At Cloud Recess, after a week.

Tonight a banquet was gonna be held at Lan Sect, and the next day there would be a conference. Every disciple was busy with their own task. Some were dusting, some were placing the tables, some were decorating the front hall. As the time passed, everything got ready.

The other Sects had started to arrive. Lan Qiren and Zewu jun were receiving the guests. But as many guests had started to come one by one. They arranged some disciples to receive the guests.

A man arrived with dark expression like that of dark night, wearing a purple robe and a silver bell hung around his waist. And his hand on the hilt of his sword, Sandu.

"Sect Leader Jiang. Welcome." said a Lan disciple who was incharge for receiving the guests. JiangCheng nodded in response and went ahead followed by the disciples of Jiang Sect.

Then came another one, his eyes looked gentle yet not so gentle. Adorned by sap green coloured robe, and a Chinese fan on his hand. He arrived with two guards or the high level disciples of his sect by his side.

"Welcome, Sect Leader Nie." greeted the Lan disciple again.

He replied, "Aha, yes yes." Then, he entered the marvelous yet so quite hall. As if someone had died, it looked like a mourning hall rather than a banquet. However, he was used to it. Thus, he just sighed and accepted his fate.

Next arrived a man that was of the similar age as that of the disciple receiving the guest or may be younger. Sharp phoenix eyes, a vermillion mark between his brows, and a white peony fastened on his chest. His right hand was on the hilt of his sword, Suihua.

"Welcome, Sect Leader Jin." greeted that same disciple again. JinLing hummed in response and without even baiting an eye on that disciple entered the banquet hall, followed by other high level disciple.

He hadn't even fully entered the hall, when he heard that disciple say, "He isn't even of my age. Can he really handle the Jin Sect that has gone down it's name?" Another disciple replied, "Don't know. Lets see what this young Sect Leader will do..."

JinLing was half embarrassed and half furious. But really what he could do? He just couldn't go to them and shout 'Yes, I can do it.' He had some reputation to keep as the Sect Leader.

"Backbiting someone is forbidden in GusuLan people." He heard someone say it.

"Ah, we're sorry."

"Hm." The man responded.

That voice.

He subconsciously turned around to see who it was even though he already knew who it was. Yet, he just had to turn around and see that person's face through his eyes.

It was Lan Sizhui.

He was busy receiving the guests. Really, he seemed so gentle and so firm.

A perfect man.

"Sect Leader Jin."

"..."

JinLing had to forcefully turn his eyes from that gentle beauty and replied, "Ah... Yes."

"Lets take our respective seat." said the disciple. JinLing nodded and went to take his seat.

The banquet went how it always went. JinLing noticed WeiWuxian munching down the food, like how a donkey munched the grass. Beside him Hanguang-jun was sitting gracefully. His back as straight as an iron wall, and taking small bites. And as always LanQiren, was staring at them as if he wanted to poke two holes on Wei Wuxian's head.

He even saw his jiujiu, JianCheng. Silently eating his food. The disciples of his Sect had gathered in a distance from him. No one was around him. No one dared to be around him. And he too didn't bother. Really, he looked so lonely.

Then his eyes turned here and there trying to find someone, but to no avail. He finally gave up, and only focused on his food.

He looked down on the table. So green. Literally every dish was green. 'Is it even cooked?' he thought. Nevertheless, he too munched his food, elegantly. As a Sect Leader, he should have some manners. He couldn't act like a brat anymore.

Like that the banquet came to an end. Everyone headed to their respective guest room. On his way he met JiangCheng.

"Oi JinLing."

He indifferently turned his head and answered, "Yes."

JiangCheng asked, "You properly ate the food?"

He replied, "Yes, I ate."

"Hm. Good, then go to sleep."

JinLing said, "Okay, goodnight."

Then they parted their ways.

However, though he said so. He was a bit restless for some reason. Thus, he decided to take a walk along the long  wooden corridor of Cloud Recess.

He quietly walked on that wooden corridor. The flames weren't ignited on either side of the corridor during the night.

Cloud Recess was always cold. So during the lonely night it was a bit too cold. Cold enough to rise goosebumps on his skin. But he had to clear his mind. Therefore, he continued to walk.

As he went a little further he heard a melody. The strings of guqin being played by someone. So melodious, so euphonious. It was as if those notes were calling someone. Wanting to know where the one it's calling for is.

He couldn't help but be attracted towards that melody. Now, even the coldness felt like an early spring. He no longer felt cold. It was warm.

As he went nearer to the origin of the melody. He found that he was going to the backyard of Cloud Recess.

'Its gonna be nine after half an hour, which Lan disciple would be playing guqin right now?' He thought.

And finally, he found out who was playing it.

He was sitting under a crabapple tree. His eyelids drooped down, and focusing on the strings of guqin. The moonlight casting shadow on his face. His fingers looked so gentle yet so firmly stringing those sharp seven strings of guqin. His forehead ribbon moving lightly because of the cold breeze.

He was like the winter landscape in the mountains, an expanse of pure white serenity breathing peace and content.

He was Lan Sizhui.

Suddenly JinLing's heart skipped a beat. His heart started thumping loudly. Loud enough to overlap  every other sound. He could only hear his heartbeat.

Subconsciously, he pressed his right hand on his chest, right where his heart was. Whilst he clutched the hem of his robe with his left hand.

Sizhui noticed someone's presence. He lifted his eyelids, only to meet those panicked phoenix eyes. He was startled for a while, his eyes widened a little, but he maintained his posture. He stopped playing guqin.

Then, he stood up, and cupped his hand and respectfully bowed, "Sect Leader Jin."

This time, it was JinLing's turn to be startled. He never expected to be greeted like his by him. And he unintentionally spat out "Huh?" with wide eyes.

But he was also quick to snap back into reality. He nodded and walked towards him. He asked, "What were you playing?"

Sizhui smiled and said, "Inquiry."

JinLing was surprised for a while. Then he said, "Inquiry?"

Sizhui nodded and said, "Yes. For my grandmother. I wanted to ask if she was fine."

"Oh" said JinLing "For how long have you been playing it for her?"

He replied, "Three months."

JinLing was amazed that he was playing it for three months. He thought that if he was playing it for three months, then he must have had a good chat with his grandmother.

So, he asked, "Then what did you ask her?"

"If she was fine?"

"What did she say?"

"She didn't say anything."

"..."

JinLing was truly flabbergasted by his answer. He couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean?"

However, Sizhui calmly replied, "She hasn't answered my inquiry till now"

JinLing said, "Then why do you still keep on playing Inquiry? Won't it make you feel more anxious?"

Sizhui lightly smiled, but that smile seemed to hide some pain, that JinLing couldn't notice at the moment. Shushi said, "You know Sect Leader Jin?"

"... I know what?"

"That Hanguang-jun played inquiry for thirteen years for Childe Wie."

"..."

JinLing for a moment was blank. He thought, his uncles were really cut sleeves to extreme. He crossed his arms, his cheeks having a tint of red, he said, "That doesn't have to do anything with me."

He further added, "I just wonder why Hanguang-jun love that trouble maker so much? He had killed so many people in his life..."

'Though it was my uncle Jin GuangYao's fault. But he too is responsible. Responsible for my father and mother's death.' But he couldn't say these words loud. It got stuck in his throat. He felt angry, he felt sad, he felt lonely. He couldn't do anything. So, he only drooped his eyelids and clenched his fist tighter and gritted his teeth.

But Sizhui, however seem to have understood his unspoken words. He let out a small sigh and said, "Every person has done crime."

"Huh? What?" JinLing was startled by his sudden statement.

He repeated, "Every person person has done crime." He paused for a moment, and continued, "And the one who has committed more crimes are called sinner. But when those sinners make remedy for their sins." He raised his eyelids to meet with JinLing's gaze, his voice laced with softness, he said, "Don't you think they are equivalent to a human?"

JinLing was at a loss for what to say. He really couldn't say anything. He stared at the beauty in front of him, with a perplex gaze.

Sizhui shook his head, and let out a chuckle. He said, "Sect Leader Jin, you seem to be anxious. Let me play a song for you. Please sit."

Then, he gracefully sat on the green ground, in front of his guqin. JinLing too, didn't thought much and sat down beside him.

He absent mindedly asked, "Which song are you gonna play?"

"Sound of clarity."

JinLing was startled and hesitantly asked, "Would this be okay? Isn't this your Sect's secret. And isn't this song very difficult to play?"

Sizhui sighed, and said with a faint smile that was natural, "It would be okay. I know how to play verse one and the chorus part. Hanguang-jun said it would be okay, if I play it perfectly. It won't do any harm."

JinLing replied in a muffled voice, "Then fine."

He lowered his eyelashes. He didn't dare to meet with those beautiful eyes again. And for some unknown reason his face was feeling warm. But what he didn't know was that he had a tint of red spread around his cheeks, that was making the man next to him smile naturally.

A/N
Hmm... This chapter was being quite long, so I'll continue its part in the next chapter. Till then have fun reading it.
Also thanks for supporting me, and reading my book. If you like it, then please vote and share, it really helps a lot.
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