Dai Luan had lunch early with her friends today. A few people had nothing to do and ran to play near the snow inkstone pond. Of course, she and Mo Liang were the only three people who had nothing to do, so Xi Yu skipped the afternoon practice for the ten thousandth time. She was afraid that she had forgotten that Mu Wan was giving guidance today, and there were still two hours before her butt was spanked.
Mo Liang had learned from Yun Waijing that there was such a magical pool here a long time ago. When he told them, Dai Luan had already met Ru Yuejun. She thought about it, but still didn't tell them about the incense burner. After all, she didn't know whether the incense burner was inside or not. After that, they came many times one after another. Every time, Aluan would stare at the pool for a long time.
"Boom——"
Xi Yu threw a pebble over and it slid across the ice. The ice didn't break this time, maybe it was thicker. Dai Luan was fascinated, and Mo Liang felt strange.
"Do you like this pool?"
"Ah, no. I was just wondering if there are any fish in here."
"If the water is clear, there will be no fish." Mo Liang said, "Since it can bring out the black rocks at the bottom of the pond, I guess there shouldn't be any. More importantly, this is a pool of stagnant water, and nothing can survive in it."
"makes sense."
At this time, there was a rustling sound from the bushes behind him. Dai Luan turned around nervously, but saw nothing. Maybe she has lived an adventurous life for too long and she is too sensitive. She was always tolerant and for some reason, she felt a little cold around her. Although she couldn't detect any murderous aura, she felt uncomfortable.
"How about we go back?" she said suddenly.
"Hey, I just escaped."
Although Xi Yu complained, unexpectedly, Mo Liang agreed. According to the past, he would probably think that Dai Luan's worries were unnecessary and that she was just overthinking.
Could it be that he also felt this uneasy feeling?
At night, Shi Wuqi suddenly found them and asked them to have a meal together.
He probably had something to say, so he initially settled down in Xueyan Valley. They had to call each other when eating and working, and they were used to doing everything together. Just like during the intermission during daily practice, the disciples would call their brothers to go to the hut together. Later, it became more casual. After all, everyone did different things, their houses were close to each other, and there was no need to say hello to each other. Therefore, they don't always have meals together. Occasionally, if time happens to happen, we can also communicate together at the dinner table. After dinner, we will disperse immediately and everyone will be busy with their own affairs. To be honest, this is the best state among friends.
So what Wu Qi said inevitably made them a little strange.
Shan Hai has a bit of a "nothing is appropriate" mentality, and once he acted like this, his frown never healed. Dai Luan was also flustered. She didn't tell more people, but just joked to her new friends that she would go to have a dinner to catch up with old friends in the evening. When Shi Wuqi approached Mu Wan, she was talking to Chi Li. Wuqi didn't say much, just said they would have dinner together in the evening, which naturally made her feel confused. Chi Li nodded with understanding, saying nothing and not intending to disturb. Just that moment of raising an eyebrow made Mu Wan always feel that she had misunderstood something.
But none of that matters. When they gathered around the table in the corner for dinner again, they felt a sense of long-lost feeling.
"It's been a long time since we had dinner together." Mu Wan counted on her fingers, "It must have been more than half a month since we last had a table like this."
"I still remember that time the kitchen made radish soup, but there was no salt and it had no taste at all." Dai Luan said.
"Why do you remember what to eat?"
The topic was very light at the beginning, but they all kept their eyes open and knew what important topics Shi Wuqi was going to say. Occasionally, they would glance over and see that his expression was natural and he didn't seem to be hiding anything serious, and they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Several people drank tea instead of wine, and after three rounds of tea, Wu Qi finally brought the topic to himself.
"I'm going to get the soul-returning incense tomorrow." He said, "It's a three-hour ugly time."
The clinking of dishes and chopsticks on the table suddenly stopped, and it was so quiet that you could clearly hear the sound of the kitchen cleaning pots. The chopsticks are hanging in the air, three pairs of wide eyes and three open mouths are in perfect harmony. Shi Wuqi, however, calmly picked up the dishes and looked calm, as if he was just casually telling insignificant gossip.
"No, when did you...you..."
"Where? Is it - that place?"
"Why did you tell us?"
Wu Qi raised his chopsticks and waved them downward twice, suppressing their numerous questions. But then, Shanhai asked again:
"The ugly time you are talking about, could it be the ugly time tonight?"
"No. It's tomorrow, there are still more than ten hours."
"Is that so?"
Mu Wan felt very subtle, as if she had been cheated. But she knew very well that no one was lying to her, but Wu Qi was just hiding it for the time being, perhaps due to safety concerns. Didn't the master and the disciple just know that? Why be so sensitive? This is not the reason for trust or distrust. As a result, Dai Luan popped out just as she tried to convince herself.
"You're just saying it now! Are you worried about us?"
"No." Shi Wuqi shook his head, "Really not."
Shan Hai picked up the tea cup, still frowning. He sighed before speaking, feeling quite relieved.
"I can understand. There are many accidents...Whether it's leaking information or talking in sleep, a secret is no longer a secret as long as a second person knows it, and there is a risk of being revealed in various ways. I'm surprised that you can It’s really not easy to hold it in until now.”
"I don't have much to hold back." Shi Wuqi smiled.
He said that he was just telling everyone about it out of trust and had no intention of asking them to go with him. But inevitably they asked where the incense burner was. Shi Wuqi just said, you will know tomorrow, and they did not ask any more questions. But for some reason, Dai Luan had a feeling. If Shi Wuqi's position was occupied by someone else, Shan Hai or Mu Wan, they would definitely continue to ask questions.
Is it because of this distant and distant illusion? Could this be taken to mean that they didn't know him well enough.
In other words, he doesn't want or let himself be understood.
Dai Luan felt that she could not understand these principles in the past, but she gradually began to think more and gradually understood many things that she did not understand before.
Even though such a topic was brought up, the atmosphere at the dinner table did not get any heavier. Everyone still had to eat and drink. Only when they finally went back to the house to wash up and lay on the bed did an emotion similar to fear emerge.
what is this.
The ongoing uneasiness also took its toll on the next day. They all had dreams, with different lengths and different contents, but without exception they all made it difficult to get up the next day, with their temples pounding. They began to understand why Shi Wuqi chose to speak out when it was near. Just like Dai Luan, she looked in the direction of Xue Yanchi from time to time throughout the day. This is too unnatural. Although Xue Yanzong is unlikely to have any spies, her abnormality is still too obvious. Shan Hai and Mu Wan also couldn't stop thinking about that. Besides, when did he put it in? Is it really there? It seems so.
Apart from a few of them, no more people should know about this. Even if it is a secret for more than ten hours, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep it, as if it will be muttered and leaked out in the next second.
This day was extremely long, but fortunately it was only one day. In fact, if it lasts for seven days, it will be over. It's just that the risk of exposure to unknown people will increase. There is probably no traitor in the Xue Yan Sect, but it is possible that Bao Buqi could not resist the temptation, had ulterior motives, or was simply guided by curiosity, and caused some damage to the incense burner. After all, the request was very bizarre, and it was "not allowed to even look at it". It would be easy if it were a snow inkstone pond. Anyway, it looks black and white from a distance. No one can break the ice and jump in for a swim, right?
It's really not impossible. I don’t know how Shi Wuqi survived the psychological torture every day in less than three months. Is this the main reason why he stays away from Xue Yan Valley and often goes out for a walk?
A thousand hours... Dai Luan counted in his mind. She suddenly realized that tomorrow was the winter solstice. So a thousand hours ago, that is... August 16th? The day after the Mid-Autumn Festival?
She remembered. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, they were gathering together to celebrate lively. Lian Mu Wan also drank some wine in order to cooperate with everyone. Of course, she quickly collapsed and lay on the table, still holding half a piece of egg yolk mooncake in her hand. The yolk was still intact and was not bitten open, so Aluan picked it out and ate it.
Unfortunately, Chi Li said that originally Ye Yuejun promised that they would come. Ye Yuejun also told her at the time that the Mid-Autumn Festival was actually the anniversary of his death. They were surprised and felt rude, so they apologized. But Ye Yuejun still readily agreed, saying that he would definitely keep the appointment. Just waiting and waiting, until the sixteenth day, she did not show up.
Mo Liang held the sword and looked at the moon, with some expectation clearly in his eyes. He must have wanted to see a few black spots appear on the full moon, gradually enlarging and getting closer. Taking a closer look, it was Ye Yuejun and her flock of geese. But no, he didn't wait until his neck hurt.
It’s okay not to wait.
Wuqi also told a story about a pepper-flavored mooncake, and everyone laughed. They were very happy that day, very happy. It was the first lively festival they had settled down in Xueyan Valley. Dai Luan clearly remembered that Shi Wuqi and Miss Qi were both there, and he smiled happily.
Is there a tiny secret hidden beneath that smile?
Was it in this midst of laughter and laughter, under the cover of the noise and darkness, that he refined the incense burner and medicinal materials?
As the saying goes, the fifteenth moon is sixteen round. When the moon is shining brightly, it is indeed a good time. They were all so immersed in the festive atmosphere that no one noticed anything strange. But with Wu Qi's skill, this does sound like an easy task. It's heavy, probably only in the hearts of all those who know it.
He is the only insider.
