you who ends up breaking them. You haven't changed this habit since the first time."

Lan Wangji got up and came back with a jar of Tianzi Lao, placing it beside Wei Wuxian before sitting back down at the desk. He replied, "Yes."

Wei Wuxian could easily reach out to scratch his chin, and he did exactly that. Lan Wangji picked up a few densely filled papers and began to read, making brief notes as he went. Wei Wuxian, lounging in the water, opened the Tianzi Lao and took a sip, casually inquired, "What are you reading?"

Lan Wangji replied, "Night hunting records."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Written by the kids? Isn't reviewing these your uncle's job? I remember it's his responsibility."

Lan Wangji said, "Uncle is occupied, so I take care of it occasionally."

Perhaps because Lan Qiren was busy with more urgent matters, the task was temporarily handed over to Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian reached out and took a couple of papers, flipping through them. He said, "Your uncle used to write hundreds of words of comments every couple of paragraphs, and then wrap up with nearly a thousand words at the end. I don't know where he found the time to write all those comments. Your comments are quite brief."

Lan Wangji said, "Is being brief a bad thing?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "No! Short and to the point."

Lan Wangji's conciseness was not due to laziness; even the simplest tasks were never overlooked. It was simply his habit to be economical with words, whether spoken or written. Wei Wuxian submerged his head in the water and came up dripping wet, grabbing some soap to wash his hair with one hand while picking up a note from the desk with his other hand. After a quick glance, he suddenly burst out laughing, "Who wrote this? So many typos, hahaha—I knew it was Jingyi. You gave him a B grade."

Lan Wangji said, "Yes."

Wei Wuxian said, "Out of all these notes, he's the only one with a B. Poor guy."

Lan Wangji said, "Too many typos, and the arguments are redundant."

Wei Wuxian asked, "What happens if you get a B?"

Lan Wangji replied, "Nothing. Just rewrite it."

Wei Wuxian said, "He should be grateful. It's better than being punished to copy while standing on his head."

Lan Wangji silently gathered the messy papers Wei Wuxian had thrown around, straightened them into a neat stack, and placed them aside. Wei Wuxian watched his actions, a smile naturally forming on his lips. He then asked, "What grade did you give Sizhui?"

Lan Wangji pulled out two notes and handed them to him, saying, "A."

Wei Wuxian took them and looked down, saying, "The handwriting is really beautiful."

Lan Wangji said, "Clear structure, well-organized, substantive, and accurate."

Wei Wuxian finished flipping through the stack in his hands and looked at the ungraded pile on the desk. He asked, "Do you have to read all of these? Want me to help with some?"

Lan Wangji said, "Okay."

Wei Wuxian asked, "Just mark the mistakes and add some comments, right?"

He reached out and took most of the stack. Lan Wangji tried to take them back, but Wei Wuxian pulled his hand away, saying, "What are you doing?"

Lan Wangji said, "That's too much. You should bathe."

Wei Wuxian took another sip of Tianzi Lao and grabbed a brush, saying, "I am bathing. Besides, I have nothing else to do. Reading these notes and essays by the kids is quite fun."

Lan Wangji said, "You should rest after bathing."

Wei Wuxian boldly declared, "Do I look like I can sleep right now? I feel like I could go for two more rounds."

As he leaned over the bathtub, carefully reading the notes and occasionally resting his arm on the desk to write, Lan Wangji's gaze, illuminated by the lamp, seemed to flicker with warmth.

Although he had boldly claimed he could go for two more rounds, after leading a group of youths through a chaotic day in the mountains, spending half the night entangled on the bed, and then reviewing a batch of notes, it was hard not to feel drowsy. Wei Wuxian struggled to stay awake as he diligently finished his portion of the notes, then tossed the stack onto the desk and slid down into the water. Lan Wangji quickly and gently pulled him up, dried him off, and carried him to the bed.

After quickly finishing his bath and getting into bed, Wei Wuxian woke up briefly, mumbling drowsily by Lan Wangji's collarbone, "Your juniors write pretty good essays, but they still need some work when it comes to night hunting."

Lan Wangji replied, "Hmm."

Wei Wuxian continued, "But it's okay... I'll make sure to give them a crash course during my stay at Cloud Recesses. Tomorrow... I'll take them to raid the mountain ogre's lair again."

The one-legged mountain ogre was incredibly strong, covered in black fur, and devoured humans as easily as slicing through melons. To anyone else, hearing this would sound like taking a group of runny-nosed kids to raid bird nests on rooftops.

Lan Wangji's lips twitched slightly, as if about to curve into a smile. He asked, "Were you also hunting the ogre today?"

Wei Wuxian said, "Yeah, that's why I said they still need practice. The ogre only has one leg, and they almost couldn't keep up. What if they run into a four-legged lizard, an eight-legged spider, or a hundred-legged centipede later on? They'd just lie down and give up... Oh, by the way, Hanguang Jun, I'm out of money. Can you give me some more?"

Lan Wangji replied, "You can use the jade token to withdraw money."

Wei Wuxian chuckled softly, "That jade token you gave me... other than letting me through the barriers, can it also withdraw money?"

"Yes," Lan Wangji said. "Did you wreck any stalls or houses?"

Wei Wuxian replied, "No... not at all... I ran out of money because after the night hunt, I took them to that Hunan place in Caiyi Town... the one I tried to drag you to before but you refused... I'm exhausted... Lan Zhan, stop talking to me..."

Lan Wangji said, "Alright."

Wei Wuxian murmured, "...I told you not to talk... every time you say something, I can't help but keep talking... Okay, Lan Zhan, let's sleep now... I can't hold on anymore... I really need to sleep... Lan Zhan, see you tomorrow..."

He kissed Lan Zhan's Adam's apple and soon fell into a deep sleep.

The room was enveloped in darkness and silence.

After a while, Lan Wangji gently kissed Wei Wuxian's forehead.

He whispered softly, "Wei Ying, see you tomorrow."