Ban Lan gasped, feeling her teeth chattering. She scrunched up in pain, her face contorted like an unpeeled walnut.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Cen Ji finally stopped by an unnamed lake, and with a violent jerk of his hand, he heard Ban Lan let out a miserable scream.
"ah……"
Cen Ji was taken aback. Seeing Ban Lan clutching her injured shoulder and breathing heavily, he realized that he had been constantly tugging at her wound.
A faint smell of blood wafted in the air, and the bloodstains on her shoulders resembled clusters of vermilion plum blossoms, though they were not very noticeable against the backdrop of her scarlet robes.
Cen Ji said apologetically, "You... why didn't you say a word?"
"What kind of person is this? They did something wrong and then blame others for not saying anything," Ban Lan thought to herself.
She glanced at Cen Ji and said, "What's there to yell about? I'm not a flower that dies if you pinch me."
Cen Ji said, "Yes, you're like a weed that you can't kill even if you step on it."
Ban Lan spat and twisted her neck to check the wound.
Cen Ji stepped forward to check her injury, but Ban Lan stopped him, saying, "Hey, you don't need to be so kind. It's just a reopened wound. By the way, why are you back again?"
"I can't bear to leave you..."
Ban Lan's heartbeat immediately became erratic.
"...the injury."
...
Ban Lan pointed to the back of his head and said, "Here. When I was a kid, I got into a fight over a piece of hardened, dry bread. I got beaten so badly that my head was bleeding. I didn't have any money to get medicine, but it healed on its own."
Cen Ji said weakly, "If you get a hole poked in there like today, even if you have money, it won't heal properly."
Ban Lan retorted, "You jinx!"
She looked at the starry sky and sighed, "Cen Qi, you won't be able to travel today."
Cen Ji raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it all because of you, this burden?"
Ban Lan pointed at him and said, "I didn't ask you to come back!"
Cen Ji's lips twitched, and he said, "Who told me to owe that burdensome favor?"
Ban Lan stood there, staring at Cen Ji for a long while.
It turns out it was just a matter of repaying kindness.
Ban Lan sighed softly to herself, then turned and sat down by the lake.
The wind suddenly picked up, ruffling the lake water.
“Cen Qi, you’ve been unusually talkative tonight,” Ban Lan said calmly.
After hearing what she said, Cen Ji thought about it and realized that it seemed to be true.
"If this is what I got in return for this blow, then it was worth it." Ban Lan curled up her legs.
Cen Ji sat down next to her and asked, "What...why did you go to a place like that?"
Ban Lan knew he was referring to brothels.
She hugged her knees, then suddenly avoided his question and said, "If I changed for you, would you like me?"
Cen Ji said, "No."
Ban Lan said, "Ha, I knew it, you're still as decisive as ever."
Cen Ji said, "Since you know, why do you still ask?"
Ban Lan said, "The more questions you ask, the faster your heart will die."
At that moment, Cen Ji suddenly felt a chill, as if the wind had blown into his heart.
Ban Lan turned around, looked at Cen Jiqing's gaunt profile, and said softly, "Cen Qi, no matter how many times I ask you in the future, you must answer me like you did today."
He remained silent, his expression flickering in the shimmering light of the waves.
So this is what they call a moth drawn to a flame, courting its own destruction.
Ban Lan stared at him in silence, lost in thought.
After a long silence, she said, "I've already spent all my money. You dragged me out of the Shengge Pavilion. Shouldn't you compensate me?"
Seeing that she suddenly asked for compensation, Cen Ji reached out and touched the silver in his pocket.
Ban Lan shoved him hard: "Did I say I wanted you to compensate me with silver?"
Cen Ji asked, "Then how should we compensate you?"
Ban Lan thought for a moment and said, "Go and fetch a few jars of wine, we can drink and chat."
Cen Ji frowned: "You're injured."
Ban Lan said impatiently, "Does your injury have anything to do with drinking? Hurry up and go, if you don't go, am I supposed to go? You still owe me a favor!"
Cen Ji glanced at Ban Lan expressionlessly, then got up and left.
*******