"Holy shit…the newest volume of The Legend of Evil Spirits?!"
Pan Wukun's hands shook as she held the sacred book.
The package had been sent to her in Gusu City from Pan Heng.
Pan Wukun shook her head fondly.
No matter how much she said, "A-ge. You don't have to, I have money from my cultivation jobs", Pan Heng would respond back, "Nonsense. It's my gift to you for all your hard work".
Translation: "I am your older brother. Let me spoil you."
Pan Wukun clutched the book close to her chest. She was going to het cozy with it tonight. No stressing out over canon characters. Just relaxing in bed reading as she always did back home.
As Pan Wukun returned to the Cloud Recesses and entered the guest disciples' dormitory, Wei Wuxian popped up behind her.
"Oooooooh. What do you have there, Chun-ge?"
Wei Wuxian peeked over Pan Wukun's shoulder. Upon seeing the book's title, he gasped. "The newest volume of The Legend of Evil Spirits!"
The other guest disciples' heads whipped to attention at Wei Wuxian's shout.
Before Pan Wukun knew it, the other guest disciples crowded around her.
"Pan-xiong! You read that series too?"
"Can I borrow your book after you're done, Pan-xiong?"
"Hey! I asked him first!"
"No, me!"
The guest disciples clasped their hands together, giving Pan Wukun puppy eyes. "Please?"
Pan Wukun sighed. There was no way she was going to be able to lock the other disciples out of her room. But she also couldn't bring herself to just reject them either. "It's no use lending my book out to so many of you! I'll just read the story aloud to you instead!"
Wei Wuxian excitedly clapped his hands. "Yay! Storytime!"
Everyone quieted down and sat in a circle around Pan Wukun.
Pan Wukun was surprised to see that even the female disciples showed up.
Was it just her? Or were there some female guest disciples that she spotted out of the corner of her eye looking at her and giggling sometimes?
Just how fast did the word spread at the Cloud Recesses?
Teen gossip…It spread so quickly it was scary.
Pan Wukun cleared her throat and began reading.
She felt like a librarian reading aloud to a bunch of bright-eyed kids. Not that she minded. She remembered being enamored when her teachers and librarians read books aloud to her class. It was a much-needed break from school troubles for her to get lost in a story.
As Pan Wukun continued reading, she didn't realize that Lan Wangji had appeared and sat down next to Wei Wuxian.
Fifteen minutes passed by without anyone noticing.
Lulled by Pan Wukun's soothing voice, Wei Wuxian's eyes drooped and his head landed upon Lan Wangji's shoulder.
Lan Wangji stiffened.
Jiang Cheng hurriedly lifted Wei Wuxian's head to rest on his shoulder instead. "Apologies, Lan-er-gongzi!"
Pan Wukun's head lifted up in surprise. Lan Wangji had been sitting there listening to her read the whole time? And he had been sitting next to Wei Wuxian without fighting him? Had those two finally gotten friendly with each other at some point? That would be a relief.
"Looks like you guys are getting sleepy." Pan Wukun closed the book. "I think this is a good place to stop. You all should rest. We'll continue next time."
Everyone whispered so as not to wake Wei Wuxian.
"We should meet here around the same time once a month! That should leave us enough time to finish Lan-xiansheng's assignments."
"The Legend of Evil Spirits Book Club!"
"And Pan-xiong shall be the club leader!"
Pan Wukun blinked in astonishment. "Huh? What? Why?"
"It's your book, Pan-xiong. And you're the oldest disciple here too."
Pan Wukun sighed. "All right then. See you all next time."
Jiang Cheng carried the napping Wei Wuxian away. Lan Wangji set a lingering glance at Pan Wukun before returning to his room.
As the guest disciples left, two young women and Meng Xingyao approached Pan Wukun.
"Pardon me. Are you free to talk, Pan-xiushi?" one of the women asked.
"Yes," Pan Wukun answered. "And who might you be, guniang?"
"I am Qin Su. And this is my friend, Luo Qingyang."
Pan Wukun jolted in shock.
Qin Su squeezed Meng Xingyao's hand. "I wanted to see who Meng Xingyao's mentor was for myself."
"And you're the rogue cultivator everyone's talking about, Pan-xiushi," Luo Qingyang said.
Pan Wukun looked at Luo Qingyang. Her robes didn't have the peony flowers of the LanlingJin sect, but the same sect emblem as the robes Qin Su wore.
The male and female students were kept separated in the original novel. It made sense why Luo Qingyang didn't show up until the QishanWen sect's indoctrination.
Sure, Luo Qingyang was at the Cloud Recesses. That had happened in CQL.
But Qin Su too?!
Qin Su had never attended GusuLan sect's lectures in any version of MDZS!
And Luo Qingyang was never a part of Qin Su's sect! What the heck happened?!
Pan Wukun saluted. "A pleasure to meet you, Qin-guniang, Luo-guniang."
She paused. "…I'm curious, Qin-guniang. How exactly did you and Luo-guniang meet? And what brings you to the Cloud Recesses?"
Pan Wukun was afraid that she might've been too forward and personal but Qin Su happily answered.
"We met at a conference between our sects a while back. I noticed that Luo Qingyang's sect did not treat her well so I asked her to join my sect instead."
Pan Wukun knew that it was the male members of Luo Qingyang's former sect giving her a hard time, considering the sexist insults they said about her after she defended Wei Wuxian and defected in the original story. And they were classist to her too since she was a servant.
Luo Qingyang smiled. "I enjoy being in Qin Su's sect more. She treats me as her equal. And a woman as the future sect leader? That's not something you see often!"
Qin Su smiled with pride. "You see, Pan-xiushi. I am the heir to the YuelingQin sect."
She frowned. "Not everyone in my sect agrees with that of course. 'A woman as sect leader? Unthinkable!' some of the men would say."
She smiled sweetly. "But Father always made sure to shut them up."
"And when Sect Leader Qin wasn't around, I would!" Luo Qingyang said.
"And I appreciate it, Luo-jie!"
Qin Su continued. "Now as for why we've come to the Cloud Recesses, I couldn't find the newest volume of the Legend of Evil Spirits several years ago. So I got a book about sect leaders instead! I found out that a female sect leader did exist! Lan Yi of GusuLan sect! I want to become a great sect leader just like her! So I trained and studied hard to get an invitation to the GusuLan sect's lectures."
"Qin-guniang was quite persistent about attending the GusuLan sect's lectures," Meng Xingyao said.
Qin Su laughed. "Enough pouts directed at my father and he gave in without a struggle."
Meng Xingyao's cheeks flushed at the sound of Qin Su's laughter.
"The YuelingQin sect is also allied with the LanlingJin sect. So my father was able to procure an invitation without difficulty," Qin Su explained.
Pan Wukun took in all this information with exasperation.
First, Nie Huaisang couldn't get the newest volume and got gay erotica instead. Now Qin Su got a book about sect leaders and decided to show up at the Cloud Recesses with Luo Qingyang?
How could liking a novel series make such a massive butterfly effect?! How?!
If that damn author hadn't made such an addictive novel series, this wouldn't be happening!
Qin Su cast curious eyes upon Pan Wukun. "And what about you, Pan-xiushi? Why are you at the Cloud Recesses?"
"The Library Pavilion. There's no other place in the world like it."
Qin Su giggled. "A bookworm! Just like Meng Xingyao!"
Meng Xingyao's cheeks flushed once again.
Pan Wukun watched this unfold with dread.
…Shit.
"Xingyao-di. How do you feel about Qin-guniang?"
Meng Xingyao's cheeks flushed. "Ah - well - she is…quite beautiful…"
While they were talking with her, Pan Wukun had seen Qin Su and Meng Xingyao get all touchy-feely with each other, holding hands and all. And the amount of times he blushed around her was very telling.
Shit. With three of Jin Guangshan's children at the Cloud Recesses, this was a powder keg waiting to blow up in Pan Wukun's face. She needed to defuse it fast.
She had to make sure that Meng Xingyao's crush on Qin Su was - well - crushed.
"Xingyao-di…Your relationship with Qin-guniang cannot work."
Meng Xingyao blinked in astonishment. "What? Why?"
He frowned and thought about it for a moment. Then he glared at Pan Wukun. "Oh! I see how it is, Wukun-ge! It's because you are in love with Qin-guniang!"
"What?! No!"
"If not that then…" Meng Xingyao's eyes darkened. "It's because the son of a prostitute can't possibly be with the heiress of a cultivation sect, isn't it?! Not even you can approve of that, can you!"
"No! That's not it at all!"
"Then what is it?!"
"Qin-guniang…is your half-sister."
Meng Xingyao's eyes widened in shock. "No…no! If this is a joke, it isn't funny!"
Pan Wukun's expression was grim. "It isn't. If you don't believe me, you can ask Madam Qin yourself."
Meng Xingyao's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How? How do you even know all this?"
Pan Wukun turned her eyes away from him. "I…have my ways."
Meng Xingyao scowled. "Ah. So a secret informant of yours? Fine…"
He blankly stared off into space.
"I'm sorry, Xingyao-di." Pan Wukun hesitantly placed a comforting hand on his back. She didn't know what else to say.
Meng Xingyao sighed in resignation. "I…I shall break things off with Qin-guniang."
"Meng-xiushi! How nice to see you here!"
Qin Su giggled as she practically bounced towards Meng Xingyao.
Meng Xingyao turned his head from side to side, making sure that he and Qin Su were alone.
Qin Su blushed as she inched closer to Meng Xingyao. "Meng-xiushi. I love spending time with you. Over the past few days, my feelings have been growing ever stronger!"
Meng Xingyao looked at Qin Su sadly. "Please stop, Qin-guniang."
Qin Su froze. "I don't understand…"
"I do not wish to proceed any further with such a relationship."
Heartbreak filled Qin Su's eyes.
Meng Xingyao conveyed all his regret and remorse in his expression. "I am truly sorry, Qin-guniang."
Qin Su's lip trembled. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"
"No! Qin-guniang! You've done nothing to harm me!"
"Is it because you're afraid that my father wouldn't accept you as you are? I don't care if you're a rogue cultivator, Meng-xiushi! I would wed you even if it's against my father's wishes!"
Meng Xingyao shook his head. "...I'm sorry."
Qin Su's eyes welled with tears.
Meng Xingyao was trying hard not to cry himself. But he continued keeping a calm and steady demeanor.
Qin Su backed away from Meng Xingyao. "I-I need to go."
"Do you need an escort back?" Meng Xingyao asked hesitantly.
"No. I'm going back alone. Goodbye, Meng-xiushi."
Qin Su rushed away, leaving Meng Xingyao to wallow in his sorrow alone.
Hurting Qin Su pained Meng Xingyao as well.
If Qin Su was this devastated about unrequited love, how would she deal with the horrible truth?
Did Qin Su even know who her real father was? That she was not even a legitimate sect heir?
No…Meng Xingyao couldn't bring himself to hurt her like that.
He would not allow Jin Guangshan to ever lay a hand on Qin Su. Jin Guangshan already hurt enough people.
Meng Xingyao gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
Why? Why did Jin Guangshan have to take everything from him? First, his mother. Now, the woman who could have been his first love.
Meng Xingyao can only hope that Jin Zixuan never found out about Qin Su like he did. Who knew how the LanlingJin sect heir reacted towards his half-siblings?
Meng Xingyao was going to keep Qin Su's secret safe. For her sake.
A/N: I had fun in Japan and South Korea!
I tried the black ice cream and black egg from Owakudani.
It's very different to see and climb up Mount Fuji (only up to the 4th level) in person instead of just stock pictures online.
I went into an onsen for the first time. With onsens, you have to be naked around other women (or men if you're a guy) and you have to shower before you go into the hot spring. The showers are right next to the onsen. If you notice there's no "off" valve on the shower, it probably turns off automatically. The water is very hot so definitely go in slowly (feet first for a few minutes, then knees for a few minutes, then your chest). Don't stay in the water for too long, stay for a few minutes, then take a break for a few minutes (around ten minutes). Please make sure to be quiet or speak softly in the onsen or you will irritate Japanese grannies for disrupting the peace. After you're done with the onsen, drink two to three bottles of water to keep your body hydrated since it just lost a lot of moisture in the hot spring.
I also went to the Imperial Palace, Asakusa Kannon, and Odaiba in Tokyo.
I tried yakiniku for the first time. Tasty. But I ended up getting an upset stomach because everyone else kept giving me their pieces of meat to eat. Too much fat and oil...The Japanese have their individual food portions for a reason! So please do your best to keep to your individual portions so you don't take more than your body can handle!
As for what Halloween in Japan is like, kids dressed in costumes and walked in orderly lines while they were supervised by adults. Some young adults and teens wore costumes while walking the streets at night. Some people recognized the Pikachu beanie and Dragon Ball jacket I was wearing, haha.
In Japan, you'll be using "Sumimasen (sorry) or (excuse me)" and "Arigato (thank you)" a lot. Sometimes, people will say "Douzo (go ahead)" to you and you can respond with "Arigato".
I went to Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village and Jayu Park in Incheon, Korea. I went to Namsan Park, Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Myeongdong Shopping Street, Cheng Gye River, and Oreno Ramen in Seoul.
Standing at Queen Min's assassination site in Gyeongbokgung Palace felt...morbid and solemn compared to the beauty of everywhere else. We couldn't go inside the palace buildings ourselves (probably because they were too old or as my niece guessed, might be haunted at night).
Oreno Ramen's creamy chicken ramen with chashu pork and a boiled egg was so good!
I also went to the AK PLAZA Hongdae shopping mall, in which one of the floors is dedicated to anime with an Animate store, a One Piece store, and more.
My niece was able to request to go on our own separately from the tour on our last day in Korea so that's how I was able to go to the mall and Oreno Ramen. She studied abroad in South Korea before so she had her friend's GPS and we used the public buses to get around. She's the best!
I noticed a lot of Vietnamese on the tourist guides and greetings. South Korea must get a lot of Vietnamese visitors (myself included), haha.
I even met a nice elderly man and woman at Jayu Park. My niece and I agreed to take a picture with them since they wanted a picture with Vietnamese American visitors. They even gave us tasty red bean pastries! It's sweet to know that we're probably part of a Korean family's photo album now.
In Korea, you'll be using "감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)(thank you)" and "안녕하세요 (annyeong haseyo)(Hello)" a lot.
Headphone Advice: When you go traveling, bring your earbuds instead of your retro 90s on-ear headphones. Otherwise, the earpads will get wrecked from too much friction in the airplane seat pocket and your backpack (sobs). Don't worry, I'll find replacements somewhere online.