Tiandong was still chopping some firewood intently in the courtyard, but he didn't even notice anyone sitting on the wall.
Song Jinglan flipped through two pages of the book. He couldn't get her to come in, so he had to go out.
The girl was sitting on the wall in blue clothes, and he saw her shrouded in the dazzling sunlight, seeming to sparkle herself somehow.
When she saw him come out of the villa, she didn't speak. Lin Feilu merely just smiled and shook the popsicle in her hand.
Song Jinglan laughed and shook his head before he flew up and sat down beside her lightly.
Lin Feilu enthusiastically handed over her new work, "Aloe vera flavor! Try it."
Even though she had grown a lot taller now, Song Jinglan was much taller than her.
In six years, her Little Pretty Boy has grown into a Pretty Boy. His good-looking facial features have entirely faded away from their usual childish color, replaced with a more mature look. The heroic spirit of youth and the gentle aura of beauty were perfectly blended in his features. He was like the gentle college senior who made countless girls secretly swoon and admire his stunning beauty.
They said that looking at a handsome guy could increase her life expectancy by a few years, and looking at a super handsome guy could practically make her immortal. Lin Feilu felt that she could live an extra ten years if she looked at him one second longer.
Mm! That's why she liked to go over to the Cuizhu Villa!
Even his actions of taking a bite of the popsicle were ever so elegant and beautiful. Lin Feilu admired his gracefulness for a while before asking, "Is it delicious?"
Song Jinglan nodded, "It's delicious."
She laughed, "No matter what I bring, Your Highness had never said that it was bad."
He turned his head and smiled slightly, "No matter what the Princess makes, it's always delicious."
Being gazed at earnestly by those soft eyes, Lin Feilu's heartbeat suddenly accelerated as she turned her head and took a bite of her popsicle. The ice shards shattered in her mouth and her words were slightly slurred, "Seeing that Your Highness is so good at coaxing girls, I wonder who will be the lucky one to get you?"
After she spoke, she felt that her words came off as odd— why did it sound like she spoke with a sour tone?
Lin Feilu immediately answered in a joking tone, "When will Your Highness return to the Song Empire? If you're going to stay here forever, I'm afraid you won't be able to get a wife."
The wind blew the hem of his white clothes as Song Jinglan lowered his eyelashes slightly, "If I go back to my country, will the Princess forget me?"
Lin Feilu glanced at him in surprise, "How could that be? Be confident in your looks— I won't ever forget such a beautiful Highness!"
Song Jinglan lowered his eyes and smiled.
"That's fine, then," he said.
He looked up again and asked casually, "I heard that His Majesty is choosing a husband for the Princess?"
Lin Feilu was speechless, "How did you even know about this?" But after hesitating for a while, she spoke, "Though, I think it would be weirder if you didn't know."
Sometimes, she wondered if the boy in front of her had secretly installed listening devices all around the palace.
Song Jinglan still smiled, "Does the Princess have someone she likes?"
This was not the first time that Lin Feilu had been asked this question, but for some reason, when he was the one asking, she became inexplicably flustered. She quickly took a bite of the popsicle to calm down before whispering, "No."
This isn't right! Although Little Pretty Boy has grown into a mature Pretty Boy, my mental age is still older than him! How am I still shy in front of him? Goddamn, I've been stuck in this body for so long that my character changed completely!
Thinking of this, she turned around, crossed her hips, and exclaimed loudly, "No!"
Lin Feilu's righteous appearance amused Song Jinglan as he stretched out his palm and gently patted the top of her head, "Okay, I see."
Tiandong heard the commotion and turned around only to see two people sitting on the wall.
He picked up the chopped firewood and walked to the side, muttering as he walked, "Finding a new spot every time you want to eat some popsicles; with the amount you eat, this yard won't be enough to accommodate you guys."
Lin Feilu threw the finished popsicle stick towards him as a dart, "I heard that!"
Tiandong ran away in a hurry.
She snorted and grabbed the corner of Song Jinglan's clothes to wipe her hands, but to no avail— she found them still very sticky even after she tried to wipe them off. Seeing her little face full of displeasure, Song Jinglan jumped off the wall, wet the handkerchief with some water, and brought it over to wipe her hands.
Lin Feilu was satisfied with that.
She asked him, "Your Highness, when will you return to your country?"
He couldn't stay here forever.
Song Jinglan squinted as he looked at the bamboo forest. With an inexplicable smile audible from his tone, he spoke, "It's about time."
Lin Feilu nodded.
She didn't know anything about the procedures that would be required for him to return to his country. If Emperor Lin wouldn't let him go, she would have to find a way to help him.
Due to the Crown Prince's wedding preparations, this year's summer trip to the palace was canceled. Lin Feilu couldn't stand the heat, so she heard that there was a manor outside the palace dedicated to those who wanted to escape the summer heat. It was only open to dignitaries and royals, so she often slipped out to play as she stayed there for a day.
The summer resort was called Purple Jade Forest. The floor was paved with jade, and the courtyard was full of purple bamboo, which gave it a luxurious vibe. Lin Feilu went there a few times and found that the cooling air from the courtyard was emitting from under the jade ground. After inquiring about it, she found out that the entire courtyard was built on an ice cellar, similar to the principle of heated floors.
No wonder it felt so refreshingly cool.
After hearing this, Lin Feilu had only one thought in mind: the wealthy people in ancient times really did whatever they wanted.
At first, the owner of the courtyard didn't know about her identity and merely thought she was just a daughter of a wealthy family. Although she was politely entertained, the owner didn't take her too seriously either. It wasn't until Lin Feilu bumped into Ran Ye, the son of the Imperial Clerk who was also spending his summer vacation there, that her identity became known.
Ran Ye also studied in the Imperial School for a while. Naturally, he recognized the Fifth Princess, so he greeted her. One by one, his group of friends he hung out with also followed his example and greeted Lin Feilu. After that, the owner of the courtyard found out that this frequent visitor was actually a Princess of the royal family, so she hurriedly used the best room in the garden for Lin Feilu's exclusive use and treated her with the utmost respect.
Ran Ye knew that the Fifth Princess often came here to escape the summer heat, so every time he went to the Purple Jade Forest, he would always find her just to give her his greetings. Lin Feilu would always idle around whenever she was there. Sometimes, Ran Ye would ask her if she wanted to play with him and his friends, which she would usually accept.
She just arrived at the Purple Jade Forest and sat down to eat a bunch of iced grapes when she heard Ran Ye's voice echoing from outside, "Fifth Princess, a few days ago, the others got a parrot that knows more than ten words. Would you like to come and see it?"
Lin Feilu said, "Okay."
Lin Feilu got up slowly and held the bowl of fruit in her hand. Just as she planned to go over to eat while watching the parrot, she heard a loud thump from outside, followed by Ran Ye's screams.
Lin Feilu was stunned for a moment before she quickly took a few steps to open the jade door.
There was a patio outside with a white jade screen placed in the middle of the patio. However, at present, the jade screen had fallen to the ground and was torn apart. Ran Ye laid on the broken scraps of jade, holding his head as he screamed. The man standing in front of him was dressed in black with a lock of black hair that was neatly combed and tied. He used his fists to punch the boy on the ground.
Lin Feilu didn't recognise the man's figure, so she only shouted sharply, "Stop!"
Ran Ye suddenly shouted when he heard her voice, "Princess, save me! Ah-"
The man didn't stop because of Lin Feilu's words. Instead, he beat him even harder.
Lin Feilu placed the fruit bowl on the ground and rushed over to try to pull the person away. She rushed to the front, but when she saw the side profile of the assaulter, she was shocked, "Xi Xingjiang?! It's you?!"
Ran Ye was tugged from behind and dragged into the courtyard just now, so he couldn't see who was beating him at all. When he heard the words 'Xi Xingjiang', his screams suddenly became lodged in his throat as he became scared even to make any noise.
Xi Xingjiang grabbed his collar and lifted Ran Ye up, but he turned his head to look at Lin Feilu as he laughed, "Little Bean, long time no see."
Lin Feilu was speechless, "When did you return to the capital? And why are you beating him up?!"
Xi Xingjiang still wore the same playful smile, "Just arrived last night."
Ran Ye shivered under his hands, and Lin Feilu couldn't stand it any longer, "You let him go first. Why are you beating him?"
Only then did Xi Xingjiang look down at Ran Ye, whose nose was bruised by the aggressive beating. He sneered, raised his hand and patted his face, "Even someone like you crave for swan meat when you're merely a toad(1)?"
(T/N: Refers to one dreaming or fantasizing about something out of reach. I assume that Ran Ye likes Lin Feilu, but was halted by Xi Xingjiang as their ranks were too different— or maybe there's a love triangle going on, who knows)
Ran Ye's pupils dilated a little before he looked away in a flash.
Xi Xingjiang put him on the ground ruthlessly. Then, he stood up and brushed his fingers before looking at him condescendingly, "Scram and leave, get as far away as you can possibly be from me; if I ever see you again…"
Before he even finished speaking, Ran Ye had already gotten up and ran away.
Lin Feilu felt a bit troubled as Xi Xingjiang came over with a face full of glee. He looked up and down at her and raised his eyebrows, "Why are you still so short?"
Lin Feilu, "?"
She jumped, "I've grown taller!"
Xi Xingjiang held out his hand, "But I think I'm still looking at you with the same angle as I did before."
Lin Feilu was so angry that she wanted to step on his foot, "That's because you've grown taller too, you idiot!"
He sneered and before she could react, he quickly reached out and touched the top of her head. After patting her lightly, he said with regret, "Without the little side buns, the feeling is not as nice anymore."
Lin Feilu swatted his hand away and pointed at the cracked jade, "You should pay for these!"
Xi Xingjiang pretended to be a coward, "If I have to pay, I will pay— this Young Master has the funds after all."
Lin Feilu swatted his hand away and pointed at the cracked jade, "You should pay for these!"
Xi Xingjiang pretended to be a coward, "If I have to pay, I will pay— this Young Master has the funds after all."
Lin Feilu was appalled, "How did you become like this just after spending three years in the frontier?"
He whistled, walked to the doorstep and sat down. He then picked up the bowl of fruit that she had placed on the ground and threw a few grapes into his mouth, "Like how? Do you think your brother Shizi is so cool? "
Lin Feilu, "…"
He might not have grown in maturity or any other aspect for that matter, but he definitely got a lot more thick-skinned(2)!
(T/N: Refers to being arrogant or shameless)
The Purple Jade Forest's steward arrived at the scene late. Despite his attempt to hurry, the family's small courtyard was destroyed by the time he got there. Lin Feilu was very embarrassed and apologetic, but the steward kept insisting that it was okay and that there was no need to pay them. The arrival of the Fifth Princess made their name flourish, so the little jade screen was not worth mentioning!
It was no wonder these people were geniuses at initiating businesses.
Soon, someone came over to clean up all the broken jade and relocated her to a small courtyard. They mentioned that they would reinstall the jade screen, so she could use it whenever she wanted to the next time she went over.
Lin Feilu sent the steward away, and when she went in, she saw Xi Xingjiang lying on the ground with a pillow in one hand and both legs crossed. His other hand tossed some grapes into the air before he ate them up by catching them mid-air with his mouth.
When he saw her coming in, he squinted for a moment, "From this angle, it seems you have indeed grown a lot taller."
Lin Feilu sat across from him, "When are you going back to the frontier?"
"No way?!" He sat up and wanted to pat her on the head again, "You expect me to leave as soon as I come back?"
Lin Feilu quickly avoided him, "You're aware that you just came back as well? After being away for so long, the first thing you do upon coming back is to beat someone up."
Xi Xingjiang laid back again, "I didn't ask him to be born with such a punch-tempting face; the next time I see him, I will do the same as well."
He ate a bunch of grapes and leaned on his side. He supported his temples with his hands and remained in a relaxed position as if he was a royal concubine. With a bit of a romantic charm, he asked her with a wink, "Little Bean, is the jade pendant I left you before I went to the frontier still with you?"
Lin Feilu poured herself a cup of iced tea and said expressionlessly, "It's gone."
Xi Xingjiang hurriedly sat up, "Why did it disappear?! Didn't I ask you take good care of it?!"
Lin Feilu said, "Do you think I would take good care of it just because you told me too? I have so many jade pendants anyway, I don't mind giving you one in return."
Xi Xingjiang was so angry, "How can it be the same? My mother gave it to me! It's for my future wife!"
Lin Feilu, "?"
She squinted at him, looking dangerous and indifferent.
Xi Xingjiang realised that he had made a slip of the tongue, so he pursed his lips suddenly and looked at the roof as if nothing had happened. He also looked at the blue sky and white clouds that were peacefully drifting outside the window.
After a long while, he heard Lin Feilu say faintly, "Your dreams are quite splendid."
He twisted his neck and turned to yell at her, "You can't even think about it?!"
The young man who was always domineering and shameless now had his neck coloured red.
After a long while, Xi Xingjiang heard Lin Feilu say faintly, "Your dreams are quite splendid."
He twisted his neck and turned to yell at her, "You can't even think about it?!"
The young man who was always domineering and shameless now had his neck coloured red.
Lin Feilu stretched out her index finger and shook it at him, "No, you're not even a potential candidate."
Xi Xingjiang, "!" He laid down again like he lost his temper. The corners of his lips were pursed as he looked at the jade-carved hanging beam above his head. Then, he muttered in a low voice, "You think that I would be a lost cause just because you said so? Let's see who wins then."
Lin Feilu didn't hear him clearly as she threw an orange at him, "What are you saying?!"
Xi Xingjiang merely stretched out his hand and grabbed the orange in mid-air before he peeled off the skin. Throwing a piece of orange into his mouth, he said, "Thank you."
Lin Feilu simply ignored him.
As evening approached, the scorching sun finally set, dying the clouds into a shade of amber. Lin Feilu left the Purple Jade Forest and returned to the palace as the carriage waited outside. Xi Xingjiang walked out the door with her and shamelessly stretched out a hand, placing it on the top of her head while she was climbing the carriage.
Lin Feilu turned his head and said viciously, "Sooner or later I will cut off that hand of yours!"
He smiled and said, "It will be the Qiqiao Festival in three days. The night would be very lively, and there are lanterns to enjoy. Do you want to leave the palace? Brother Shizi will take you to play."
Lin Feilu, "I'm not going, I'm not playing! Get out!"
Lin Feilu knew that bear children would only grow up to be bear teenagers; they would never become a person of wisdom!(3)
(T/N: Referring to Xi Xinjiang's playful nature— she knew that no matter what, his core values and tendency to tease and annoy will never change)
But that being said, Lin Feilu was still pondering on the day of the Qiqiao Festival.
In the Qiqiao Festival last year, as Lin Zhanyuan was ill, she accompanied him and could not go out to play. She heard that this year's Qiqiao Night would have a sky lantern show, which meant that the sky would be filled with Kongming lanterns(4). The sight of countless lanterns flying into the sky would definitely be stunningly beautiful.
(T/N: Chinese name for sky lanterns)
However, she was worried that Xi Xingjiang would be squatting outside the palace, lying in wait the moment she left the palace. Xi Xingjiang's Qinggong was better than her, so she would not be able to run away if she wanted to.
This is really annoying.
Lin Feilu could only make two lanterns by herself before she ran to the Cuizhu Villa in the dark, intending to ask Song Jinglan to accompany her in lighting it up.
She was used to not going through the main entrance of the villa now, but when she leapt up the wall, she saw that there was no candlelight illuminating the interiors of the Cuizhu Villa. Instead, the darkness of the villa was bathed in the moonlight.
Little Pretty Boy went to bed this early? Is this the legendary 'beauty sleep'?
She jumped off the wall and walked hesitantly to the courtyard. Holding the lanterns in her arms, she thought about it and decided to walk forward to knock on the door.
Before she even approached the door, she felt a sharp sword intent emanating from the interior. The aura was deadly as it wrapped her tightly like a cold iron net.
Although she studied martial arts for many years and found herself to be quite powerful, she froze under this powerful sword intent. Not only was she unable to move, but she was also unable to speak.
It was as if her entire being was caught in quicksand, and that was where she would remain imprisoned until her inevitable death. There was nothing else for her to do except sink and accept her fate.
Lin Feilu was momentarily stunned as she broke out in a layer of cold sweat. She didn't know what else she could do when a voice echoed from behind her, "Uncle Ji! No!"
The sword intent that bound her intensively suddenly disappeared, and Lin Feilu fell to the ground as if she had collapsed. Just before she tumbled to the floor, she was caught in mid-air.
The familiar scent of a light bamboo fragrance wrapped itself around her. Lin Feilu slowly turned her head and saw Song Jinglan in his night outfit.
Before she had the time to speak, he had already leaned over and picked her up before he strode into the house.
She could only see his tense chin and slightly sullen side profile from her angle.
Walking into the house, Lin Feilu could only see a person standing in the corner of the house in the quiet moonlight. Like a ghost, there was no sound coming from him at all. The door behind him slammed shut without any assistance from the wind.
Song Jinglan carried her to the couch and put her down before he held her wrist to check her pulse. Finally, he put his lips together and smiled warmly as he said warmly, "It's alright now."
Lin Feilu's body was still somewhat drained— her legs were still weak from the fright, and she couldn't help but look at the silent shadow standing in the corner.
This…is the power of a master!
Song Jinglan turned around and said in a helpless tone, "Uncle Ji, she is still a little girl."
Jiliang replied with an expressionless face, "In the middle of the night, anyone approaching you would have harbored no good intentions."
Lin Feilu couldn't help but retort, "What do you mean 'in the middle of the night'? It's just past evening(1)!"
(T/N: Specific term is Xu Shi, which typically refers to a time between 7 pm to 9 pm)
Jiliang glared at her coldly. His eyes were like a chilly blade under the dark moon as it emanated no warmth. Lin Feilu decided to stay quiet as she lowered her head cowardly when she saw his expression.
Sir, you're right, I'm wrong; I'll shut up.
Song Jinglan smiled helplessly, "Uncle Ji, don't scare her."
After speaking, he squatted down in front of her and held her cold fingers in the palms of his hands. Lin Feilu felt as if a steady stream of hot air had poured into her body from her fingertips, gradually dispelling the weakness she had just felt under the coercion of sword intent as her limbs finally regained their strength.
She looked at the serious and focused young man in front of her with slightly lowered eyes before she asked unhappily, "Where have you been?"
Song Jinglan raised his eyes, and the moonlight reflected a bit of its serenity in his gaze, "I went out to settle some issues."
She asked again, "Where did you go? Were you outside the palace?"
In fact, she merely asked this casually, not expecting an answer at all. She knew that Song Jinglan would not tell her anything as he shouldn't be telling her anything.
Unexpectedly, Song Jinglan replied with a nod, "Mm, I went out of the palace to meet up with someone."
Lin Feilu was stunned, "You can leave the palace? Has no one found out?"
Song Jinglan smiled and didn't reply. He held her soft fingers and asked in a low voice, "Is it better now?"
She pulled her fingers out of his palm and replied in a muffled voice, "Mm."
He stretched out his hand to straighten the strand of stray hair on the corner of her lips for her before standing up, "Why are you here at this hour?"
Lin Feilu raised her head. She noticed that the black shadow that stood in the corner just now had disappeared without leaving a single trace! She was completely awed by this master, but she took out the lantern in her arms after a while, "It's the Qiqiao Festival, so I came here to release these with you."
Song Jinglan looked at the two lanterns and smiled as if he had just remembered something, "No wonder, I was rather surprised when I saw the streets outside the palace being so lively, so it was the Qiqiao Festival."
Lin Feilu said disappointedly, "Yeah, I heard that there would be Qi Tian lanterns tonight as well."
She couldn't hide the envious hint in her tone that caused Song Jinglan to raise his eyebrows, "Then why don't you leave the palace?"
Because someone's trying to make me accompany him!
Lin Feilu secretly complained in her heart as Song Jinglan glanced at her. He suddenly said, "Then, let me accompany the Princess out of the palace to admire the Qi Tian lanterns."
She was stunned for a while and took a long time to react, "Ah? Really? Can you bring me along with you as you fly?"
Song Jinglan smiled and shook his head, "I can come and go as freely as I want, but I'm afraid I won't be able to take the Princess with me."
Lin Feilu pouted.
He used a gentle tone and tried to coax her, "How about the Princess leave the palace on her own and wait for me under the lotus tree on East Street?"
Lin Feilu thought about it— it was already this late; Xi Xingjiang shouldn't be waiting outside the palace anymore, right? What's more, she already said that she wouldn't be going, so maybe he would have gone with his gangster friends to indulge in the ecstasy of singing and drinking.
She could go to the night celebrations with Pretty Boy!
It was exciting to just think about, so Lin Feilu nodded happily, "Okay!"
Song Jinglan also laughed. He kept the two lanterns for her and said warmly, "See you later then."
Lin Feilu had been frequenting outside the palace numerous times in the past two years. Every time she wanted to leave, she had to ask for the Imperial Decree from the Emperor. Though he loved her very much, repetitively handing her an Imperial Decree annoyed him so much that he simply gave her a jade plate, permitting her to travel freely. After returning to the Mingyue Palace, she changed into an inconspicuous but beautiful skirt before getting on a carriage and leaving the palace.
Approaching the exteriors of the palace, she was a little nervous, fearing that Xi Xingjiang was still somehow waiting for her. Fortunately, he wasn't that stubborn as he was nowhere to be found. With that in mind, Lin Feilu became slightly relieved as the carriage smoothly drove out of the palace towards East Street.
Every time she went out of the palace, there were guards constantly following her wherever she went; naturally, she didn't want them around this time. After she got to the docked courtyard, she asked Songyu to cover for her and slipped through the window secretly.
She went straight to the lotus tree on East Street.
The streets were vivacious tonight as many people were already coming and going on the main road. A series of lanterns under the eaves illuminated the supposedly dark night.
The wood lotus tree with sparse branches and leaves were tidily tied with red ropes. Clusters of flowers made themselves at home on its branches as the tree boasted its fragrance, causing the floral scent to wash across its surroundings like an ocean wave crashing onto the shore.
Song Jinglan was already there.
He was wearing a set of white clothes and adorned with a mask on his face. Although she couldn't see his face, the vibe he gave off was cool and sharp, working well with his body build. The tree that was full of arrogance seemed to have accented his charm as the petals swayed with the wind, attracting the little girl over to him.
Lin Feilu suddenly began to feel her heartbeat accelerate.
Ahhh, this feels like a date! Why does he become more attractive as he gets older?
She used to be the one that attracted others, winning them over with her cuteness; so how could she be affected by a teenage boy that was younger than her?
No, this was absolutely impossible!
Lin Feilu took two deep breaths to stabilize her mind before she ran toward him while clutching onto the hem of her skirt.
Song Jinglan felt a presence and turned his head to look at her. She couldn't see his expression as he had the mask on, but Lin Feilu guessed he should be smiling.
He held an identical mask in his hand, and when she got close to him, he raised his hand to put the mask on her. Lin Feilu had to raise her head to look at him when standing in front of him. The mask was already a little big for her petite face, but with the elevation change, it slipped down slightly.
Song Jinglan then bent down and put his fingers behind her head, helping her adjust the mask.
Lin Feilu asked excitedly, "Where shall we go first?"
He smiled softly, "Where does Little Lu want to go?"
This was the first time he didn't address her by her title as a Princess. The new term overjoyed lin Feilu as she scampered around, "Let's just walk around first, then."
The long street was bright, and many people indulged in the lively night; it was probably more crowded than during the day. In addition to snack vendors and game stores that trailed along the road, more stalls offered quiz games, lantern-painting, and a variety of masks to choose from.
Many people carried a lantern in their hands. Lin Feilu also approached the vendor and chose a lantern depicting the ancient legend 'Chang Er Flying Towards The Moon'. The peddler smiled and said, "If you can guess the riddle on the lamp, this lamp will be given to you, Young Lady. If you can't guess it, you will have to pay if you want it."
She looked at the lampshade that said, 'Look to the south of the lonely star as the crescent moon rises'.
Although Lin Feilu was a brilliant child, she had never played this kind of word game before, so she couldn't figure it out. When the peddler saw that she couldn't answer, he said, "If you can't figure it out, you'll just have to pay for it."
Lin Feilu exclaimed, "Who said I couldn't guess it?!"
She turned to Song Jinglan, who was next to her, for help.
Song Jinglan was looking around as if nothing had happened, but when he received her signal that pleaded for assistance, he turned his head and answered with a smile, "Zhuang (庄)."
(T/N: I want to translate this but it would have been very lengthy since it depicts the wordplay of the Chinese characters itself and it's poetic. Let me know if I should though)
The peddler exclaimed happily, "Young Master is really amazing! This lantern has stumped many tonight! Since you guessed it right, I will give it to you!"
Lin Feilu happily took the lantern. Suddenly, she thought of something, pointed to another lantern with a butterfly picture, and said, "I want this too."
Song Jinglan glanced at it and answered, "Night."
Peddler, "Wow! This Young Master is outstanding! He guessed another word!"
Lin Feilu fell in love with this game immediately as she pointed at all the lanterns hanging by the street vendor, "I still want this, this, this, and this!"
Song Jinglan answered with the correct words with just one glance every single time.
The peddler complimented him at first, however, slowly but surely, he burst into tears, "Please be merciful, Young Master and Young Lady! This humble seller still has elders to care for and young ones to feed; I still need to make a living!"
Lin Feilu laughed until her stomach hurt, but in the end, she only wanted the lantern with the Chang Er patterns on it. People were surrounding that stall, so when she turned around, she subconsciously pulled his hand in an attempt not to be dragged away by the crowd. When her fingers touched his well-sculpted wrist, she suddenly remembered that contact between males and females was very strict in ancient times.
However, she had already pulled onto him though. Truthfully, she was apprehensive about being separated from him by the flow of the crowd, so she turned her head and asked solemnly, "Your High… Little Song, do you mind if I hold onto your hand?"
Song Jinglan raised his eyebrows under the mask, "Little Song?"
Lin Feilu, "Oh, it seems that you mind me calling you Little Song more than the fact that I'm holding your hand."
Song Jinglan replied, "Mm."
Lin Feilu, "Little Song, Little Song, Little Song!"
Looking through the eyeholes of the mask, his eyes seemed to bear a much deeper emotion than they did before. After looking at each other for a moment, he smiled, "Little Lu, you can call me whatever you want."
Lin Feilu couldn't deal with him anymore; the charm was too immense!
Crossing the street, there was a moat in front of the river. The willows stood proudly beside the river, decorating the small arch bridge. The river was full of lotus lanterns at this time as many men and women were squatting by the river to set the lanterns off.
Lin Feilu also pulled Song Jinglan closer and urged him to take out the two lanterns that she had made.
Compared with the works of professional artisans, the two lotus lanterns that she made appeared to be very crude. Lin Feilu felt that the lanterns would sink as soon as they were set off. She originally wanted to buy two new ones, but Song Jinglan had already borrowed a pen and paper from the vendor next to him and wrote his wish before placing it in the wick.
Song Jinglan turned his head and saw the girl closing her eyes as she made a wish with her hands clasped together.
When she opened her eyes, he asked in a low voice, "What did Little Lu wish for?"
Lin Feilu said, "What else can I wish for at the Qiqiao Festival?"
Song Jinglan looked at her quietly for a long time before smiling slightly, "Is that so?"
Although it was a question, there wasn't a questioning tone to his statement(2).
(T/N: The Qiqiao Festival is celebrated based on a legend. It is the love between a mortal and a goddess, so an impossible relationship. Moved by their dedication to each other, the Heavens allowed them to meet on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month annually, the day of Qiqiao. The people celebrated romance and relationships that day, so I'm guessing that the 'wish' is something similar)
The crowd next to him began to rush forward, "The Qi Tian lanterns are about to set off!"
Lin Feilu grabbed his wrist, "Quick, quick, let's get a good spot!"
Song Jinglan lowered his gaze and was pulled forward by her. But as there were too many people rushing over from all directions, the surroundings were already thronged with many people.
Lin Feilu accidentally stepped on the feet of a bulky man next to her as the man turned his head and yelled at her fiercely, "Do you not have eyes? You're asking for death!"
Before she could even retort back, she was grasped into an embrace by the same arm that she held. Her head was buried against the frame of a chest by the light force of the pull. However, when that happened, she felt as if the suffocating crowd around them had dissipated as they continued walking. The bulky man who yelled at her was pressing forward with the crowd when suddenly his legs and knees hurt excruciatingly as if a knife had stabbed him there. With a pained cry, he instantly got on his knees in agony.
Lin Feilu missed this entire episode and was completely oblivious to what happened as Song Jinglan was already bringing her away from that mob, not once looking back to inspect the commotion.
Nevertheless, Lin Feilu was still a little unhappy, "I want to go to the front row-"
Song Jinglan's voice sounded right above her head, "Let's go from the other side."
The crowd finally dissipated when they reached the end, but he didn't let go of her yet. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and whispered, "Princess, hold onto me tightly."
Lin Feilu hugged his waist subconsciously.
In the next moment, his body rose into the skies, and they headed towards a tower that stood at a magnificent height not far away.
The tower echoed with the bustle and hustle of the city's nightlife, but it was usually a place with guards patrolling its spaces. Normally, climbing the stairs would take an incense stick of time(1). With Lin Feilu's current Qinggong ability, she would never have the guts to try and fly up there. However, as Song Jinglan carried her, she was relatively easily lifted up into the skies.
(T/N: I don't know the accurate measurement since the type of sticks do vary from one to another, but estimated to be within 20-40 minutes for an incense stick to burn out— trust me, I have them at home)
The crowd became smaller below as they got to the top of the tower's roof. The entire imperial city had a panoramic view— the night wind was wrapped in a light, but pleasant fragrance and even the stars seemed within reach.
Lin Feilu exclaimed, "Wow—"
After her initial surprise, she held onto him tighter and didn't dare to let go.
The tower's roof was shaped like a dome. Hence, both Lin Feilu and Song Jinglan were sitting on a slope. She was worried that she would fall if she let go of him.
Despite learning Qinggong for a long time, this was the first time Lin Feilu discovered that she might have possessed a slight fear of heights.
Song Jinglan laughed before he took her hand and sat down. He said warmly, "Don't be afraid, Princess."
The Qi Tian lanterns below have slowly begun to rise one by one.
Looking down from this angle, the lanterns were like scattered flickering stars. Gradually, the Qi Tian lanterns flew higher and higher as they soon began to soar past their sides and even pass by in front of them. The wind blew, causing the flames in the lampshade to make a whirring sound as they flickered. They sat and basked in the sight of the sky of lanterns, the scenery as ethereal as a cluster of stars that ascended from the mortal realm.
Lin Feilu saw a wish written on a lampshade that flew by in front of her. She reached out her hand to touch the bright lantern before the night wind blew it away again.
She was pretty ecstatic, so she turned her head and said to him, "It's so beautiful!"
He looked at her and smiled, "Yes, it is beautiful."
The crowd watching the lanterns from the ground also raised their heads and looked up. They could vaguely see two people sitting on the top of the tower, and they asked incredulously, "Do you think there is someone up there?"
Someone else sneered, "How is it possible? Who on earth would be able to fly that high other than Gods?!"
They were far from the tower, and the sky was dark. Only when the Qi Tian lanterns flew beside the duo could the people who raised their heads to get a glimpse of their silhouettes.
Xi Xingjiang, who was sitting by the restaurant's window as he was admiring the lights, also heard someone say so. Holding a glass of wine and sighing, he thought to himself; perhaps I'm a God now?