Wu Lingtian fell silent. He softly shook his head. “I do not have that reason.”

“It couldn’t be that you already gave yourself over to Fan Yi, have you? I was only gone for two days,” Ren Yizhou frowned.

Wu Lingtian felt that the way people phrased things in this sect was strange. “That is not the case.”

“Oh good,” Ren Yizhou nodded. “Marriage is a big deal. You mustn’t decide based on the fact that you are grateful to someone.”

Seeing Ren Yizhou’s serious expression, Wu Lingtian couldn’t even think to respond any way other than equally as seriously. He hummed in response and took another look at Ren Yizhou. He wondered when the latter would enter the sect.

“Are you bored?” Ren Yizhou made another guess. “I bet Fan Yi isn’t letting you do anything, is he?”

“He is not.”

Ren Yizhou sighed understandingly. “He’s always been like that. It’s because he’s worried about you. You were in a coma for so many days and then you got attacked by that lion. Those injuries on you were not light. Once he makes sure there won’t be any repercussions, I’m sure he’ll put you right to work.”

“Mn.”

Ren Yizhou stretched out their waste with a slight groan. “Goodness, I missed the sect. I was never one to settle, but after staying here for so long, it feels wrong to leave for a long period of time.”

“Mn.”

Ren Yizhou’s lips pulled into a smile. “Has anything happened while I was gone?”

Wu Lingtian thought for a moment before shaking his head. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Ren Yizhou looked mildly disappointed. They let out a sigh. “Well, if there’s nothing then there’s nothing…are you busy right now?”

Wu Lingtian couldn’t help but feel that such a question was meant to poke fun at him. “No, I am not.”

“Good, I just needed someone to rant to,” Ren Yizhou sighed as they swiftly and accurately took Wu Lingtian’s hand.

Wu Lingtian’s long legs stumbled as Ren Yizhou tugged him along. He glanced down at the fingers tightly gripping his hand and felt a discomfort crawling his back, directly reaching to the back of his head. He felt the urge to fling the hand off, but he held back. Despite his best to hide it, his tension must have been sensed because Ren Yizhou released Wu Lingtian’s hand just as quickly as they grabbed it.

“There should be a gazebo over this way,” Ren Yizhou explained. “I will tell Wén Yí (文怡) to get us some snacks and we can talk.”

Wu Lingtian hummed, his mind wondering who Wen Yi was.

“Wen Yi is my disciple. I have another little fool name Liáng Jùn (梁俊),” Ren Yizhou supplemented. “Have you met them yet?”

“No,” Wu Lingtian shook his head. “I have only met Li Qing.”

“Ah, Fan Yi’s little rascal,” Ren Yizhou chuckled. “She’s quite cute, isn’t she? Obedient and smart.”

“Mn.”

Ren Yizhou led Wu Lingtian down a zigzagging bridge. When they met the gazebo resting on the island, Ren Yizhou carefully sat down and reached into their sleeve. With a flick of their wrist, a light bell sound echoed through the large lake. Wu Lingtian watched in silence. Moments later, a teenage girl appeared from the skies. She landed smoothly before them and greeted her shizun and Wu Lingtian.

“Shizun, Lord Immortal.”

“Yu Lan, this is Wen Yi, my eldest disciple,” Ren Yizhou introduced.

Wu Lingtian bowed his head in acknowledgement.

Ren Yizhou reached out and held Wen Yi’s hand. “Wen Yi, can you bring us some tea and snacks?”

Wen Yi hummed. She threw Wu Lingtian another glance before flying off again. Ren Yizhou sighed and placed the bell down on the table. “Such a convenient little thing.”

“Can only Miss Wen hear it?”

“Why are you calling her Miss Wen? Just call her Wen Yi,” Ren Yizhou chided. “Wen Yi can hear it because she has an enchantment on her earring. No one else can hear it unless we’re right beside each other.”

Wu Lingtian stared at the bell in fascination. He had never heard of a spiritual item like that.

“Interesting, right? Xiewen made it for me for my birthday a long time ago. I was complaining how it was so inconvenient to look for someone to help me when I needed something, and he crafted this,” Ren Yizhou’s smile was gentle as they carefully touched the side of the bell. Wu Lingtian wasn’t sure they even realized it. Ren Yizhou’s head tilted up. “Since this is our first meeting, can you answer some questions for me?”

Wu Lingtian straightened unconsciously. “Please.”

Ren Yizhou leaned in slightly. “I’ve heard many people describe you, but I can never visualize it. They just say you’re cold and handsome. Could you tell me what you look like?”

Wu Lingtian leaned back slightly. For once in his life, he felt completely at loss for words. “I…”

Ren Yizhou reached into their sleeve and pulled out a mirror. “Here. Take this.”

Wu Lingtian held the mirror with two hands and looked down at himself. He stared at his own features for an uncomfortably long time and still didn’t know how he should describe himself. He looked at his eyes and then his nose and then his lips. His gaze shifted to the teardrop mole below his left eye and grazed over his wavy hair before glancing back up at Ren Yizhou.

“Take your time,” Ren Yizhou said with a gentle smile.