Shooting Star [Never Let You Go, Again Book 2]

48: No More Promises

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Xichen and Xuanji shouted as they tossed down the curtains on the boat.

"WOOHOO!" Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian and Nie Huaisang shouted as they hopped onto the boat.

"A-Zhan, come on!" Wei Wuxian dragged his husband in.

The same grand boat they'd used for his wedding ceremony was redecorated with gentle yellow lights and a table looking out onto the water, with lanterns lining the deck. "Are those all for us to set off?" Wei Wuxian clapped.

"Yes, they are!" Xuanji shouted as she sat on a mat at the table. The food and drinks were already laid out. "It'll just be the eight of us."

"Eight? I count six," Huaisang wondered as he sat beside his wife.

"Sorry for being late!"

The six seated at the table turned around to see Lady Lan standing nearby. She had been brought back into the GusuLan Sect as Lady Lan, and people didn't call her Gu Qiang. They called her Lan Qiang. Ever since the ceremony of appointing her as Sect Leader's Advisor, there had been a steady inflow of little girls to join the sect and Lan Sizhui had gladly accepted them all with the help of his aunt. Apparently, she had been a famous rogue cultivator amongst the common people. Almost as famous as Xiao Xingchen. 

Lady Lan now waved to the six of them, her white Lan headband adorning her head, its ends flapping behind her with her silky hair, the cloud emblem shimmering in the light.

"Qiang-Er," Lan Wangji nodded to her.

"Zhan-ge, Huan-ge, Ying-ge, hello!" She waved to her brothers.

"You better wave to them too or A-Cheng will huff away again," Wei Wuxian chuckled.

Smiling, she greeted the other three as well before turning around. "A-Ning."

Wei Wuxian gasped as Wen Ning walked in to stand beside her. The murky black robes and chains had vanished and in their place was a beautiful and sparkling robe of fiery crimson and moonlight white, reminiscent of Wen robes. The lines along his neck weren't hidden but showed well because of the fearless way the robe's neck was cut in a V-shape. All of them could guess the robe was handmade by Lan Qiang, and that she was undaunted by letting the signs of his fierce corpse nature show. Why hide when the whole world knew it? Might as well embrace it!

Wei Wuxian beamed at him, inwardly vowing to get Wen Qing to see him in these. "A-Ning! My God, you look so good!"

Wen Ning smiled shyly as he sat with his girlfriend at the table, right beside his soul-brother.

Lan Wangji shot him a glare. Afraid he'd say something to hurt Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian sneaked his hand under the table and traced it up and down Lan Wangji's thigh, drawing the characters for 'Darling's the hottest'. The muscle tautened as Lan Wangji looked away from him, the tips of his ears fast turning pink.

"So, Er-Ge, Ji-xiong, congratulations on the promotions!" 

"Thank you, A-Sang," Xichen nodded. "It was Sizhui's work. And Jingyi's."

Wei Wuxian laughed. "All because these two sat beneath him. So now Qiang's Advisor and both gege and A-Zhan are Elders. Cunning son I've got huh?"

"Nearly as cunning as you!" Huaisang chuckled. 

"So, A-Cheng, did you name this boat yet?" 

"Oh, sure I did!" 

"Oh man, it was you? Better be good."

"Hmph, of course, it is! Red Rose."

Wei Wuxian dropped his chopsticks. "What! That's... Beautiful! Red Rose. Sounds like a love boat," Wei Wuxian chuckled.