Jiang Cheng, “What do you think? The spots are limited. They’re fighting over the people to let into the arena.” After a pause, he continued with disdain, “These Wen Sect’s… archery skills are the same level of bad. Wouldn’t it be the same no matter who goes? What difference would fighting over it make?”
"The insult, little Jiang." said Wen Rouhan.
"It's true though." said Jiang Cheng.
"I wonder how many time I would let you go." said Wen Rouhan.
"Only if I have a kid like you then maybe the Wen Sect wouldn't be doomed." he added.
"Wen Xu is fine but how did I ended up having a dumb son?" he asked.
"That makes you wished that you only have one son." said Wei Wuxian.
"You're right." said Wen Rouhan.
"Maybe because you ended up with a wrong person." said Nie Huaisang.
His other three friends are nodding their heads in agreement.
Wen Chao shouted from the side, “Another one! Another one, we’re still short one! The last one!”
Amid the crowd beside him, the white-clothed boy was also there. Looking left and right, he finally raised his hand. But his hand wasn’t raised tall enough. He didn’t dare shout his name like the others did either. After a while of pushing around, somebody finally noticed him, musing, “QiongLin? You want to participate as well?”
The boy called ‘QiongLin’ nodded his head. Somebody else laughed, “I haven’t even seen you pick up a bow. Why do you want to participate?! Don’t waste the spot.”
"How dare he looked down at my brother?" asked Wen Qing.
"Don't worry, that disciple will be punished for what he said." said Wen Rouhan.
"You're more overprotective of your nephew and niece than your son." said Jin Guangshan.
"That's because his idiot of a son never done right." said Nie Mingjue.
"I'm not an idiot." said Wen Chao.
"Joke of the year." said Jingyi.
Wen QiongLin seemed as if he wanted to protest for himself. The person said, “Alright, alright. Don’t be so curious. The rank is recorded. If you go up there and lose your own face it wouldn’t be my problem.”
Wei WuXian, Lose face? If anyone in the QishanWen Sect could find some face for you all, he’d be the one.
"I am right." said Wei Wuxian.
"Don't underestimate him." he added.
The scorn in the person’s voice was too as a matter of course. Wei WuXian wasn’t too pleased. He raised his voice, “Who said that he’s never picked up a bow? He has, and his archery is quite good!”
Everyone looked at him, somewhat surprised. They then turned to look at the boy. Wen QiongLin’s face was rather pale to begin with. Because of how everyone’s eyes centered on him, it immediately became bright red. Those pitch-black eyes stared at Wei WuXian. Wei WuXian walked over, hands behind his back, “Back then, weren’t you doing quite well in the garden?”
"Do you really have to interject?" asked Jiang Cheng.
"I'm just helping him to join." said Wei Wuxian.
"Do you think his idiot of a cousin will him join?" asked Jiang Cheng.
"He'll probably won't." said Jin Zixuan.
Wen Chao turned around as well, doubting, “Really? You? Good at archery? Why haven’t I ever heard of this?”
"More better than you." said Nie Huaisang.
"The best compared to him." said Wei Wuxian.
Wen QiongLin’s voice was low, “… I… I only started practicing recently…”
His voice was not only low but also staggering. It sounded as if it could be stopped at any moment, and it was indeed often stopped. Wen Chao interrupted impatiently, “Alright, there’s a target over there. Quickly shoot an arrow for us to see. If it’s good then go, if it’s not good then don’t.”
The area around Wen QiongLin was immediately emptied. The hand that he clutched the arrow with tightened as he looked around, seemingly looking for help. Watching how unconfident he looked, Wei WuXian patted his shoulder, “Relax. Just do as you did before.”
"You just have to be confident." said Wei Wuxian.
"I will." Wen Ning said with determination.
"Yes, you will. Then, after all of this, you can join our group." said Wei Wuxian.
"T-thank you!" said Wen Ning with a timid smile.
"What should we name our group?" asked Nie Huaisang.
"Troublemakers." said Lan Qiren.
"I'm not a troublemaker." said Jin Zixuan and Wen Ning.
"Soon, you'll be." said MianMian with a chuckle.
"What about Lan Qiren's ducklings." laughed Wen Rouhan.
"No way!" exclaimed Lan Qiren making everyone laughed.
Wen QiongLin looked at him gratefully. With a deep breath, he drew his bow.
Unfortunately, with the draw of the bow, Wei WuXian shook his head secretly, Uh-oh.
It was likely that Wen QiongLin had never shot an arrow in front of other people. He was shaking all the way from his arm to his fingertips. The arrow flew out. It didn’t even land on the target. The Wen Sect’s people that watched from aside all laughed mockingly, “How is this good?!”
Wen Chao was laughing so hard.
"Told you." he said.
"Shut up! He was just shy and nervous." said Wei Wuxian.
"I can even bet that if he shot an arrow it will land in the center of you brows." he added.
"Really?" asked Wen Chao.
"Jiang Cheng, can you lend me Zidian for a moment?" asked Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Cheng scoffed.
"Be a good brother and lend me it." said Wei Wuxian.
"Never." said Jiang Cheng.
"Fine, I will whio him later when you changed your mind." said Wei Wuxian with a pout.
“I can shoot better than this with my eyes closed.”
“Okay, okay, stop wasting time. Let’s quickly pick somebody to enter the arena!”
Red seeped through Wen QiongLin’s face to even the bottom of his ears. There was no need for others to beckon him away; he fled self-consciously. Wei WuXian chased after him, “Hey, don’t run! Uh… QiongLin-xiong right? Why are you running?”
"Of course he'll run away. He's embarrassed." said Jiang Cheng.
"Don't run away. If you did then they look down on you more." said Wei Wuxian.
Wen Ning nodded his head.
Hearing his name called from behind him, Wen QiongLin finally stopped. Head hanging low, he turned around. It seemed as though shame rippled from his head to his toes as he stammered, “… I’m sorry.”
Wei WuXian mused, “Why are you telling me you’re sorry?”
Wen QiongLin replied with guilt, “You… You recommended me… but I made you lose face…”
"You didn't." said Jiang Cheng.
"Than man has a really thick face so even what shameless thing you did, he will never lose face." he added.
"Is that an insult?" asked Wei Wuxian.
"You can take it as a compliment if you want." said Jiang Cheng.
"They're acting like they have forgotten about the tragedy." Zizhen whispered to his friends.
"It's more better." said Jingyi.
Wei WuXian, “How did it make me lose face? You haven’t really shot in front other people, have you? You were nervous?”
Wen QiongLin nodded. Wei WuXian continued, “Have some confidence. Let me tell you the truth—you shoot better than everyone in your sect. Out of all of the disciples whom I’ve seen, no more than three people are better in archery than you.”
Jiang Cheng walked over, “What are you doing this time? Three of what?”
Wei WuXian pointed at him, “There, this one, for example, he’s not as good as you.”
Wei Wuxian was laughing out loud while Jiang was glaring at him.
"You!" he exclaimed with a visible anger.
"Even if it's just a joke, I can say that it somehow hurt Jiabg-xiong's feelings." said Nie Huaisang.
"It's true though. It's just that archery isn't Jiang Cheng's forte." said Wei Wuxian.
"But there are things where he's really good at. For example, no one can defeat him at scowling, frowning, swearing, and cursing." he added.
"That's his specialty." he laughed.
"Wei Wuxian, if you won't stop right now I will make sure that you will never utter a word from now on." Jiang Cheng said and Wei Wuxian stop at once but still grinning at him.
Jiang Cheng raged, “Do you want to die?!”
Wei WuXian suffered a strike from him. Face unchanging, he continued, “Really. There isn’t anything to be nervous about, to be honest. You’ll get used to it after practicing a few more times in front of other people. Next time, you’ll definitely impress everyone.”
"He impressed everyone by being a fierce corpse, I guess." said Meng Yao.
"Oh you shut up." said Sizhui.
"Wen-qianbe is more better than you." he added.
Wen QiongLin was probably one of Wen Clan’s disciples furthest in bloodline. His status was neither high nor low, yet his personality was timid. He didn’t dare do anything and even his speech stuttered. Through much practice, he had finally conjured up the courage to enter the competition, but he blew it because he was too nervous. If he didn’t receive the right guidance, perhaps the boy would hide his true self more and more from now on and never dare to perform in front of other people again. Wei WuXian encouraged him a couple of times and touched on a few areas of growth, correcting some miniscule problems that he had when he was shooting in the garden. Wen QiongLin listened so attentively that he didn’t even turn his eyes away, nodding uncontrollably.
Jiang Cheng, “Where did you find so much nonsense? The competition is starting soon. Get into the arena right now!”
"It's not nonsense." said Wei Wuxian with a pout.
"That unexpected coming from you." soad Jin Zixuan.
"I'm really good at advises, you know." said Wei Wuxian.
"But, most of it are nonsense or he just want to make fun if you." said Jiang Cheng.
"Only to you, I guess." laughed Wei Wuxian.
"Well, f*ck you!" cursed Jiang Cheng.
Wei WuXian spoke to Wen QiongLin in a serious tone, “I’ll be off to the competition now. Later, you can see how I shoot when I’m in the arena…”
Jiang Cheng dragged him away, short of patience. He spat as he dragged, “See how you shoot? Do you think that you’re a model or something?!”
Wei WuXian thought for a moment before replying, “Yeah. Am I not?”
“Wei WuXian! I haven’t seen anyone as shameless as you!”
"Because he's the only one." said Jiang Cheng.
"And now, you can add Wangji-xiong to your list." said Nie Huaisang.
"They are really destined to be together because of their shamelessness." said Jiang Cheng.
"At least we are destined to be together." said Wei Wuxian.
…
As he recalled this, Wei WuXian’s gaze turned from Wen Ning toward Jiang Cheng, whose body was covered in blood and eyes were tightly shut. His fingers couldn’t help but clenched into fists.
They first went through the water path and down the river. When they arrived ashore, they travelled in the carriage that Wen Ning had prepared. The second day, they had arrived in Yiling.
"Why Yiling?" asked Wei Wuxian.
"Maybe that's where he live." said Nie Huaisang.
"I just hope that it's a safe place." said Jiang Yanli.
"It will be." said Wen Qing.
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