The rice wine in the jar was only half finished when Baili Gelin suddenly slumped onto the table mid-conversation with Li Fei, knocking over her wine cup.
Ye Ye helped her up and examined her, both exasperated and amused. "This girl actually got drunk! She keeps clamoring to drink when she can't handle alcohol at all!"
Everyone burst into laughter. As they spoke, Baili Gelin woke up again, blinking dazedly at Ye Ye before suddenly pushing him away and mumbling, "Where's my sister? Don't touch me."
Baili Changyue hooked an arm around her shoulders, letting her lean against her, and teased, "Still showing off next time?"
Baili Gelin muttered something unintelligible before dozing off against her sister's shoulder. Ye Ye draped his outer robe over her and returned to the group's banter.
After several cups of rice wine, Li Fei's ears began to grow warm. Noticing that Lei Xiuyuan beside her was silently drinking with little food and even fewer words, she asked, "Why are you just drinking?"
Lei Xiuyuan set down his cup and suddenly moved closer, propping his chin on his hand as he studied her. After a long pause, he murmured, "Are you still feeling unwell anywhere?"
Li Fei tapped her chest. "I'm fine, perfectly good."
He grasped her wrist and gently moved it away. "No need to tap even if you're fine. What if it stays flat forever?"
W-what did he just say?! Li Fei felt her jaw might drop—was she hallucinating from the alcohol?!
Seeing her stunned expression, Lei Xiuyuan chuckled. "You really threw yourself into saving the young lord without regard for your own safety."
Fine, she'd treat that earlier remark as a hallucination! Li Fei glared at him. "What 'without regard for my own safety'? If I hadn't saved him, wouldn't he have died? If I could save him, why wouldn't I? Should I have just watched a fellow disciple die before my eyes?"
"The reality is, he was unharmed while you nearly died."
Li Fei sighed. "I didn't expect the Tutelary Croc to be so powerful. Everything happened too fast to react. But aren't I perfectly alive now?"
"You nearly died," Lei Xiuyuan said, watching her. "Let me ask you—would you save anyone, no matter who it was?"
Li Fei shook her head. "How could I? I'm not that capable."
Truthfully, she wasn't that warmhearted either. Under different circumstances, she might not have acted. That time with the Tutelary Croc had been pure impulse—they'd thought everything was successfully completed, everyone was celebrating, then suddenly disaster struck. Who could remain composed?
Moreover, Ji Tongzhou was a fellow disciple, and from their same group. Though arrogant and unlikable, they'd cultivated together for so long that some camaraderie existed. Could she have calmly watched him die before her? She wasn't that cold-blooded.
"If it had been you or Ge Lin back then, I'd have saved you too," she said, touching her warm cheeks—the alcohol was getting to her. "But for others... I don't know."
Noticing Lei Xiuyuan still staring, she frowned. "What exactly are you looking at?"
He averted his gaze, sipping his rice wine. "You left your story unfinished last time. What was Green Mound's scenery like?"
Li Fei blinked, realizing he meant the conversation interrupted during their test. After five days, he still remembered? She grinned. "I won't tell. I asked first—what does Brother Lu look like? How old is he?"Lei Xiuyuan also smiled and said softly, "He looks to be in his twenties, but with disciples of the Immortals, age can't be judged by appearance alone. I don't know his real age. As for his looks... well, he's just an ordinary person, but you can tell at a glance he's a good man."
"Did he teach you fist and sword techniques? Why didn't he teach you Immortal Techniques?"
"Immortal Techniques can't be casually taught to outsiders—it's a serious offense within the sects. The instructors invited by the Academy only teach the most basic things. More profound Immortal Techniques can only be learned after entering a sect and receiving instruction from a Master."
Li Fei leaned on the table, watching him drink. He had quite the capacity—he hadn't eaten much but had drunk quite a bit of wine, and didn't seem the least bit intoxicated.
"Lei Xiuyuan, have you decided which sect you want to join?" she asked. This was something she had only recently started considering. In just over half a year, they would be leaving the Academy, and the companions they had cultivated with might end up scattered to the winds. Thinking about it carefully, she felt a bit reluctant.
Once again, he countered with a question: "What about you?"
How sly—he never answered her questions directly. Li Fei shook her head. "I'll probably go to No Moon Court. You know, I have to find my senior brother."
He gave a soft "oh," drained his cup, and suddenly smiled slightly. "Then I'll go to No Moon Court too."
Li Fei was pleasantly surprised. "Really?"
"Mhm. Star Rectitude Hall is definitely out of the question, and I don't fancy any of the other sects. No Moon Court is the only one that seems decent."
Didn't fancy? Li Fei couldn't help but laugh again. He really had no qualms about boasting. Yet, coming from him, it didn't sound the least bit out of place—Lei Xiuyuan truly had the qualifications and ability to say such things.
Noticing his cup was empty, Li Fei picked up the wine jar beside her and refilled it for him.
"All done," she said, nudging him. Then she added, "By the way, you answered my question just now, so now it's my turn. Green Mound is vast, and the scenery is beautiful, but the terrain is too treacherous—ordinary people can't go up or down at all. Master and I hung hemp ropes at Tiger Jaw Cliff, and we always go up and down from there..."
She talked for a while but gradually grew drowsy. Zuoqiu Xiansheng was right—even though her injuries had healed, her energy and vitality wouldn't recover so quickly. She had slept for five days before waking up, and now she was already tired again.
A hand steadied her head, followed by a warm sensation as if someone had draped a garment over her. Li Fei opened her eyes and realized she had somehow ended up leaning against Lei Xiuyuan's shoulder, his outer robe now covering her. Seeing her awake, he said, "Sleep. I'll take you back later."
She rubbed her eyes. "It's fine... I can hold on."
He reached out and gently patted her cheek. "Sleep."
He really... wasn't so bad after all. Leaning against his shoulder, Li Fei was enveloped in Lei Xiuyuan's scent—an indescribable fragrance. They had gone from friends to enemies and back to friends again. Thinking about it, she felt a little happy. It would be nice if they could stay friends forever.
The remaining half-jar of wine was soon finished. Ji Tongzhou was slumped drunk over the table, and Ye Ye laughed. "It's quite late. We've had our fill of drinks today. If there's another chance, we'll drink until we drop."
Seeing that Ji Tongzhou couldn't handle his liquor and probably couldn't make it back on his own, and that Li Fei was also asleep against Lei Xiuyuan, he said, "I'll take His Highness back. Chang Yue, can you fly by sword?"Baili Changyue held her forehead lightly and said, "I'm feeling a bit dizzy. You go ahead first. I'll wait here and let the cold wind clear my head."
Ever since the incident of falling off the cliff while sword flying last time, even the usually bold her had become more cautious.
Lei Xiuyuan gently picked up Li Fei. She seemed truly exhausted, letting out only a soft "mm" without waking up. He flew back to the Thousand Fragrance Chamber on his sword, pushed open the door, and placed her on the bed. After a moment's thought, he helped her take off her shoes. Just as he was about to tuck her in, a faint, peculiar fragrance drifted into his nose—completely different from the scent of flowers or incense. It was refreshing yet not cold, warm yet not cloying, utterly intoxicating.
Lei Xiuyuan sniffed around, noticing the fragrance was elusive, sometimes faint, sometimes strong. After searching for a while, he suddenly realized something and leaned closer to the sleeping Li Fei. Sure enough, the fragrance emanated from her collar and breath. Though extremely faint and delicate, it was utterly bewitching.
He froze for a moment, then pulled the blanket over her. Strange, he had never noticed this scent on her before.
As he turned to leave, he felt an inexplicable reluctance. Sitting by the bed, he leaned close to her collar and took several deep breaths. The fragrance seemed to seep into his bones, leaving him utterly enchanted. Under the lamplight, her lips were slightly parted, her expression innocent.
Suddenly, he felt an inexplicable fluster and nervousness. He hurriedly stood up and walked out without looking back.
When Baili Gelin abruptly woke from her drunken stupor, Ye Ye had just helped her into the Liying Chamber. Seeing her blink in confusion, he couldn't help but laugh. "Awake? Next time we drink, we really shouldn't call you. Your tolerance is too low."
But she didn't answer, only looked around before whispering, "Where's my sister?"
Ye Ye helped her sit on the bed and said, "She's next door, also a bit drunk."
He knelt down and untied her leg bindings with gentle, steady movements. Baili Gelin watched him quietly, saying nothing until he had removed her bindings and shoes, helped her lie down, and tucked her in. Then he patted her head. "Alright, little one, sleep now. Don't be late tomorrow."
Just as he was about to leave, she lightly tugged at the hem of his robe. With a look he had never seen before, she whispered, "Ye Ye, talk to me for a bit?"
He chuckled and sat back down, patting her hand. "Still acting like a child at this age? Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story?"
Baili Gelin shook her head, her voice still soft, as if dreaming. "Can we... go back to how things were before? Can I come back?"
Ye Ye looked surprised. "Haven't we always been the same as before?"
Seeing her flushed face and teary eyes, he assumed she was just drunk. He adjusted the blanket and said gently, "You're drunk. Sleep now."
She frowned and murmured, "Wait... don't go yet..."
"Stop being childish," he said softly, prying her fingers loose. "Changyue is drunk too. I need to check on her. Sleep now."
She withdrew her hand as if stung, lowered her lashes, and whispered, "Alright, I'll sleep. Go check on my sister."
He blew out the oil lamp, and the door closed softly, plunging the room into endless darkness. Baili Gelin lay still for a while before suddenly, as if unable to bear it any longer, she leaped out of bed and pushed the door open to leave. Outside, the window of Baili Changyue's room was still lit, and Ye Ye's faint voice drifted over: "Sleep now. I'll stay until you fall asleep."She slammed the door shut again, staring blankly at the vast darkness in the room that seemed eager to swallow her whole, suffocating her.
Quickly slipping on her shoes, she grabbed the Stone Sword and fled the Thousand Fragrance Chamber like a fugitive. No one noticed her—no one would, no one ever did.
She couldn’t remember how she had made it to the Thousand Fragrance Chamber. Among so many courtyards, so many rooms, she had once known so many people, yet in the end, this was the only place she could turn to. Pushing the door open gently, she saw the oil lamp still flickering inside. Li Fei lay quietly asleep on the bed, undisturbed.
Bai Li Ge Lin tiptoed onto the bed and nestled close to her, whispering, "Li Fei."
Li Fei seemed to hear her, murmuring in response before turning over and reaching out to pat her head.
Ge Lin could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down silently, dampening her hair.
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