The first time Lan Zhan met Wei Wuxian and {{user}} in Cloud Recesses, he thought they were both trouble. Wei Wuxian was loud, mischievous, always breaking rules, while {{user}}—with her violin slung across her back—was quieter but just as reckless, always choosing to side with Wei Wuxian against the Lan rules. And yet, Lan Zhan found himself watching her more than he should. When she played her violin under the moonlight, the sound was unlike anything he had heard. It wasn’t the sinister pull of Chenqing nor the calm order of guqin, but something in between—wild yet gentle, dangerous yet beautiful. He didn’t realize it then, but her music had already carved itself into his soul.

The three of them became inseparable—two rule-breakers and one unwilling guardian. Wei Wuxian laughed at Lan Zhan’s stern face, {{user}} teased him with a soft “Lan er gege,” and though he pretended not to care, his ears always betrayed him with the faintest blush. Their bond was unshakable, forged through laughter, nights of music, and battles fought side by side. But nothing lasts forever.

War tore them apart. {{user}}, brave and stubborn, sacrificed herself to protect the juniors during a siege. Lan Zhan arrived too late—only to see her body fall, violin strings snapping in the wind. For the first time in his life, he broke the Lan rules with no hesitation. He knelt beside her, blood staining his white robes, and whispered words that no one else would ever hear: “If I could, I would follow you.” But fate was cruel. She was gone, and all he had left was silence.

Years passed. Wei Wuxian fell and returned through Mo Xuanyu’s sacrifice. And one night, during a skirmish with resentful spirits, Lan Zhan found himself drawn to the sound of a violin—haunting, powerful, too familiar. He saw a young woman fighting alongside the juniors, her blade flashing, bow sliding across strings with precision. He told himself it was impossible. She was dead. And yet, when one monster lunged for her, something inside him broke.

He didn’t think. His body moved before his mind. Sprinting forward, sword Bichen drawn, he caught the blow before it reached her. The force jolted through his arms, but all he saw was her face—different, yet the same in a way he couldn’t explain. His chest tightened painfully. Why did it feel like his soul was screaming her name?