Chu Ming had come prepared today.
First, he used the excuse of eliminating monsters outside the city to lure Yun Duan away and clarify a few things. Then he stormed in, ready to vent the grievances he had been mulling over for days in front of Shang Can. As the sky darkened, he finally pulled out a large jar of wine from his storage pouch and pointed at it with an air of authority.
“Drink your own wine!”
The wine jar was quite sizable, requiring both hands to embrace it fully. The clay seal was still intact, indicating it hadn’t been opened before. Shang Can stared for a moment before realizing that this was the jar of wine she had once planned to gift to Chu Ming back when she was at the Paper Crane. She couldn’t help but knock on the jar with a hint of nostalgia, exclaiming, “Did you specially go dig this up from under the Yu Yin tree?”
“Or else what?” Chu Ming shot her a glare, his tone turning aggrieved, “To ensure it didn’t break, I couldn’t use any spells to dig it out! I was exhausted from digging! The tree at Yu Heng was in a rush, making it look like I was stealing something. While I was digging, it dropped leaves and made all sorts of noise, clearly trying to chase me away!”
Hearing his impassioned complaint about how his ears had still been buzzing for days after he dug up the wine, Shang Can couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “How would the tree know I buried this wine for you? It probably just remembered that I was the one who buried it, thinking you were there to steal it!”
As she spoke, a hint of melancholy surfaced in her heart. The Yu Heng tree had been around for ages, and though it couldn’t speak, it had always treated her like a caring elder. The tree spirit’s concept of time wasn’t like that of ordinary people. After leaving Qing Yu for so many years, when she stood before the gates of Yu Heng Peak again not long ago, it felt as if an entire era had passed. Yet the Yu Yin tree, responding to her presence, resonated with a melodious sound as if welcoming her joyously, just as it had all those years ago. It felt as though she had never left at all.
“It sounds like your tree spirit has a pretty good temper. If it were the tree spirits of Bi Luo and Huang Quan, you would definitely have been struck by a branch for digging under their feet.” Wan Shao exclaimed, shaking her head as she turned to Shang Can. “Not to mention that you buried wine under their tree—why on earth did you bury it? Please don’t tell me it was stolen from somewhere!”
Chu Ming nodded repeatedly, chiming in, “Exactly! There’s no wine in Qing Yu; where did you get such a big jar of wine? Even Yun Duan doesn’t know about it.”
His question left Shang Can momentarily speechless. Too much time had passed, and she couldn’t recall the details right away. She instinctively turned to Yun Duan, who was quietly looking at her, tilting her head in a gesture of attentive listening.
Shang Can vaguely remembered that by the time she buried the wine, she had been quite close to Yun Duan, so there shouldn’t have been anything to hide from her—
In a flash of realization, Shang Can suddenly recalled the origins of the wine. Her expression shifted to one of awkwardness, but she quickly composed herself and sat up straight to explain, “… It was during one of my adventures down the mountain; I passed by a town and saw a fighting ring—yes, a fighting competition. One of the prizes was this jar of wine. I wanted it so badly that I went up and fought a few rounds. After winning the wine, I just walked away.”
Wan Shao looked at her with a perplexed expression and laughed, “You, a cultivator, went to fight just to win a jar of wine—Shang Can, you’re really too much.”
“… That’s why I didn’t dare to tell my master or Duan Er later.” Shang Can continued, feeling a bit guilty as she rubbed her nose. “I couldn’t finish it, so I thought I’d just bury it one night and take it out when there was a celebration at Yu Heng. By then, probably no one would say I was being ridiculous…”
She trailed off, and Chu Ming laughed, remarking that if he had been there, he would have stopped this nonsensical person long ago. Wan Shao, unable to contain herself, sought permission before uncorking the wine. The rich aroma of the Daughter’s Red wine soon filled the courtyard, and everyone quickly turned their attention to it, bustling to find cups in preparation for a hearty drink.
Only Yun Duan remained seated, her gaze lingering on the wine jar for a moment before shifting to Shang Can. She gently tugged at the hem of her clothing and softly asked, “It’s not a big deal, but why have I never heard you mention this before?”
Shang Can paused, a little awkwardly explaining, “It was… it was during a time when I was young and didn’t know better. Looking back, I feel like I shouldn’t have done it… For some reason, I just never told you.”
She knew that her words didn’t really clarify anything. Luckily, Yun Duan seemed disinclined to delve deeper, watching her quietly for a while before softly saying, “Just drink less,” and letting go of her hand. Shang Can understood that Yun Duan didn’t drink and didn’t like the smell of alcohol, so she obediently nodded and went to pour herself a small cup, downing it in resignation under Chu Ming’s mock ferocity.
The wine smelled fragrant and rich, but upon swallowing, it revealed a spiciness. After one cup, Shang Can realized that her alcohol tolerance wouldn’t handle too many more, so she settled down beside Wan Shao and Chu Ming, who were both enjoying their drinks, while she nibbled at her own, gradually becoming lost in thought.
This wine, which she had buried so many years ago, had been buried when she was still quite young. Now, over a decade had passed, and she could barely remember that day she had snuck out to bury it. Yet the Yu Yin tree still remembered, and it seemed to be guarding the thing she had buried.
It was truly incredible. Despite the passage of time and the changes in circumstances, Shang Can could always find traces of things that had remained unchanged in the smallest details.
“What are you thinking about?”
Perhaps she had been lost in thought for too long. The person beside her gently asked, and Shang Can turned to look at her lover, who appeared particularly radiant in the moonlight, smiling gently.
“I was thinking… Duan Er is even prettier now than I imagined back then.”
The night was deep, and Shang Can was supporting a drunkard.
To be precise, there were two drunkards. She had just settled the flower spirit, and this one was even more inebriated, stumbling as they walked and insisting on talking.
“Ceremony… ceremony… when…”
Shang Can couldn’t quite make out what Chu Ming was saying, it sounded like he was upset that she was ignoring him. She sighed and pulled him up, managing to muster a bit of patience as she replied, “If you can’t explain it clearly, then don’t say anything. What do you mean by ignoring?”
To her surprise, Chu Ming wouldn’t let it go and grumbled indignantly, “Ceremony, ceremony! Cultivators forming a partnership must have a ceremony…”
Finally, Shang Can understood what he was getting at. She nearly stumbled in shock, barely stabilizing herself before she stammered, “… The ceremony for forming a partnership does need to be held, but you know, I… I can’t show my face like this right now. I…”
She only half-finished her sentence when she realized that Chu Ming, completely inebriated, was looking at her with a pair of dazed, confused eyes, clearly not understanding her lengthy explanation. Shang Can sighed silently, finding it both funny and exasperating that she was arguing with a drunk. After settling Chu Ming into a guest room, she turned to leave.
Drunk people often speak without thinking, expressing their heartfelt feelings. Shang Can knew that Chu Ming must be overjoyed that their years of entanglement had finally led to something. Yet, his earlier words stirred up some inexplicable emotions within her, causing her steps back to the courtyard to slow down.
Partner. She was now Yun Duan’s partner.
Even in the realm of cultivation, the term “partner” carried a more righteous connotation than others, yet it always came with an unspoken intimacy. Cultivators did not practice marriage, for the world was unpredictable; only the Dao remained constant. Since one was already a cultivator, they should not bind themselves with mortal relationships. Thus, the term for the closest person was “partner,” meaning someone who could walk alongside you on the path of cultivation.
This special identity usually warranted a grand ceremony—like completing a rite that bestows a name, making an ordinary day meaningful; this aspect was no different from mortals.
But perhaps it wasn’t meant to be for them. Shang Can thought. It was her issue.
Neither as a Can practitioner nor as a half-demon was she a worthy match for Yun Zhong Jun, yet she possessed both identities. Even “Shang Can”—the identity closest to Yun Duan—was not permitted to exist as Yun Duan’s partner.
It would be a lie to say she didn’t feel regret. After all, it was Yun Duan, the junior she had cherished since her teenage years, her lover to whom she had given her heart without fully understanding her own feelings, and the radiant Yun Zhong Jun renowned across the land. Such a person deserved the best in the world, and the ceremony should have been the most perfect and grand to match Yun Duan—but Shang Can couldn’t provide that.
Yet Shang Can also understood that Yun Duan wouldn’t mind these things.
Unbeknownst to her, she had returned to the courtyard, gazing from a distance at the poised figure seated in the pavilion. Her heart softened.
Regardless of the lack of formality, they had already become each other’s only one.
Her mind was filled with tumultuous thoughts, which she decided to brush aside. She took a few steps forward and smiled, saying, “I’ve taken Chu Ming inside; she looks like she’s sleeping soundly—Duan Er?”
As she leaned in closer, she sensed something was off. The wine jar was only half-empty, and a rich aroma still lingered in the courtyard. This scent, which she had been smelling all night, wasn’t surprising. But when she got close to Yun Duan, she noticed the wine’s fragrance mixed with a crisp and cold scent… and it didn’t seem to be coming from anywhere else.
Shang Can glanced at Yun Duan’s fair face, which was tinged with a faint blush. The other’s action of lifting her gaze was slightly sluggish, but her eyes were straightforward and warm. When she recognized Shang Can, her eyes widened slightly in surprise, and then she turned away, seeming somewhat guilty, like a frightened little rabbit.
Shang Can blinked in realization and chuckled, “Did you drink secretly?”
“…” Yun Duan, still not turning her head away, avoided eye contact and, in a rare moment of lacking confidence, softly said, “…I just tasted a little.”
That was quite honest.
It had only been a few minutes since she had snuck a drink, and Shang Can couldn’t help but laugh, moving closer to check Yun Duan’s cup. It was indeed only half-full. “If you wanted to drink, we could have had some together earlier. So, how is it? Is it good?”
Hearing her words, Yun Duan finally stirred, slowly lifting her gaze to Shang Can. The redness at the corners of her eyes from the alcohol made her look a little more delicate, and there seemed to be a misty glimmer in her eyes, making her appear particularly… fragile.
“…I didn’t intend to drink,” Yun Duan murmured, “but I always felt…”
Her voice trailed off into silence for a moment before she finally spoke again, her tone subdued, “…This jar of wine, did you really win it in a competition?”
Shang Can was momentarily taken aback. Seeing Yun Duan’s gaze was particularly stubborn, she realized her reason for not telling Yun Duan had failed to convince her. Thus, she had to honestly admit to her slightly tipsy lover, “If we’re being precise… I won it during a competition for marriage proposals.”
She squatted down in front of Yun Duan, holding her lover’s hand with a guilty conscience and confessed, “That day, I happened to be dressed as a man and stumbled upon the competition… You know I liked to be mischievous back then. When I saw that the third prize was a big jar of daughter’s red wine, I couldn’t resist…”
“I was careful in my actions, choosing opponents that I could definitely win against,” she continued, sneaking a glance at Yun Duan and whispering, “…But thinking back on it, it was really ridiculous, so I didn’t dare to tell you.”
Seeing Yun Duan’s expressionless face, Shang Can felt uneasy. Just as she was thinking of apologizing for her earlier deception, she was suddenly pinched on the face, causing her words to become indistinct. She looked up at her frowning lover, who was slowly leaning in closer.
“Competing for marriage?” Yun Duan enunciated each word slowly, her face showing an uncharacteristic look of anxiety, “What would you do if you had won?”
Shang Can wanted to say she was sure she would deliberately lose, but looking at the hand pinching her face showed no signs of letting go, she could only shake her head seriously, raising her hand to smooth Yun Duan’s furrowed brow. Just as she made contact, Yun Duan grabbed her wrist, her face displaying displeasure as she stared at Shang Can for a while. Finally, she sighed silently and released her grip.
Before Shang Can could react, the person in front of her suddenly leaned in and wrapped her arms around her neck. Compared to her usual temperature, she felt slightly warmer, and the breath brushing against her neck felt hot. The words spilling from Yun Duan’s lips were dreamlike yet ignited an indescribable heat.
“…I want to marry you.” There was a hint of longing in Yun Duan’s low voice, “Ah Can… can only marry me.”
Shang Can’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt a bit flustered. This posture was somewhat awkward, but it didn’t stop her from reaching up to comfortingly pat Yun Duan’s back. She originally wanted to say something reassuring like “That sounds good,” especially since Yun Duan was starting to feel a bit tipsy and should probably sleep well. Yet for some reason, she inexplicably blurted out, “…So, will we drink a cup together?”
This was not the development she had anticipated. Shang Can dazedly accepted the wine cup that Yun Duan handed her. The other person’s eyes were hazy with intoxication, yet her expression was particularly serious. She leaned in closely, seeming unsteady as she softly leaned against Shang Can, gently tapping her wine cup against Shang Can’s with a crisp sound. Yun Duan lowered her head, carefully wrapped her hand around the edge of her cup, then looked up at Shang Can.
Even though they hadn’t drunk much that night, Shang Can felt her hands inexplicably trembling. Unable to withstand Yun Duan’s gaze, she mirrored Yun Duan’s actions, bringing the cup to her lips and drinking it all in one go.
The liquid was cold, but Yun Duan’s lips, which followed closely after, were warm. Her Yun Zhong Jun rarely showed such urgency, holding her hazy, misty eyes on her and repeatedly asking, “This way, Ah Can and I are considered married, right?”
Not knowing if this counted as taking advantage of her when she was drunk, Shang Can gently smiled and tenderly kissed the corner of Yun Duan’s lips, softly saying, “Mm.”
Yes, of course, it was. The heavens, the earth, and the sun and moon could all bear witness for them.
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