The Talkative Person of the Western Regions

The carriage wheels crunched over the dust of the official road, emitting a monotonous rattling sound. Leaving the hustle and bustle of Panshi Town behind, the scenery on both sides of the road gradually gave way to verdant hills and wilderness.

Chen Qing drove the carriage, his expression as calm as ever. A Ning sat beside him, taking small bites of a candied hawthorn, her large eyes occasionally glancing at the figure tirelessly trotting beside the carriage.

Lan Tianye rode a magnificent Western Regions white horse, its saddle ornate and as eye-catching as its owner. He seemed completely oblivious to Chen Qing's indifference, chattering away enthusiastically and animatedly.

"…Brother Chen, you have no idea, the moon in our Western Regions, it's enormous! Bright as a golden plate! Shining on the great desert, even the sand glows, no need for lanterns! Unlike the Central Plains, it's pitch black at night… Ah, but the Central Plains have more trees, and more water, so green, it looks so cool…"

He spoke as fast as popping beans, with a unique foreign accent, yet fluently.

"Last time I told you about how I fought those dozen bandits from the Sand Scorpion Gang by myself, right? Pfft, that was nothing! What was even more thrilling was once, on the edge of the Sea of Death, I encountered a desert giant lizard bigger than a house! I used my 'Swallow Dips Water Three Times'… No, no, it was our Rōran's signature move, 'Great Desert Lone Smoke'! Swish swish swish! I circled that giant lizard seven or eight times, and it didn't even touch my clothes! In the end, I found an opening and plunged my sword right into its softest spot from behind! Pfft – the thing let out a howl and ran off! Hahaha!"

He gesticulated wildly, acting out the thrilling scene, his expressions so animated they could build a stage.

Chen Qing looked straight ahead, occasionally offering a brief response: "Oh." Or: "Is that so."

But this did nothing to dampen Lan Tianye's enthusiasm; on the contrary, it seemed to encourage him, making him speak even more energetically.

He even began to describe in detail how to make a certain type of Rōran roasted lamb, how many spices were used, and how to control the heat, as if he were about to set up a stove by the roadside and demonstrate on the spot.

A Ning slowly chewed her dried rations, her gaze lingering on Lan Tianye's constantly opening and closing mouth and flying eyebrows for longer than she looked at the scenery. This strange person… seemed to have endless things to say? She didn't understand, but found it a little novel.

Just then—

"Awooo—!"

A low, deep wolf howl, tinged with impatience, echoed faintly from the distant mountain forest, reverberating through the valley. It was clearly the Wolf King, left outside the town, signaling its impatience and complaint after waiting for so long.

Lan Tianye was in the middle of explaining, "That spice needs to be aged to be flavorful," when he was startled by the sudden howl, nearly jumping off his horse. He yanked hard on the reins, and the white horse snorted uneasily.

"Wh-what sound was that?" Lan Tianye's smile vanished instantly. He anxiously scanned the west, his hand resting on the ornate curved saber at his waist, looking like he was facing a formidable enemy. "Wolves? Judging by the sound, it's a big one! Brother Chen, don't be afraid, I'm here! I'll protect you and A Ning!"

He tried to make his tone sound reliable and heroic, but the flickering in his eyes betrayed a hint of nervousness.

Chen Qing didn't even change his expression. He simply gently flicked the reins, allowing the carriage to continue at a steady pace, then cast a faint glance at the nervously fidgeting Lan Tianye.

"It's nothing." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, and finally offered an explanation.

"A Ning's companion. It's hungry."

"..." Lan Tianye's mouth hung open, all the heroic words he had prepared to unleash were choked back, his expression frozen on his face, looking rather comical.

A… companion? Hungry?

That wolf, whose howl alone made one feel it was not to be trifled with… was Brother Chen's companion?

And judging by the tone, Brother Chen seemed to think it was quite… natural for it to have to wait?

Lan Tianye looked at Chen Qing's calm, unruffled profile, then subconsciously glanced in the direction of the wolf howl, swallowing hard.

He suddenly felt that his previous glorious deeds of "fighting giant lizards alone" and "sweeping away bandits" seemed a bit… pale and weak in the face of the other's understated words.

He let out a dry chuckle twice, awkwardly lowering the hand that had been on the saber's hilt: "Oh… so it's Brother Chen's companion, haha, as expected… extraordinary, extraordinary…"

He urged his horse to catch up with the carriage again. His talkative nature seemed to have been interrupted by this small interlude and temporarily entered a cooldown period. He merely stole glances at the increasingly unfathomable young man in green beside him from time to time, with a gaze filled with greater curiosity, even a touch of awe.

Chen Qing sensed he had quieted down a bit and paid it no mind.

He remained noncommittal about their journey together.

As evening approached, Chen Qing stopped the carriage by a clear stream to rest. The stream gurgled, its golden ripples catching the setting sun.

Seeing this, Lan Tianye immediately regained his energy, hopped off his horse excitedly, and rushed to help gather firewood, his voice already starting to drone on about Western Regions fire-starting techniques and how they differed from the Central Plains.

As he turned around with a bundle of firewood, his pupils contracted sharply, and he froze in place, nearly dropping the wood.

Downstream by the stream, a giant wolf, impossibly large, with silver-gray fur and fierce eyes, was drinking water. Its powerful muscles rippled beneath its fur, and each swallow carried the intimidating aura of a beast.

"Wolf… Wolf! A giant wolf! Brother Chen, be careful!" Lan Tianye's voice was tight as he reached for his curved saber again, as if facing a formidable enemy.

Chen Qing, who was taking ingredients out from the back of the carriage, glanced over at the sound and casually said, "Mm, it's here."

At this moment, A Ning jumped down from the carriage. Seeing the Wolf King by the stream, she walked over with small steps.

Lan Tianye's heart leaped into his throat: "A Ning! Don't go! It's dangerous!" He almost rushed over to pull the little girl back.

However, what happened next left him dumbfounded, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.

The giant wolf, which had filled him with dread and seemed ferocious beyond compare, showed no ferocity at all when A Ning approached. Instead, it lowered its head and gently rubbed its enormous, furry head against A Ning's small hand, emitting a low, almost purring "wuwu" sound from its throat.

A Ning, in turn, reached out her small hand and stroked the Wolf King's wet nose, her movements natural and affectionate.

"It… it…" Lan Tianye pointed towards them, his tongue tied. He looked at the giant wolf, then at the calm Chen Qing, and then at A Ning interacting with the giant wolf, his mind struggling to process it all.

Chen Qing placed a bag of dry rations and a few freshly caught fish on the ground and explained, "It's also A Ning's companion. It doesn't hurt people."

Lan Tianye was completely speechless. A giant wolf whose howl was terrifying was Chen Qing's companion was already astonishing enough, but now this even more formidable-looking giant wolf was… a pet belonging to that quiet, almost invisible little girl?!

He felt that his understanding of "experts" and "companions" had been completely redefined today. His gaze towards Chen Qing and A Ning deepened with awe, mixed with an intense curiosity.

That night, a bonfire crackled by the stream, dispelling the slight chill of the spring evening.

Lan Tianye volunteered to demonstrate his much-vaunted barbecue skills, skewering the fresh fish and prepared meat chunks and roasting them over the fire. His technique was indeed skillful, and after sprinkling on his own Western Regions spices, the aroma wafted out, making one's mouth water.

"Come, come, Brother Chen, A Ning, try our Rōran-style flavor!" He divided the golden, glistening skewers among the two, his face beaming with pride. "I'm not bragging, this spice blend is a secret family recipe, you definitely won't find this taste in the Central Plains!"

Chen Qing took a skewer, took a bite, and found it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The flavor of the spices was indeed unique and rich. He nodded: "Not bad."

Receiving affirmation, Lan Tianye became even more animated, his floodgates of words opening once more.

He gnawed on the roasted meat, then launched into a lengthy speech, "Speaking of which, our Western Regions aren't just amazing at roasted meat, our singing and dancing are even more wonderful! When you have the chance, Brother Chen, you absolutely must visit Rōran! At the evening bonfire parties, beautiful girls in veils dance the Hu Xuan dance, their waists, their eyes... cough cough..." He glanced at A Ning, who was quietly eating, and quickly stopped himself, changing the subject.

"Uh... and our wine! That's the true nectar of the gods! Served in a night-shining goblet, illuminated by the moonlight, it looks like a ruby! Unlike the wine from the Central Plains, which always feels a bit lacking... How's your tolerance for alcohol, Brother Chen? Another day, when we reach a big city, I'll treat you to the best Western Regions wine, we won't stop until we're drunk!"

He began to fantasize about the future again, "Once I make a name for myself and become a renowned hero throughout the Western Regions and the Central Plains, I'll go back and expand my family's trade routes by three times! By then, if you need any special products from the Western Regions, Brother Chen, just ask! It's a simple matter!"

The bonfire illuminated his young and vibrant face, his eyes bright with infinite longing and confidence for the future.

Chen Qing mostly listened quietly, occasionally offering a brief response. A Ning, meanwhile, took small bites of the particularly tender meat Lan Tianye had specially roasted for her. She occasionally blinked her large eyes, looking at the animated Lan Tianye, then at the dancing flames, and then at Chen Qing and the Wolf King, as if she herself felt happier.

Lan Tianye finished the last bite of meat, wiped his mouth with satisfaction, and his gaze fell again on the Wolf King, which was sprawled at the edge of the firelight like a silent, small mountain. The giant wolf feigned sleep with closed eyes, but the sliver of its eyelids occasionally opened, revealing a faint green glow, indicating it remained vigilant.

"By the way, Brother Chen," Lan Tianye suddenly remembered something and asked curiously, "Your giant wolf companion is so magnificent, it must have an extraordinary name, right? What's it called?"

Chen Qing was breaking a dry twig to throw into the fire when his movements paused slightly at the question. He turned his head to glance at the Wolf King, then shook his head and replied plainly, "It hasn't been named."

"Ah?" Lan Tianye was stunned. Such a powerful companion didn't even have a name? He looked at A Ning, who was drinking water in small sips, "A Ning didn't give it a name either?"

A Ning looked up, glanced at the Wolf King, then at Lan Tianye, and gently shook her small head. She and Chen Qing seemed to just think of it as "Wolf King" or just "it," never considering giving it a specific name.

"Aiya! How can this be!" Lan Tianye immediately perked up, as if he had found a significant mission. "Such a mighty companion, how can it not have a resounding title! This is simply a waste of talent! I'm good at naming things!"

He abruptly sat up straight, his eyes shining as he stared at the Wolf King, stroking his chin, looking like he was racking his brain.

"Hmm... looking at its huge size and dark gray fur, like the embodiment of the night... call it 'Shadow'? No, no, too common..."

"Or call it 'Sky Splitter'? That sounds a bit cliché too..."

"How about something more imposing, 'Slaughter'? 'Rock Crusher'? ...Hiss, too much killing intent, doesn't fit our chivalrous demeanor..."

He muttered to himself, rejecting several names.

The Wolf King seemed to sense that this talkative human was discussing it. It lazily lifted its eyelids, and its gray-green pupils cast a sideways glance at Lan Tianye, a look in its eyes that held undisguised... disdain? As if to say, "Stupid human, what are you muttering about?"

Lan Tianye wasn't deterred by the glance; instead, he became more enthusiastic, "Hey, quite proud! I need to think of something worthy of your pride!"

He suddenly slapped his thigh, "I've got it! Look at it, it howls at the moon, magnificent and extraordinary, looking down on all others! It has a bit of the spirit of the moon-swallowing celestial wolf from Western Regions legends! But it can't be too direct... how about—'Little Wind'! What do you think?!"

He looked proudly at Chen Qing and A Ning, awaiting their evaluation.

Chen Qing felt a bit helpless. After all that, you just came up with the name Little Wind...

However, A Ning, who had been silent, looked at the Wolf King and softly, tentatively, repeated, "Lit...tle... Wind...?"

She pronounced it a bit awkwardly, but her voice was soft and gentle.

Hearing his little master's voice, the Wolf King's ears twitched almost imperceptibly. It turned its head, its massive head tilting towards A Ning, at least not objecting to the name from its little master.

Seeing that A Ning seemed to accept it, Lan Tianye was overjoyed, "See! A Ning thinks it's good too! From now on, your name is 'Little Wind'! Brother Little Wind! Please guide me!" He even cupped his fists towards the Wolf King.

The Wolf King—"Little Wind"—snorted disdainfully through its nose upon hearing this. It directly turned its head away, presenting its rear to Lan Tianye, and even flicked its large tail to cover its face, displaying an aloof attitude of "too lazy to bother with you idiot." But the tip of its gently swishing tail seemed to betray that it wasn't entirely indifferent.

"Hahaha!" Lan Tianye was amused by its reaction and didn't mind, "So much personality! I like it! Brother Little Wind is indeed extraordinary!"

Lan Tianye finally felt a bit tired from talking and yawned, but his spirit remained high. He looked at the calm Chen Qing and the well-behaved, quiet A Ning opposite him, as well as the giant wolf guarding them. He suddenly felt that although this scene was a bit peculiar, there was an indescribable harmony to it.

He grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, "Brother Chen, meeting you all is truly the first great joy I've experienced since venturing out into the world! This jianghu, it's truly more interesting than I imagined!"

Chen Qing looked up at the brilliant starry sky, not replying. He simply added a new log to the fire, causing a few sparks to fly up, ascend, and then vanish into the night.

He still hadn't given his opinion on traveling together. But Lan Tianye seemed to have been implicitly accepted. He contentedly pulled his cloak tighter, leaned against his luggage, gazed at the starry sky, and gradually fell silent, a smile on his lips, lost in whatever he was envisioning.

The stream gurgled, insects chirped, the night was gentle, and they slept peacefully.