"Susu, where are we headed to?"

"Hm..." Wei Ying turned to her and shrugged. "Ask Shushu. Even I have no idea."

"Shushu?" Meilien turned to Lan Wangji standing beside her Susu.

"You'll see," Wangji nodded and walked on silently.

"Aish, Lan Zhan, can't we just shoot off there on sword?"

"No," Lan Wangji shook his head. "We'll take our time. Rarely get the chance."

"Yay!" Meilien clapped. "I thought the same! And I never get to go on trips, unless it's a sect conference with Daddy," Meilien skipped. "Susu, let's play!"

"Oh? Want to race me?"

"Not fair, not fair! Susu's double my height!"

"Then what?"

Jiang Meilien pouted. "Hmmm, what do we do? We're on the move... can't play tag or hopscotch... ah? What do we do?"

"Practise," Lan Wangji answered, still stoically looking ahead. "Compete and train."

"Eh? What are you saying, A-Zhan?" Wei Wuxian tugged on his sleeve.

"You can practise talismans and archery on the forest around us," Lan Zhan explained.

"Eyyyyy, excellent idea!" Wei Ying snapped his fingers. "Then we'll start with archery?"

"Susu, I just did archery! Let's do our talismans!"

"Spiritual or demonic, Little Lien?"

"You can do demonic since this area is isolated," Lan Zhan cut in again.

"Okay!" Jiang Meilien gripped the reins. "Susu, do I need to get down from Lil' Apple?"

Lil' Apple stopped on his tracks, twisting his neck to look at Meilien.

"Oh wow, looks like Lil' Apple likes you a lot, Little Lien!" Wei Wuxian laughed. "Then you stay on him, shoot talismans from there. We'll start with fire–"

"Susu, we'll set the woods on fire."

"Oh..." Wei Wuxian sulked. "Would have been a bit fun but never mind. Then what's next? Wards?"

"Try out fire, it's fine," Lan Zhan nodded.

"See?" Wei Wuxian beamed and shot his hand out, red sheet of paper at the ready.

"Hey, cheating!" Meilien shouted and pulled out her own talisman paper.

Grinning to each other, both wiggled their fingertips over their papers, drawing out the spell, with the usual strokes of evil at the edges, and watching the ends catch fire. Whizz! Both talismans were shot into the distance at nearly the same speed, striking two adjacent trees, Meilien's two seconds slower than Wuxian's.

The minute the trees caught fire, Wei Wuxian high-fived Jiang Meilien, who was frowning despite the glee. Her Lan father's seriousness was rubbing off on her chaotic Jiang self.

Lan Wangji waved his hand and washed the trees with ice-cold energy, dismissing the crimson flames immediately. Unlike a usual fire talisman, one with demonic energy was harder to erase, harder to dismiss. Clearly, only a spiritual Immortal could manage to do that.

"Five of each of five talismans! Fire, protection wards, evil-summoning, immobilising, paper mannequin-activating, okay?" Wei Wuxian listed.

"I'm up for it, Susu!" Meilien cheerfully grinned and pulled out the next talisman paper.

For hours, Lan Wangji spent his time carrying their bag of supplies and taking care of the reckless demonic cultivators, wiping off all evidence of their wreckage with incessant flourishes of his snow-white hand. Though Wei Wuxian had said five, he and Meilien kept shooting fire talismans until Meilien caught up with his speed of writing and shooting.

Lan Wangji counted about sixty-three demonic fire talismans.

When that was done, the ward talismans began, and that was without issue. Wei Wuxian could dismiss all wards efficiently, his or Meilien's because his skill surpassed the little demonic cultivator's. But of course, he had to teach her how to do it. With another few hours of expertise-sharing, Meilien mastered that as well.

And then came the evil-summoning.

Lan Wangji kept walking on, gripping Bichen, standby to attack.

Sure enough, all the evil-summoning talismans slammed into the trees surrounding them brought in all sorts of ghouls. Bloody red, dirty green, stinky black. The incoming spirits were waived off nonchalantly by the Demon Master, with a note or two from Chenqing, while Jiang Meilien watched intently, slowly but surely learning from her uncle. She had her Lan father's knack for music, quickly picking up notes and learning pieces by heart — unlike her Jiang father's detest for all sorts of music.

When the stronger ones were called in by Wei Wuxian's stronger, more evil talismans, mainly stronger demons, subordinates of the Blue Brawler, Scarlet Seductress and Darkest Doom, Wei Wuxian made sure to converse properly with them. He was known for being a wholesome Demon Master, caring towards his spirits as long as they were on the good side. Jiang Meilien was introduced to them. Most already knew Yin Yue Xian as their Demon Master's husband. Each that came left with a warm-hearted bow to the young Demon Mistress. Jiang Meilien had never felt more self-impressed.

Only once, a troublesome demonic spirit, came in frolicking around malevolently. Before Wei Wuxian could take control of him, Bichen slashed at it, sending it whisking back to where it came from.

"A-Zhan, a bit too harsh... those are my demons, you know?"

"Mn, but too heedless, impetuous."

"Still, I could've controlled him! No more scaring my demons, okay?"

Lan Wangji bit his lip. "Apologies," he nodded. Having a demonic Immortal for a husband was hard work.

"Bichen, you better behave," Wei Wuxian wagged his finger at the sword, which glowed white in response. "Good," Wei Wuxian humphed, puckering his lower lip in indignant arrogance and turning to Meilien. "Shall we move on?"

"But who do I practise immobilising talismans on?" Jiang Meilien blinked.

Wei Wuxian sneered and winked, rolling his eyes around his head, pointing with his silver-bordered pupils to his husband. Jiang Meilien chuckled. "Susu, you can do that. Me? I can't immobilise an Immortal!"

Wei Wuxian pouted. "You can try! It'll be fun," he winked again.

Lan Wangji sighed and waved his sword to his right, setting up a glowing pale blue barrier between him and the demonic cultivators, before walking forth on his own.

"Hey! A-Zhan! I was joking! Look, really, I really was kidding, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, hold up!" Wei Wuxian ran after him while Jiang Meilien laughed and clutched at Lil' Apple's collared neck, guffawing uncontrollably. Lil' Apple huffed out a puff of air and walked on his own, his reins having been abandoned by the so-called 'responsible Susu', carrying Meilien forward to catch up with the duo he could never understand. 

**********

Makeshift paper mannequins were drawn out on talisman paper by Wei Wuxian and Jiang Meilien was made to bring the talisman figures to life. When she had finally succeeded at that too, passing all her tests with flying colours, Lan Wangji detoured to the forests and found a clearing for them to sit on. Their donkey was tied up to a tree nearby and Meilien was given all sorts of sweets and dumplings. Wei Wuxian sat beside her, puffing up his rosy lips at Lan Wangji. Lan Zhan nodded with a subtle smile and pulled out a box of spicy wontons, a pot full of chilli paste, and a jar of Emperor's Smile.

"Goodness, A-Zhan," Wei Ying laughed, smearing the chilli paste all over the wontons, "is that a bag or an entire kitchen!"

"Brought everything you two would need," Lan Zhan shrugged.

"And what have you got to eat?" Wei Ying cocked his brow, knowing the answer already.

"No need to, just two days and one night. Will eat when I get back– Mm!" Lan Zhan's eyes swelled. His hand flying to his mouth to pluck the dumpling stuffed into it out, he panted. "A-Ying, you know I can't eat spicy... This is..." he stared at the chubby and soft white dumpling in his hand. Not a speck of chilli paste on it. "Meilien?"

"That's my mild chicken dumpling, Shushu, not Susu's spicy one. Shushu, it's not good to keep starving like that just because you're immortal," Meilien frowned and munched on her own food. "If we're eating, then you should too. Even Lil' Apple's eating!" She laughed, pointing to the donkey happily and stingily nibbling on a round scarlet apple, gleeful eyes sparkling with the reflection of the apple's sheen.

Lan Zhan smiled. "Thank you, Meilien," he nodded and bit down on the dumpling.

"Where did you get all this from?"

"Madam Fan."

"Auntie Jing!" Meilien beamed, gobbling on a candy. "Susu, want one?"

"Mn," Wei Wuxian grabbed it gladly. "Auntie Jing made the sweet and spicy stuff too? Aww, she really is caring when she wants to be."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded, not willing to say the rest.

Wei Wuxian offered to. "She's been like this ever since Auntie Yue left, no? Caring, making all the candies and savouries she can for me and Little Lien," he smiled sadly. "Auntie Yue always did that. And now Auntie Jing does it. Sweet," he sniffed.

Sniff! Sniff!

Wei Wuxian turned to find Jiang Meilien dreamily staring at her food, tears gushing down her face.

"Hey, hey, Little Lien, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to remind you... I... Oh God, I'm so terribly sorry," he hugged her tight.

Jiang Meilien snivelled, rubbing her sore nose against Wei Wuxian's black clothes, shoulders shaking, head twitching. Wei Ying patted her back, desperately trying to calm her down. He looked over her shoulder at Lan Zhan, eyes wide with a call for help.

Lan Zhan sighed and mouthed 'Sing something.'

Wei Wuxian made a 'Huh?' face.

Lan Zhan spoke through their rings. Helps a lot. Humming something calms them down.

Hm, let's see, Wei Wuxian acquiesced and hummed the first thing that came to his mind.

Lan Zhan smiled. Always the first song you think of? He laughed into their rings.

What? It's my favourite, okay? You wrote it, don't laugh at me!

Sure enough, as the melody of WangXian flowed through the clearing, Jiang Meilien's sobs slowed and stilled.

Woah, it does work!

Mn.

How do you know about this, A-Zhan?

Sizhui.

You hummed this to A-Yuan? When I was........ gone?

Mn. Also while you were at Grandma's place. Sizhui came to see me at the Jingshi once–

You mean see you kneeling at the Jingshi, Wei Ying snapped. He still hadn't gotten over the anger at Lan Zhan putting himself seated there in the cold.

Mn. Worked then, too.

A-Yuan... no wonder I caught him trying to play it once, Wei Ying smiled.

What did you do? Lan Zhan looked up.

I told him what it was. The song. This was just a few weeks back. And he said he too wanted to learn from you how to write a song that was more of a love letter, Wei Ying laughed. Don't need to tell you who he wants to write his song to!

Mn.

Did he come ask you?

No, not yet.

Let's see, Wei Ying grinned and patted Jiang Meilien's shoulder when she was finally silent. She sniffed and lifted her head, smiling. "Thanks, Susu, I'm a lot better now." 

"Good girl," he stroked her head and shuffled a foot away to let themselves resume eating. 

**********

When the meals were done and they had proceeded with their trek, a screech echoed through the forest around them.

Bichen, Suibian, and Baishan were drawn out in a flash.

"What's that?" Jiang Meilien looked around.

"Beast," Lan Wangji answered. "You've got your target," he turned to them.

"Hurray! Let's go!" Wei Wuxian twirled Chenqing in his fingertips and gripped Suibian with the other hand, before chasing into the thicket. Lan Zhan gave a reassuring nod to Meilien, who followed suit. Lan Zhan tied Lil' Apple up to a tree, left two apples, and walked into the forest himself.

By the time he came into the site, both Demon Master and Demon Mistress had already started their contest. Finally finding something to shoot immobilising talismans at, and practise all the hundreds of other things Wei Wuxian taught her, Meilien eagerly executed countless tricks and shot out endless talismans. It took a full quarter-hour for her to subdue the bear-like demonic monster.

But Wei Wuxian frowned. While Meilien sliced its head off with Baishan and beamed up at Lan Wangji who nodded supportively, Wei Wuxian bit his lower lip and searched with keen silver eyes flashing the slightest glint of red.

"Susu? Is there a problem?"

"A-Ying? What's the matter?"

"This bear... it's too small..." Wei Wuxian clenched Chenqing tighter. He wasn't wrong.

Another roar rang across through the jungle and Wei Wuxian beckoned to Jiang Meilien to move closer to Lan Wangji. "A-Zhan, keep her."

"Careful," Lan Zhan nodded solemnly, taking Meilien's hand and stepping aside. 

As the mother bear crashed into the clearing, Wei Wuxian had already raised Chenqing to his lips, Suibian back in its sheath for the moment. Smirking, he sprinted away from her flailing paws, leapt up onto a low branch and played his usual tunes of manipulation in their typical series.

Lan Zhan watched with a smile while his dearest flaunted his skills and his niece nodded slowly, absorbing it all into her head.

When the sow attacked the tree, punching into the bark to topple it over, Wei Wuxian hopped onto the next one. Round and round the clearing he leapfrogged and somersaulted, driving the mother bear crazy until she slowly succumbed into the melody. A blood red talisman slammed into her back and she fell headfirst onto the forest floor. Suibian did the rest. 

**********

On they walked until they found another set of targets. This time, they were a trio of what they called a 'huli jing', three fox spirits in feminine form. Sneering, grinning, beyond alluring girls.

Jiang Meilien scrunched up her nose. "Hmph, look at that haughtiness," she grumbled and finished off one of them with a swift and arrogant harmony from Xinqing.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Jealous, Little Lien?" He chuckled and flashed his red eyes at the remainders. The two fox girls stared back at him, all their charms of scent, glance and sweet-voiced singing having failed. Wei Ying grinned. "Apologies, young ladies," he raised his left hand, golden ring and reddish-white jewel flashing bright. "I happen to be married. No more women for me," he smirked.

Lan Zhan grinned and nodded from behind them, hands crossed behind his back and leaning against a tree as he watched the show.

Wei Wuxian's scarlet eyes dazzled brighter and he winked just once, putting both spirits in an effective trance. "Hey, Meilien, want to end them? Or maybe keep them to control?"

"Nah, I don't want them," Meilien pulled a long face at the way-too-pretty girls.

Wei Wuxian chortled and swung his hand, sending out a string of Golden Thread to wrap around each of their necks and pulling on it roughly. A double-snap pealed loud and clear.

"Well done, Susu!" Meilien beamed.

"Haha, you too, Little Lien," he patted her head. "Wonderful job."

All the leaping around and exerting of energy had tired Wei Wuxian out and he slumped to the floor right after he jumped down from the treetop.

"A-Ying!" Lan Zhan caught his head before it hit the grass. "Tired?"

"Ex-HAUS-ted!" Wei Ying sighed, leaning into his husband's lap.

Jiang Meilien nodded and knelt before him. "Same here, Susu," she sighed, slouching as she placed Baishan and Xinqing aside and plopped down on the grass, lying flat and counting the holes in the canopy above.

"It should tire you," Lan Zhan nodded, carefully placing Wei Ying's head on his lap and running his fingers through his hair to soothe him. "Physical exercise, excessive talisman practice, and resisting those charms."

"Nah, resisting the charms weren't hard," Wei Ying grinned, kissing Lan Zhan's hands. "What's a pretty little vixen compared to my heavenly prince, hm?"

Lan Zhan's cold face cracked and a smile as bright as daylight broke out. "Mn," he nodded.

"No, don't lower your head, she's here," Wei Ying whispered, nudging Lan Wangji's knees sharply.

"Oh," Lan Wangji pursed his partly open lips and straightened up. "Does Meilien want water?"

"No, Shushu. I'm probably not as tired as Susu, thanks to this," she smiled, stroking her Golden Feather of Evil necklace. "And because Susu's still got the sceptre. Eh, that reminds me. Shouldn't we find a lake?"

"Mn, we're quite close."

"A-Zhan, you still didn't tell me where we're headed. Isn't this Qishan?"

"Mn."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"You said that before!" Wei Ying punched his chest.

"And I'll say it again."

Jiang Meilien sighed at their bickering and hopped up. "Shall I go get Lil' Apple? Or are we going out now?"

"Aish, what's the rush, get down here," Wei Ying wrapped a Golden Thread around her waist and pulled her down onto the grass beside them. "Rest a while. If we have to exert ourselves again, you and I might run out of energy. Might lose control next time."

"Susu, what if I do go berserk?"

"Then I'll use the sceptre to suck out the excess energy in you."

"Goodie goodie," Meilien nodded and shut her eyes to rest.

"A-Ying, aren't you going to get rid of the sceptre?" Lan Zhan asked, voice stern and frosty.

"I will, I will," Wei Ying patted his hands. "I'll send it to Hua Cheng when all this is sorted, alright?"

"When we get back."

"Oh, alright."

"Promise?"

"You know I'm still wary about promises between us."

Lan Zhan gritted his teeth and nodded once. "Then... never mind."

"Trust me," Wei Ying kissed his hands again. "I really will."

"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded again. "I trust you."