Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! My muse insisted this story wasn't done so here's the next chapter. I have no idea where it's going, but hopefully the ride will be fun. Enjoy :)

- Chapter Start -

The next morning, Jiang WanYin and Nie HuaiSang looked rather the worse for wear, clutching their heads and swaying as they approached the main courtyard. Wei WuXian didn't seem hungover at all, bouncing along beside Maiden Jiang Yanli and trying to catch WangJi's attention with a bright smile and exuberant greetings, which the other two boys winced at.

XiChen noted that WangJi held Wei WuXian's gaze for a few seconds before looking away, causing the latter to blink in surprise. It looked like his younger brother was not averse to acting upon the information they had overheard last night. Or maybe it just gave him the encouragement he needed.

As their uncle would only return late at night, XiChen announced after breakfast that the guest disciples were free to spend the afternoon in Caiyi Town, on condition that they didn't cause any trouble, and returned to Cloud Recesses before sunset. WangJi and himself would accompany them on their outing.

- o -

After lunch, a large group of white clad disciples left Cloud Recesses, chatting and laughing once they walked out the gates. As soon as they reached Caiyi Town, they split up into smaller groups; some checking out the rows of stalls along the pier, others going on boat rides along the river, and still more exploring the shops in town.

Despite the Waterborne Abyss adventure a couple of days ago, the Jiang brothers were the first to hire a boat. Together with their sister and HuaiSang, they let their boat drift on the slow moving current while enjoying a basket of golden skinned loquats. As they approached the end of the pier where the Twin Jades stood, XiChen glanced at WangJi who was staring into the distance, seemingly oblivious to everything else.

"Lan Zhan! Have a loquat!"

With a sense of deja vu, XiChen saw WangJi raise his hand to catch the fruit. This time, he didn't toss it back.

"Thank you," he said instead.

Wei WuXian's eyes lit up in pleased surprise and Jiang Yanli smiled. A disgruntled Jiang WanYin tugged the basket closer to himself. HuaiSang looked rather envious until he caught XiChen's eye and quickly whipped open his fan to hide behind. XiChen looked away, reminded of the former's crush on him.

In the next moment, he sensed something small sailing towards him. Without thinking, he caught it in his hand.

Another loquat.

Looking up, he saw Wei WuXian smiling at WangJi who was carefully eating his loquat while Jiang WanYin pointed out something on the opposite bank to his sister. HuaiSang was looking down at the basket, face still shielded by his fan which trembled the tiniest bit.

"Thank you, HuaiSang," XiChen called out and smiled when two wide eyes peeped over the fan before crinkling in a smile.

Over the next few minutes, they enjoyed the sweet and juicy fruit, XiChen making a note to buy more for them to share later.

"Wait... Da-ge?"

HuaiSang's shocked voice caught everyone's attention and they followed his stunned gaze going further up the pier.

"Da-ge!" HuaiSang scrambled to his feet and swayed as the boat rocked from his sudden movement.

"Sit down before we all end up in the water!" Jiang WanYin barked at him, grabbing Jiang YanLi's arm to steady her.

As HuaiSang plonked himself down again, XiChen and WangJi turned to see Nie MingJue striding towards them. He was alone.

"Da-ge, what a pleasant surprise." Placing his hands together, XiChen bowed, WangJi copying his move with a polite "Sect Leader Nie."

"XiChen. Second Young Master Lan," Nie MingJue greeted them.

"Da-ge!" The front of the boat the others were in bumped against the pier and HuaiSang scrambled out less than gracefully. "What're you doing here? Is anything wrong back home?"

"Nothing wrong. Just a day visit," Nie MingJue replied and looked around, seeing the other white clad disciples wandering around. "Is today's lesson outdoors?"

"No lessons today," XiChen told him with a smile. "My uncle is away so I allowed the disciples an afternoon off."

"You are too easygoing on them," Nie MingJue commented. "But it also gives you two a break."

"If everyone behaves," WangJi agreed, staring at Wei WuXian who was helping Jiang Yanli from the boat, Jiang WanYin carrying the almost empty basket of loquats.

XiChen's smile widened.

"I'm sure they will," he said. "Da-ge, will you spend the night at Cloud Recesses? Uncle is returning tonight."

"Perhaps," Nie MingJue said in a rather cryptic tone and glanced at the row of shops. "I am thirsty after my trip. HuaiSang, join us."

"Yes, Da-ge."

"My treat," XiChen insisted and turned to WangJi. "I will return in an hour. Please keep our Yunmeng Jiang guests company."

"Yes, xiongzhang." WangJi looked like he didn't know if he should be pleased or annoyed at that.

- o -

There were a few people in the town square, located between the pier and the rows of shops. A middle aged man had set up a few small tables with paper, brushes and ink. A banner on a stand depicting the Goddess Chang'e stood nearby.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today is the birthday of Chang'e, the Goddess of Poetry! For two coins, write me a poem about your dearest wish in ten minutes. I will read it aloud and if the Goddess deems your efforts worthy, she will grant your wish!"

"What nonsense," Nie MingJue grumbled at once, shooting a sharp look at HuaiSang who bit his lip and looked down.

"Let's ignore him," XiChen suggested. "Gusu is famous for its Emperor-"

"Good sirs! Yes, you three fine looking cultivators." The man hurried over to them, undeterred by their swords. "If you have a wish, any wish at all, just compose a poem about it in under ten minutes. The Goddess Chang'e will make it come true and it will only cost you two coins for the paper and ink!"

"Ten minutes! How can I - anyone - write a poem in so short a time! Nonsense!" Nie MingJue drew himself to his full height and glared down at him, making the man back away and bow low.

"My apologies for disturbing you, good sirs. I, uh... excuse me." He hurried off.

"Hmmph!" Nie MingJue flicked his sleeve in annoyance and headed for the shops, XiChen and HuaiSang following without comment.

- o -

An hour later...

In a secluded corner of the biggest eatery, three bottles of Emperor Smile and a plate with two meat dumplings sat on the table. Nie MingJue was a strict older brother, but he was a man's man. Alcohol wasn't something he withheld from his younger brother.

"Da-ge, please don't drink anymore," HuaiSang pleaded. "You haven't eaten anything and you drank two whole bottles by yourself."

Ignoring him, Nie MingJue topped up their wine cups. Alcohol usually put him in a mellow mood, and Emperor Smile was top quality liquor, but his mood hadn't improved one bit.

XiChen nodded his thanks as his cup was refilled. He didn't care to drink, but they weren't at Cloud Recesses so he had taken tiny sips to appease Nie MingJue. He had long since trained his golden core to neutralise any alcohol in his body.

"That idiot," Nie MingJue muttered, shooting yet another glare out the window that faced the town square. "Easy for him to think that one can write poetry so quickly! Doesn't he know it takes days - days! - just to think of a few lines?"

He downed his wine and thumped the empty cup back on the table.

"Da-ge!" HuaiSang admonished in a mortified whisper before turning to XiChen.

"My apologies, XiChen-ge," he said. "Da-ge is... has had too much to drink."

"It's alright, HuaiSang," XiChen replied easily. "We've known each other for many years now, no need to apologise."

"Yes, well... " Picking up his chopsticks, HuaiSang sighed and put them down again, looking despondent. Then he saw that XiChen was still looking at him and ducked his head.

XiChen decided the mood at the table was getting a little too heavy and signaled to the hovering waiter.

"Shall we go? I have to make sure the other disciples are behaving well."

He paid the bill, nodded at the waiter's effusive thanks and stood up. They left the eatery, Nie MingJue still walking straight, the rosy tint in his face the only indication of how much he had drunk.

- o -

The crowd at the town square had grown bigger. XiChen bit back a smile when he saw the Jiang brothers sitting at two of the rickety tables, both writing furiously. It looked like both of them had wishes to make... and he had a feeling it wasn't about doing well in their lessons.

A faintly curious WangJi stood beside Wei WuXian, while an amused Wen Qing and Jiang YanLi stood not far from Jiang WanYin, Wen Ning hovering beside them.

The organiser saw Nie MingJue and quickly walked the other way to exhort a few newcomers to make their wishes come true.

"Good sir, you look like you're in love," he declared to a young man. "Come and write a poem and you are sure to win your maiden's heart!"

XiChen decided it was best to put as much distance as possible between Nie MingJue and the town square before he took umbrage at poetry writing again.

"Da-ge, shall we take a look at the-" he broke off when Nie MingJue snorted and stalked towards the nervous organiser who started backing away only to blink when two coins were slapped into his hand.

Then Nie MingJue sat himself behind the nearest table and snatched up the brush. The crowd fell silent and then excited whispers started up. After all, Sect Leader Nie was well known and cut a striking figure with his powerful build and fine robes. Even the Jiang siblings had stopped scribbling to stare at him in shock.

XiChen heard HuaiSang's moan behind his fan which was shaking noticeably. Then he saw WangJi looking at him with eyebrows lifted in question, and shook his head in reply. He knew he should be stopping Da-ge from embarrassing himself, but truth to tell, he was also curious to see the man's attempt at poetry... even if it was about himself.

The snap of a fan being closed made him turn to see HuaiSang striding towards the organiser, face set in a rare determined look as he paid the man and took the table beside Wei WuXian.

Despite knowing better, XiChen couldn't help feeling flattered as he exchanged another look with WangJi.

This should prove to be... interesting.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it and want to read more. My muse just loves encouragement :)