That day, Xiao Zhan talk to Yibo, Lan Wangji appeared again. Xiao Zhan was busy with his own work then, suddenly he found Lan Wangji's meditating figure behind him. "He never failed to surprise me, appearing so sudden like that."  Xiao Zhan thought.

Then he kept staring at him, resting his head on his palm. That white dress, long hair. It was his back - still perfect rigid body. Lan Wangi tilted his face toward Xiao Zhan. It seems he broke his meditation and looking around to see where he is now. And found a human presence behind him, which is Xiao Zhan.

"You came! What are you doing sitting like this?" Xiao Zhan asked.

"Meditation"

"oh!" Xiao Zhan was a bit surprised because these days people don't have time to meditate. If they have free time, they become busy with their phones.

It was evening. Xiao Zhan did not want to continue his work and he stood up. Getting a friend, he asked, " Do you like some tea?"

Lan Wangji did not say anything but looked at the ground, Xiao Zhan thought he did not decline it, so its oky.
He made some tea, and put in front of Lan Wangji and smiled.
Lan Wangji nodded slightly and took a sip.
"It's hot, don't try to drink so soon." Xiao Zhan said and grabbed the cup with Lan Wangji's hand, just before his mouth.

"UMM.." Xiao Zhan felt a little awkward and put his hand back, releasing an awkward smile. He moved turned over the other way towards the window, Lan Wangji probably smiled slightly?

The big round moon could be seen. Lan Wangji also looked outside.

Xiao Zhan started talking. "Lan Zhan, I already told you enough thing, whatever you asked me, why don't you tell me anything about You?" Xiao Zhan first tried to address him Mr Lan, when he first came here. But when he found, He did not like it, he just says Lan Zhan these days.

"Ask" Lan Wangji said.

"Who are you? what do you do?" Xiao Zhan asked?

"I'm Lan Wangji, a cultivator of Gusu Lan Clan."

"What is that your kind of cultivation?"

"Spiritual Cultivation."

"OHHHHH" Xiao Zhan said with an open-eyed reaction. "Then who is Wei Wuxian?"

"He is also a cultivator, from a different clan." Lan Wangji said.

"Same like you?"

"Yes."

"Who is him to you then? You came all the way here to meet him."

Lan Wangji did not answer it first but asked, "If you are staying here, someone came to meet you, who that person will be to you?"

"ah...probably my relative, or a friend, hm" Xiao Zhan replied.

"Then it's same here." Lan Wangji said.

"hu? what kind of answer is that? You don't know, who you are to him? or who is he to you?" Xiao Zhan asked.

Lan Wangji only lowered his head, thought "What is he to me?"

Xiao Zhan asked again, " Tell me, How was I back then?"

"Same"

"How can I be same? Time changes people. You also told me I look different when you first saw me."

"No matter what you wear, what your body becomes, you are you." Lan Wangji said without changing any muscle of his face.

Xiao Zhan never heard something like that. He did not know what is this feeling, this person is not joking but why is his heart flattering?

Few moments of silence.

"May I ask, what is your business with him? I mean why are you asking him to go back to your hometown?" Xiao Zhan asked again.

"He is walking in the demonic path. It's not good for health. I... I want to save him." Lan Wangji said.

"Demonic path mean? I just saw you, is there no one else who wants to help him too?" Xiao Zhan asked.

"A different path from regularity, it manipulates resentful energy."

"Resentful energy mean ghosts?" Xiao Zhan surprised.

"mn"

Xiao Zhan really shocked to find out he was manipulating ghost at past. He looked at Lan Wangji, and thought "Is he the person, who saved me? Ah, I don't mind. It's like a Disney princess's story, huh?" he smiled.

Lan Wangji looked at him, as he wanted to know why he was smiling, but he did not ask. But Xiao Zhan said again, " You must be really powerful, either you can't save me."

"mn"

"Show me something, How you do that.." Xiao Zhan said as a little child asked for some interesting magic show.

Lan Wangji who came to rescue Wei Wuxian, felt absurd to see that person took him as a magician and asking for cheap tricks.

Probably he said, "ridiculous" inside his head, but did not say anything.

"Do you fight ghosts with that sword?" Xiao Zhan asked again when that person did not say or did anything.

"Sword, Guqin" He said and pull out a Zither from the air.

Xiao Zhan shocked and backed a few steps from where he was sitting. He started at the beautiful Zither in front of him. Lan Wangji adjusted his long sleeves and put his white thin fingers on the strings.

A calm beautiful tune came out of it. The ancient smooth tune, unlike music like these days. Xiao Zhan closed his eyes. It felt he lost alone in a fantasy world. Butterfly everywhere, green long field, some fluffy white creatures on the ground, oh Rabbit ! Foggy mountain, forests. Some violet-white flowers.
Behind the flowers a white familiar figure. Holding a white rabbit. The long-haired person moved his face, said " Wei Ying!"

Xiao Zhan felt a jolt an opened his eyes. He was back to his room, the music stopped. He did not know how much time passed. He looked at Lan Wangji. It seemed he was a bit restless. Then calmed down again. He vanished the zither as he brought it earlier.

"Any news of Wei Wuxian?" Lan Wangji asked.

"oh, yes, Yibo called, they are probably coming on Sunday."

Lan Wangji nod slightly.

Xiao Zhan asked again,"Do have any idea why you are in future?"

"Not yet."

"Where are you staying, when you are not with me?"

"Found a cave, by the lotus pond." Lan Wangji answered.

"What!!! You are staying in a cave? What are you eating?" Xiao Zhan Shouted and asked worriedly?

"Lotus seed sometimes."

"Are you crazy? You are basically eating nothing!!! How can you live like that?"

"I am a cultivator."

Xiao Zhan now became crazy hearing his answers. "What's with that man? He is stuck up between times, now staying alone in a cave, eating nothing to wait for a... for a friend. Still, nothing bothers him, he does not get tired either. I don't get this man. What is this affection, how far a person goes this far, for someone..."

Xiao Zhan did not waste single time and cooked some food for him. He brought those to him and said, "Eat up right now. My cooking is no special, but it's not good to stay at an empty belly. Now hurry."

Lan Wangji sighed, "It wasn't necessary.."

"My request, please eat."

"You?"

"Shhh..." Xiao Zhan put his finger on his lips. "I have eaten."

Lan Wangji began to eat.

"Live with me, this house is spacious, I'll book the next room for you. Stay there." Xiao Zhan said.

Lan Wangji did not answer.

"It's oky if you decline, but I think this will be better. You can eat with me too. I eat alone, and there you are skipping meals. Oh, I'm not asking to pay me. Both of us here temporarily anyway."

No answer.

Xiao Zhan now felt bad, he was one who talking all alone. If his proposal was not granted, he could only say. He turned away his face from him.

After a couple of minutes, Lan Wangji spoke, "I'm not here because of my will, I can't decide to stay in future or in my time."

Xiao Zhan looked at him, Lan Wangji has done eating. "Why you replied so late?"

"No talking while eating." He replied or rather just recite one of the three thousand rules.

Xiao Zhan was speechless for a moment, then blast into laughter. "Oh my God! You did not reply because you were eating, and I thought I'm bothering you. hahahaha"

No expression in Lan Wangji's face. He was familiar with this kind of laughter.

"He is really strange but cute." Xiao Zhan thought. He couldn't stop but compares him to Yibo.

He took the phone to call him, "Probably his class was finished. It will be oky to call, right?"

But it did not connect. Xiao Zhan looked at Lan Wangji. " I want to help him with all my might."

"He is searching for my old self. Seeing someone caring about this much for me, I'm not feeling happy but it rather feels sad, for this person. What was I doing that time? Wei Wuxian I'm jealous of you.."

"I felt Lan Zhan was really lonely at the cave, but it seems he was always this lonely.. The dreamland he dragged me in, he was only one there. 'Wei Ying!' Is not that Wei Wuxian's name?"

Then he looked at Lan Wangji and said, "Don't need to worry, Yibo told me Wei Wuxain is doing well" and smiled. "He also thinks about you, talks about you, a lot. As both of you were in the same boat, probably desire is pulling us together?"

Lan Wangji did not say anything.

Xiao Zhan said, "My proposal still stands, if you can try to stay in future, you can stay here. Also, if they come, where I will search for you?"  He smiled.

---------

Yibo was on his way back home. When he was passing the hotel, he stopped seeing something. It was that hotel, where he had eaten on his first day here. They have good terms. So, Yibo entered. The shopkeeper said, "Oh Yibo, come boy come."

"Is that Lotus Pork Ribs Soup?" Yibo asked pointing towards the large bowl on the stove.

"Yes, but that wasn't for sale. That's for our home." Shopkeeper said.

Yibo's face soon became down. A cute sad pouted face, gazing at the soup.

The shopkeeper laughed. "If you want some, then you can have some, no problem."

"Actually I have a guest at home. He likes it. So...."

"Oky no problem I'll give you some. Wait there, it was almost done."

"Thank you so much. You are a good man." Yibo said and took out his purse. "How much it is?"

"You don't need to give me money boy, I told you already it's not for sale. Isn't it?"

"But I want to give it to him, my guest, so I'll only buy it."

The shopkeepers changed his mind, and said "Oky".

Yibo was sitting inside, a very old granny entered the hotel. She asked the shopkeepers to give her some food for her grandson. As her son and his wife will be late today.

As she was waiting there, they started chatting on various topics. She was here from long, even if she aged enough she still walk very well. That surprised Yibo.

The cooking was done. Yibo asked, "Where from get those lotus seeds, sir?"

"Where else? It's from Yilling. Didn't I tell you that a monk made a lotus pond there? It's from that pond, my brother went there today, he brought some."

"Are nobody owns that pond?" Yibo asked.

"Probably not. Everybody cherishes that pond." The shopkeeper said and handed over him some soup.

The granny then spoke, "Yilling Patriarch made that pond. He loved lotus. Everybody was scared of him, as he can manipulate ghouls but he can be compared to an angel. That kind of person he was."

Yibo was a bit shocked as she spoke. He asked, "Can you tell me more about him? What happened to him afterwards?"

"No son, even if I can, I won't tell anyone. I heard stories from my ancestors. He saved some of our ancestors and lived with them. He left his home, his family, comfort, title.. everything. This place also called Yilling before. Later the government changed the name." Granny stopped.

The shopkeepers said, " Ah granny, do you think you are saying stories to your little grandson? They are young people of these days.. They are smart, not gonna believe in your fantasy."

Yibo just left the shop thanking them. So what was we were thinking probably right.