THUD

A loud sound echoed in the silent forest, followed by Euni's loud moan.

"Aaah~Jingyi~." Euni groaned, glaring at Jingyi while rubbing her waist.

On the other hand, Zhiquiang, Sizhui, Jinling, Zizhen, and Jingyi were still standing with their hands stretched so that they could catch Euni.

"Jingyi! I am lying on the ground!" Euni yelled, making 5 of them look down only to find Euni lying on the ground while her hand was on the side of her waist and painful expressions became evident on her face.

"A-Ni!" Jiang Wanyin rushed to her, helping her to sit. "Cannot you guys even catch a girl!?" He shouted.

"W-we is sorry," Jingyi muttered while lowering his head.

"That's why I asked you if you can catch me," Euni said in a low voice while holding Wanyin's hand, trying to stand up.

"A-Ni!" Wuxian held her other hand when Euni was about to fall. "Did you hurt your leg?" He asked looking at Euni worriedly.

"My ankle hurts." Euni bit her lower lip, trying to control pain while holding both Yunmeng brothers' hands.

"I think it's more than a sprain," Wanyin said as he checked her leg while Wuxian supported her.

"Did she fracture her leg?" Wangji asked in his cold stoic voice but lines of worry clearly appeared on his face.

"No." Wanyin stood up. "It's more than sprain but less than fracture."

"Will it take a long time to cure? Can I walk now?" Euni looked at Wanyin with eyes full of hope.

"For now you cannot walk," Wanyin said. "I will give you a piggyback ride."

"Huh!?" Euni's eyes widened. "Clan leader Jiang will give me a piggyback ride!!!?"

"What's with that expression A-Ni?" Wuxian chuckled. "It's not that you don't call him gege. Well, how about I carry you?"

"A big no!" Euni shook her head violently.

"Why?" Wanyin and Wuxian blurted out together.

"Well...its..." She looked down. "I don't want to be a burden on anyone." Euni closed her eyes tightly and blurted out.

"Huh?" Wuxian burst into laughter listening to her reason. "That's why you keep saying not to carry you? Oh my God! Girl, what's wrong with you? We are your brothers."

"Still..." Euni pouted, looking away from her seniors.

"Ah..." Wuxian put his hand under his chin and nodded as if he had realized something. "I think someone wants to get carried by Zhiquiang, isn't it A-Ni?" He wiggled his brows at Euni.

"Wei gege..." Euni whined and pouted even more. "Do you think I am in a condition to joke around?"

"Wei Wuxian! Can you stop pestering A-Ni?" Wanyin shook his head and looked at Zhiquiang. "Zhiquiang, carry her."

"I cannot," Zhiquiang replied coldly.

"Why? Cannot you see her condition?" Wanyin screeched.

"Stop being a jerk Lan Zhiquiang!" Euni glared at Zhiquiang.

"I cannot carry you," Zhiquiang replied.

"Do you think it's cool to act like that in front of a senior?!" Euni arched her brow. Zhiquiang looked away from here which stirred her temper. "You are really a total jerk Zhiquiang."

"Euni, you cannot use those words in front of seniors," Jingyi said in a low voice.

"This isn't cloud recesses." Euni snarled. "So I don't think I need to control my words." She glared at Jingyi before averting her gaze to Zhiquiang. "And you, Zhiquiang. You can come to help me at midnight but not now. Why? Will help me in front of others taint you, huh?" Her volume of voice increased towards the end of the words. "Forget about it." She chuckled. "I am sorry Lan Zhiquiang. I forgot my limits and expected some help from you. I forgot that we are not even friends, we are just NOTHING." She emphasized the last word, making Zhiquiang's eyes widen a bit.

She let out a deep sigh and looked away from Zhiquiang. She took out a talisman from her robes and held it between her fingers. Closing her eyes, she chanted something, and the next moment the talisman converted into a green glowing talisman. Her lips curved upwards into half-moon smile and she threw the talisman which flew away out of her sight within a few seconds.

"I will receive help after some time." Euni smiled and looked at Jiang Wanyin. "Wanyin gege, can you please help me to walk?"

"Sure A-Ni, why not?" Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin held her hands and she tried to set her injured foot on the ground but she lost her balance.

"A-Ni!" Wuxian tightened his grip around her arm, preventing her from falling. "Be careful. Your injury looks quite painful."

"I think we need to transfer some spiritual energy to her." Zewu Jun said in a gentle voice as he came forward. "Miss Zhang, please sit on the rock." He gestured her to sit on a huge rock.

Wanyin and Wuxian helped her to sit on the rock while they held her hand to support you. Euni slowly removed her shoe so that Zewu Jun can examine her injury. Zewu Jun was about to touch her ankle, she quickly moved her foot backward.

"Zewu Jun! You are senior to me. How can you touch my foot?" Euni said looking at Zewu Jun with bewilderment in her eyes.

"But I need to check the injury, Miss Zhang." Zewu Jun smiled gently. "It's okay for a senior to check injuries."

Euni signed in defeat and moved her leg a little forward so that Zewu Jun could have a look at her injury. Zewu Jun gently held her ankle and pressed it gently, making Euni flinch in pain.

"Does it hurt too much?" Zewu Jun looked up at Euni to which nodded a little. Zewu Jun smiled and transferred some spiritual energy into her. "Try to walk again." Zewu Jun stood up.

With the help of the Yunmeng brothers, Euni tried to stand up. A big smile formed on her face when she realized that her foot didn't hurt much at that time. It was better than before and she could walk.

"Thank you Zewu Jun." She smiled widely like a kid to which Zewu Jun smiled in return.

As Euni was about to walk, suddenly a person jumped before her.

"Zheng Wei!?" Euni's eyes widened as she recognized that person and a big smile appeared on her face.

Zhang Wei smiled at her before turning towards the seniors and bowed to them.

"Zheng Wei, how come you are here!?" Zewu Jun asked in a gentle voice.

"Euni sent me a message to come here. So I am here." Zhang Wei bowed gently.

"A-Ni?" Wei Wuxian looked at her, seeking an answer.

"Yes, I sent him a message through the talisman to come here," Euni replied boldly. "Since here no one wants to help me except the seniors, I decided to ask help from him." Euni glared at Zhiquiang before looking at Zheng Wei.

"What happened to you, princess?" Zheng Wei's voice was filled with concern.

"A-Ah...its nothing." Euni laughed awkwardly. "Actually I fell from the tree and sprained my ankle."

"You are really careless about yourself." Zheng Wei shook his head and lowered himself before Euni and looked at her. "Come on."

"Huh?" Euni arched her brows, unable to understand Zheng Wei's words.

"Euni, hop on. I will give you a piggyback ride." Zheng Wei smiled.

"Thank you." Euni smiled and jumped on his back, settling on his comfortably.

"At least someone knows how to treasure our girl." Wei Wuxian chuckled and looked at Zheng Wei. "Thank you for coming Zheng Wei. Euni was really having a hard time trying to walk. I said that I will help her but she refused."

"No problem, Senior Wei." Zheng Wei smiled and turned his to the side. "Are you ready Zhang Euni?"

"Yes," Euni replied while the excitement was evident in her voice.

Zheng Wei smiled and gently stood up so that Euni won't feel uncomfortable. When he felt that she comfortably settled, he started to walk.

"A-Yuan, I too wanna have a piggyback ride like Euni." Jin Ling looked at Lan Sizhui with a pout. "Carry me."

"Me too," Jingyi said, poking his boyfriend's arm. "Zizhen, I too wanna have a piggyback ride."

"But your legs are fine, Jingyi." Zizhen looked at Jingyi with confused eyes.

"So what? Cannot my boyfriend even carry me?" Jingyi huffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Ok ok." Zizhen finally gave up and squatted before Jingyi while the latter hopped onto Zizhen's back.

"See." Jin Ling showed his index finger towards Zizhen who was carrying Jingyi. "Carry me too."

"A-ah, I give up." Sizhui looked at Jin Ling and carried him on his back.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian was observing the childish behavior of his juniors and was having a hard time trying not to burst into laughter. Within a few minutes, Zizhen and Sizhui ended up carrying their boyfriends on their back like Zheng Wei was carrying Euni.

"How about the competition?" Jingyi said with an excited voice.

"Hm?" Euni turned her head back to look at Jingyi.

"Let's have a race. We have to start from here and return here. The person who comes first will win." Jingyi grinned as he glanced at Sizhui and Zheng Wei.

"Are you Lan Jingyi?" Jin Ling arched his brow.

"Yes." Jingyi wiggled his brows. "What about you, Zheng Wei?"

"Sure." Zhang Wei said confidently. "Zheng Wei never learned to lose competitions." He smiled and looked at Euni. "Princess, hold me tightly because I am not going to slow down."

"I want you to win Zheng Wei." Euni smiled.

Zheng Wei smiled and looked at Jingyi. Once Jingyi said the word 'go', all of them started to run, carrying their partners. All of them were giggling happily while running.

"Ahm." Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and turned towards his husband. "Lan Zhaaan..." He whined while Wangji looked at him with soft eyes. "Carry me. I too wanna have a piggyback ride like A-Ni."

"Shameless!" Jiang Cheng blurted out and looked away from his brother.

"Hey! My angry lotus, what's so shameless here?!" Wei WuXian put his arm around his brother's shoulder. "Cannot I ask my husband to carry me? If you want the same, then ask Zewu Jun."

"I am not as shameless as you." Jiang Wanyin rolled his eyes. "We still have a junior standing beside us."

"It's his fault that he didn't join his group." Wei Wuxian looked at Zhiquiang. "Zhiquiang, you shouldn't have rejected her. It was the wrong choice."

"Senior Wei, I didn't do anything so that I have to help her," Zhiquiang replied.

"Tch...why these Lan Clan disciples are so unromantic?" Wei Wuxian huffed. "At least Lan Zhan is better than you. He confessed to me first."

"Zhiquiang, this time I agree with Wei Wuxian," Wanyin said. "You shouldn't say those words. You already know her. She doesn't trust people easily. She asked help from you means she trusts you. But what you did, wasn't good. You broke her trust. Now she trusts Zheng Wei more than you."

Zhiquiang's facial expressions changed upon listening to Wanyin's words. He looked at Wei Wuxian and Jiang Wanyin as if he was asking for a solution. Wanyin rolled his eyes and looked away while Wei Wuxian was about to say something, the juniors' giggles echoed in the forest, indicating that they were returning back.

"Zheng Wei, run faster." Euni was laughing while holding onto Zheng Wei tightly and looking back to check the position of the others.

Zheng Wei came and stood beside the seniors, completing the race. Soon the others joined as well.

"Yes! Zheng Wei won." Euni clapped. "I knew Zheng Wei will win."

"Tch...how can you run so fast even while carrying her?" Zizhen asked, putting Jingyi down.

"Because she is a princess and it doesn't feel a burden for me to carry her." Zheng Wei replied confidently.

"Put me down, Zheng Wei. You already ran such a distance." Euni said looking at Zheng Wei.

"It's okay Euni. I can carry you." Zheng Wei replied.

Before Euni could protest, suddenly a symbol with the darkest shade of green appeared on the sky. Everyone looked up to see the symbol.

Clan leader Zheng? Wei Wuxian recognized the symbol and looked down, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Euni, my father called me. I have to go." Zheng Wei said looking at Euni while the latter nodded. "Sorry for not helping you."

"It's okay Zheng Wei." Euni smiled and climbed down from Zheng Wei's back. "I can walk now. Thank you for carrying me."

Zheng Wei smiled and looked at Wei Wuxian. "Sorry Senior Wei. I couldn't help your sister."

"It's okay." Wei Wuxian smiled as he put his hand on Zheng Wei's shoulder. "Thank you for helping her."

Zheng Wei bowed to the seniors before jumping onto one of the trees and disappeared from there.

No matter what, this kid really knows how to behave politely with seniors and wins their hearts. Wei Wuxian smiled to himself. He is really intelligent.

"Why are you smiling like an idiot?" Jiang Wanyin elbowed his brother, bringing the latter out of his thoughts.

"Nothing." Wei Wuxian chuckled. "Just I found something amusing."

As Zheng Wei left the place, Euni's face fell. She looked around as if she was in an unknown land and was helpless.

"A'Ni?" Wuxian called her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" She looked at Wuxian at once while a glassy layer of tears covered her face.

"A'Ni?" Wanyin's brows got knitted together forming a frown. "What's wrong? Why are there tears in your eyes?"

"It's nothing." Euni removed Wanyin's hands from her face.

"Zhiquiang, help her to walk," Wangji commanded while his eyes were fixed at Euni whose face clearly showed pain.

"No need," Euni said before Zhiquiang could take a single step forward. "I don't take help from strangers." She said in a strict tone.

"Euni, he is Zhiquiang, not a stranger," Sizhui said, looking worriedly at her.

"He may be a brother to you but he is a complete stranger to me. And Zhang Euni doesn't seek help from strangers." Though Euni's voice sounded strong but inside she was feeling unbearable pain in her ankle. Her tears betrayed her as they started to roll off her cheeks. Shingshing, where are you? I need you so much. Shingshing, please help me. Euni looked around, looking all helpless.

"Euni, let me help you." Jin Ling walked forward to help her.

"NO!" She yelled. "I don't need anyone's help. I can take care of myself. I have been taking care of myself since my parents left me and even now I can walk my lonely path of my own." Her voice broke at the end of the sentence while she felt a lump around her throat.

"A'Ni, you are not alone. We are here with you." Wuxian tried to put his hand on her shoulder but she moved her shoulder away from him.

"I said I can walk from my own." She screeched and pulled her body so that she could walk off her own.

"A-Ni!" Wuxian's said worriedly but the Euni ignored him.

She dragged her leg and walked a few steps. Every time her injured foot touched the ground, Euni winced in pain and bit her lower lips hard to control any sounds coming out of her mouth. She was about to take another step further, her injured foot couldn't bear her weight anymore. It gave up, resulting in Euni to stumble and lose her balance.

She was about to fall when a hand held her arm, preventing her from falling down.

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1. Guess who held Euni to prevent her from falling. *wiggles brows*

2. I will try to update this book once a week. Sorry, this time I took around 13 days to update this chapter.

Here comes our cool Master Lan Qiren