Mo Ran and Xue Meng take a look around, having entered the city. Piles of snow sat everywhere. Some children are making snowmen, while running around and laughing. Everyone is bundled up in warm clothes.
The two couldn't help but notice the style of coats everyone is using. It must be a town thing. most aren't wearing fur lined cloaks but outer layers that are thick and fur lined. Some woman wore an outer layer along with an addition layer, thick and some have more fur.
Everything seem so peaceful here. But most town are when they are hiding something, or trying to. It doesn't help that they stand out with their cloaks. They are obviously tourist or travelers. They do not fit in.
Though no one really seem to care about them. Everyone focus on doing their jobs. Mo Ran and Xue Meng walk further and further into town. From the drawing Qing Su made it seem like a small town but it's more like a city now that they are here. It's large but everyone seems to know each other. Wanning might have been gone longer than they all thought with this mission. It's a wonder anyone noticed a pattern with the missing woman. No wonder they went to ask for help. It's also understandable why other cultivators didn't respond. If they knew the size of this city they must have known it would be hard and taken long.
"Do we check in or find shizun first?" Xue Meng asks, looking around.
"Let's find shizun first, he may need help. And if he's staying with Qing Su maybe we can too? If not we can get a room an the inn the woman said is nearby the main house." Mo Ran answers, also looking around.
"We should have asked where the main house is." Xue Meng says, the two have been walking deeper and deeper into the town that everything is starting to blur together. A shop everywhere, an inn here and there, a restaurant there and here but still no main house or inn called Blue Dragon.
"The main house may be more in the middle. It's hard to tell how large the town is. It'll stand out." Mo Ran says looking around, planning their next step.
"Woah," Xue Meng gasps stopping in spot, Mo Ran can hear the slight crunch of snow stop next to him. He turns to see his cousin staring, arms down from being raises in his devil may care attitude, eyes large, blinking owlish, mouth slightly parted.
"What?" Mo Ran asks getting closer to him.
"Shizun?" Xue Meng says hand coming up to point. Mo Ran snaps his head in the direction his cousins hand is pointing at. Looking left then right. Looking for Wanning. Frowning when he doesn't see him. He looks more pausing when he catches soft phoenix eyes. Wanning stands in the middle of a crowd. Though not looking as awkward as he usually would. It helped with what he looks like.
A princess.
The seller woman is right. Wanning looks like a princess. His hair is parted very neat in the middle, hair up with braids leading to the back, blue flower pins decorate his whole hair, silver chains fall from the flowers adding an almost chime with every step he takes. A very light blue fur lined headband cover Wanning's ears. Keeping him warm. Wanning face is as white as snow, with a light pink to his cheeks, the tip of his nose and lips. He also wore, to match his hair, blue outer robes. Long and thick as it reach his ankles. A large and thick scarf is hanging from his elbows as his hands are held together hidden by the long sleeves and scarf. Wanning look like a snow fairy. A snow fairy princess.
Mo Ran is speechless.
"Princess! Would you like another cake?" A man smiles as he runs to Wanning, who turns his attention to him.
"I told you I am not a princess." Wanning says sternly.
The man continues to smile. "If you're not a princess then I must be a noble." He jokes. Some others who have gathered around giggle. Wanning only tilts his head, not having understood the joke, or see it as one.
"I'd say you are noble with heart." Wanning says.
"Oh!" The man blinks with wide eyes. Then burst out laughing. "Don't joke like that princess. I'm neither noble or with a heart." He says patting Wanning's shoulder, as if they know each other so well.
"Don't touch her with your dirty hands." One of the woman scolds him, smacking the back of his head. He takes his hands away instantly.
"Sorry. But my lady really shouldn't joke like that." He says with a smile. Wanning only frown, because he wasn't joking and still doesn't know what is so funny about what he said. He was just trying to give a compliment. Something madam Wang had told him to do.
"We must continue." Qing Su says pulling Wanning along. Eyes sparkling at they look at Wanning. Even though Wanning is dressed like a princess Qing Su is dressed rather plain in comparison.
They walk forward. Passing Mo Ran and Xue Meng who could only stare at the scene. Mo Ran and Wanning glance at each other as they pass each other. Wanning looks forward, looking as elegant as he usually does. Mo Ran can only watch. Seeing the way Wanning pauses. Slowly he turns to see both Mo Ran and Xue Meng staring at him. Wanning's eyes get wide.
"Shizun." Xue Meng smiles. The light dust of pink on Wanning's cheeks get deeper.
"What are you two doing here?" Wanning ask almost threatening.
"Mom was worried. So we came to help." Xue Meng grins, wrapping an arm around Mo Ran who can only stare at Wanning taking everything in. The way his black hair is tied, only ever seen empresses and even auntie Wang wears that style. Really showing how much hair Wanning has. Who ever did his hair is having fun with it.
He knows Wanning looks amazing in red, nothing beats Wanning in red but Wanning in a light blue isn't so bad. He really stands out with the way everything is white with snow, or the brown of the wood that these building are made out of. Even the townspeople are either in browns or greens and pinks. Nothing like what Wanning is wearing.
How can someone be so beautiful?
"Mo Ran!" Xue Meng jabs his elbow in Mo Ran's side. He falls to his knees holding his side. His cousin did not hold back.
"What?" He groans. Coming out from his daze.
"You were just standing there like an idiot. Come on. We are going to a restaurant with Shizun." Xue Meng says taking a step. Mo Ran looks up to see Wanning away from them. Having paused when he notices the two haven't been following him. He's turned half way looking at them.
They make eye contact. Is he wearing makeup? His eyes seem more amber than they should. His heart is beating loud and he's feeling rather warm. To warm.