The next afternoon harboured a great shower.

Rain drops showered from the clouds and onto the land, perjuring dirt and soaking it into an ashy mush. A droplet of water slid upon a man's cheek, then finally letting go and falling into the ground.

The man stood in the rain, still and quiet.

Today, he wasn't trying to gain money by selling products at his stall. Instead, he was busy thinking twice and reflecting his own actions.

When the three couples found the man, they were astonished to find... that man was the shopkeeper who sold them tanghulu!

"...is this sir alright?" Shen Qingqiu asked.

The three couples stood underneath an umbrella, each couple sharing one. Shen Qingqiu chose a green umbrella, which matched his Sect's aesthetics. Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian wanted to pick a red one, but was defeated by Hua Cheng, who took the red umbrella before he could and shot a threatening glare. In the end, Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian shared a white umbrella.

"Oh, great cultivators..." The tanghulu shopkeeper sobbed. "I'm afraid that I won't be selling tanghulu's today. If your children still want some... perhaps come back tomorrow?"

Xie Lian's face flushed red. Children!?! The three junior disciples were not their children!

But none of the three couples refuted.

"We're just walking around to take a stroll." Wei Wuxian coughed. "We're not here to buy tanghulu's, but shopkeeper, how come you look so down?"

The tanghulu shopkeeper suppressed his sigh. "It's fine. It's nothing you fellow youngsters can fix."

Xie Lian stiffened when he was labelled as a "youngster".

The rain dropped on the surface of the umbrella, pitter and pattering continuously. The sky was loomed over by dark and gloomy clouds, exemplifying the current mood of the tanghulu shopkeeper.

"Hey!" Wei Wuxian huffed. "You shouldn't underestimate us. Who knows, we might be able to help solve your problems."

The tanghulu shopkeeper laughed heartily.

He then patted his beer belly, "Alright alright. I'll tell you what's on my mind."

Last afternoon, the tanghulu shopkeeper had been accompanying his wife shopping. They'd purchased several tea snacks, in hoping that their sole son would enjoy the small treat. Later on, they'd spent so much money on purchasing textbooks, which were for the purpose of their son's studying. They wanted their son to become a scholar and earn enough money to have a good living.

Who knew what happened, but since explaining their plans for the son, the boy stormed off. He said something along the lines of "I can decide my own dreams and future!" before leaving.

It seemed like their son was truly angry. At a young age of thirteen, it was the beginning of his rebellion.

"Oh, I was in my rebellious phase around that age as well." Wei Wuxian offhandedly commented.

The tanghulu shopkeeper's eyes had softened.

He continued the story.

After their sole son left, he told his wife that it'd be a good idea to let him cool his head off. Instead, his idea was proven to be untrustworthy, as it has been an entire day since the son had left. The tanghulu shopkeeper and his wife had already asked guards to search for their son.

Their son couldn't have gone far.

Following up, the tanghulu shopkeeper's wife was so angry at him that she stormed off as well. The wife said she didn't want to see him for the rest of the day.

After all, if it wasn't for his suggestion, then she wouldn't lose her son.

"I understand that it was my fault." The tanghulu shopkeeper sighed. "I tried to apologize to her, but it was practically impossible for me to find a suitable time and place when she isn't busy."

Shen Qingqiu fanned himself. "How would you like us to help you?"

The tanghulu shopkeeper patted his beer belly. "If you guys don't mind, could you help me reconcile with my wife? She is worried sick for our son, and I am as well. There are already people on the search for him, so it'd be helpful if you could..."

"...if we could... what?" Luo Binghe demanded for a follow-up.

The tanghulu shopkeeper nodded. "If you could teach me some methods and tactics to reconcile."

Hearing that, the three couples turned to look at each other. They all had a male partner. They had no experience on soothing females; or women at the age of caring for teenage children.

Then, Wei Wuxian stood up. "I am quite skilled at complimenting women. They used to say I had the sweetest mouth in Yunmeng Jiang."

Lan Zhan tilted his head at him. "How come I've never heard about this-"

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian hurried to interrupt. "It won't hurt them if they don't know..."

The remaining three couples, "..." There was definitely something fishy going on!

Wei Wuxian coughed. "Anyways, please rest assured. My friends and I will make sure to recommend you the best methods in winning your wife's heart back!"

The tanghulu shopkeeper, "..." How come he feels a hint of regret?

He shook his head. It was a misunderstanding. There was no way he'll regret this. "Alright," his eyes brightened up. "How can I reconcile with her?"

The three couples fell into a deadlock silence.

They all rubbed their chins with a slender finger, trying to tap an idea into mind. At last, the action worked. A lightbulb went off in Shen Qingqiu's head as he suggested, "According to my analysis, your wife is afraid that something might've happened to her son. You should comfort her, and reconcile while you're at it."

The tanghulu shopkeeper felt like it was a good idea.

"Can you show me an example?" He asked.

Suddenly, Shen Qingqiu stiffened. Just barely out of hindsight, he found a strange look given by his lover... Luo Binghe quickly immersed himself into the act, playing the role of the wife immediately.

Suddenly, regret suffocated Shen Qingqiu in the chest. He didn't want to put on an act!

"I am angry." Luo Binghe turned his voice into a falsetto pitch. He twirled a lock of his hair, like a girl putting on a feasible and shy expression. "I don't want to see you."

At that point, the show began.

Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan, Xie Lian, and Hua Cheng had sat back. They planned to enjoy watching the show. However, it would've been more enjoyable if they had some tea snacks to feast on.

"I am angry!" Luo Binghe pretended to fume. He folded his arms across his chest, "What? Aren't you going to say something?"

Awkward, Shen Qingqiu had no idea what to say.

He was playing the role of the tanghulu shopkeeper. Shen Qingqiu suggested for him to apologize and comfort his "wife" about their lost son. Just thinking about the script made him want to gag. However... looking in the direction of the tanghulu shopkeeper, he had bright and anticipating eyes!

Shen Qingqiu had to get this done...

He coughed and reached out an arm towards Luo Binghe, "Binghe- I mean, wife," his one slender hand was shaking from nervousness. "Don't worry. Don't be afraid. I'm sure that the guards will be able to find... our... our son..." Suddenly, he turned to look at the tanghulu shopkeeper.

"...what's your son's name?"

The tanghulu shopkeeper answered briefly, "Su Nan."

Shen Qingqiu went back to turn to Luo Binghe, "I'm sure that the guards will be able to find Su Nan." His arms stretched out to his lover. Very quickly, the two hugged. Shen Qingqiu's arms managed to slither around his lover's waist, squeezing the body slightly in an intimate manner.

Naturally, Luo Binghe wasn't expecting hands-to-hands action. His eyes widened.

Immediately, blush flooded to his ears, which pertained the same bloody colour as his demonic forehead mark. Luo Binghe stiffened on the spot.

Hurriedly, he went back to immerse himself into the act.

He burrowed his head into Shen Qingqiu's arms, getting a whiff of the fresh scent... "I'll believe you this time, husband!" The words were very sweet... too sweet for the audience's taste.

"Enough enough." Wei Wuxian couldn't watch anymore. He decided to cut the two off.

Hearing that he could finally be freed, Shen Qingqiu pulled back. However, he noticed something was wrong when he couldn't get himself out of his lover's arms. It was then he realized... Luo Binghe wasn't letting him go!

"You...!" Shen Qingqiu felt the hair on his skin rising.

"Oh husband!" Luo Binghe wasn't willing to end the act. "I won't argue with you again-" When he raised his head, he met the soulless and frosty eyes of his lover.

Shen Qingqiu spat out six words. "You'll sleep on the sofa tonight."

Immediately, Luo Binghe released his arms.

The couple separated awkwardly. The tanghulu shopkeeper noticed this tense atmosphere and proposed, "How about a different method?"

Hearing that, Xie Lian raised a hand. "My friends say that to have a good relationship, you have to take the initiative and sweep women off from their feet!"

Hua Cheng rigidly stared at him. He doesn't remember ever hearing his Gege mention something like this... He mouthed, "...who told you this?"

Xie Lian proudly spoke, "General Pei."

Hua Cheng, "..." That is the one man you shouldn't trust when asking about relationships.

The tanghulu shopkeeper sighed worriedly. "Are you sure being intimate would work? What if she avoids me again because of this..."

"No worries!" Xie Lian patted himself on the chest. "You need to be confident!"

The tanghulu shopkeeper didn't give up. Instead, he inquired, "Could you show me an example?"

Xie Lian froze. How would he be intimate to a wife? To a lover?

The gears in his head turned, one by one. An idea popped in his mind, and he decided to take it out in action. Xie Lian took several steps before reaching to Hua Cheng, who watched him with an amused gaze. "What are you planning to do, Gege-"

He was interrupted when his feet left the ground.

Hua Cheng was amazed. His left eye dilated from astonishment, as he was lifted into his lover's arms. Xie Lian picked him up like he was light weight.

The dead heart which rested in Hua Cheng's chest had thumped twice.

"I apologize for my recklessness, wife." Xie Lian spoke gently. His golden eyes thinned and curved up like crescent slits, "It is all my fault. However, do not fret. We'll find Su Nan together, alright?"

Staring into the gentle eyes of his lover, Hua Cheng was surrounded in a sea of warmth.

He scooted himself closer to his lover's chest, "Good."

"Pfft." The sudden burst of laughter had directed them to look in a certain direction. They found Wei Wuxian laughing his head off. The Yiling Patriarch blocked his mouth with two hands, but it couldn't completely close off the unnecessary sound.

For some odd reason, he really wanted to laugh when seeing Xie-xiong bridal carrying a man, who is at least a head taller than him.

"Wei-xiong," Xie Lian snapped out from the act. His entire face flushed a dark red.

He let down Hua Cheng, who was disappointed from being interrupted.

"I'll show you guys what this shopkeeper should do!" Wei Wuxian blurted out. He cued himself, "Action!"

He spun around three times before landing dramatically in Lan Zhan's arms, "Wife, do not fear of the unknown. Our son, Su Nan will be fine. I am willing to bet all of my beliefs and all of my collection of fierce corpses... that Su Nan will be found soon." Wei Wuxian's eyes held a glint of amusement. "If you are afraid, just remember, I will protect you from anything... even dogs."

Lan Zhan, "..." After hearing that speech, he felt like he couldn't even trust half of what was said.

With his blank and cold face, he asked, "You'll protect me from... even dogs?"

Wei Wuxian thought that his acting wasn't enough. So he promised, "I will always protect you from the dogs!"

Who knew what happened, but in the background, a familiar voice yelled, "Get my dog back! Fairy is off the leash! I don't know where they are!"

Upon hearing that, immediately, Wei Wuxian jumped into his hubby's arms.

He shivered like a damsel in distress, and burrowed his head in his lover's chest. "Lan Zhan! Save meee!"

Lan Zhan patted his lover's head thoughtfully. "Don't be afraid. You have me, Wei Ying."

The three couples and the tanghulu shopkeeper, "..." Who was supposed to protect who?

Su Nan: I was mentioned so many times. When will I appear?

The six MCs: You weren't invited to the theatre, you damn spoiler!

Su Nan: (╥﹏╥) You guys were the ones who called my name so many times...

I've been writing up a few drafts and planning out the rest of the novel. Therefore, I have in mind a number of chapters that I want to write.

Would you guys like to guess how many chapters I'm aiming for?

I'll give a small hint:

—I've already finished writing the 30th chapter draft—

so try and guess a number 🤗