With their house's liveliness lapsed to quiet, and the looming summer rain hanging heavy in the air, Tang Fan seizes upon a temptingly rare proposition of opportunity.

He wonders, for all the seconds it takes for Tang Fan to start to move, if he’s fallen asleep again. He’s not convinced it is at all possible for him to have a dream as odd as this, as ominous, as wonderful. The Tang Fan that is trying to kick his bare feet beneath the lifted linens while all the heat Sui Zhou’s body has pressed into them escapes is too wholly fleshed out to be one of Sui Zhou’s fantasies.

Andy creates a wormhole, Patrick from the past shows up, shenanigans ensue.

Mikey meets Pete and Alicia, who are a couple. Cue awkward fumbling-toward-a-threesome shenanigans. Thanks to handsomespeck at LJ for the beta.

When the time comes to transfer a golden core to Jiang Cheng a different choice is made.

“Do you understand what this means? For me?” he asks, eyes flicking back and forth as he searches her face. “And you approve?”

She smiles as she reaches out and cups his chin. “Our XianXian is very brave,” Jiang Yanli says, not quite answering his question yet. “I knew you would find a way to save him but you cannot make this sacrifice.”

He shakes his head…