Chapter 114 I kiss her even when I'm not angry on her birthday, and I kiss her even more when I'm happy...

The Ministry of War's drill ground.

The horse's hooves kicked up clouds of dust. Xiao Qiyu, dressed in smart riding attire, sat firmly on the horse's back, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his gaze calm and undisturbed.

With a neigh of a horse, its hooves leaped high over the railing. He drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and fixed his gaze on the target a hundred paces away. With a sharp "whoosh," the arrow pierced the air and struck the bullseye, its tail humming incessantly.

"good!"

The clerks from the Ministry of War who were watching from the sidelines cheered.

Wang Shaolin, the Vice Minister of War, clapped his hands repeatedly, patting the shoulder of the person next to him, his chin resting on Xiao Qiyu's, his face full of pride: "Isn't my cousin pretty good? With this skill, isn't he a definite candidate for the top martial arts champion? His future is bright!"

The other party naturally agreed repeatedly.

Xiao Qiyu seemed oblivious to the compliments around him, and then fired three arrows in quick succession, each hitting the bullseye.

As the sun began to set, the drill ground was bathed in a reddish-gold hue, and the rising sand resembled the yellow sand of the northern frontier.

Xiao Qiyu dismounted, rubbed the horse's head, tossed the reins to his attendant, and strode out of the training ground, the sweat on his forehead glistening in the setting sun.

When Wang Shaolin saw him coming, he immediately offered him a sheepskin water bag with a beaming smile: "Quickly, have some water and rest."

Xiao Qiyu took the water but did not drink it immediately. Instead, he nodded slightly and said in a distant and polite tone, "Lord Wang is a senior official in the Ministry of War. It is not proper for him to personally hand you water. Please do not do this again next time."

Wang Shaolin waved his hand dismissively: "What's this about compatibility? Why bother with such formalities among family?"

As he spoke, he affectionately took Xiao Qiyu's arm: "Come on, come on, you go and rest for a while. After I finish my shift, come back to the manor with me. We brothers will have a good meal together. The kitchen has even prepared longevity noodles in advance, just waiting for you."

"Longevity noodles?" Xiao Qiyu was taken aback, even pausing his drinking motion, his brows furrowing slightly.

Wang Shaolin chuckled and patted his shoulder forcefully: "You little rascal, are you so busy you've forgotten everything? Today is your birthday!"

Xiao Qiyu's eyes flickered slightly, clearly not expecting this.

However, this also reminded him that, in two months, it would be Cui Ying's birthday.

He handed the water pouch back, his tone still indifferent: "It's just a birthday celebration, no need for such trouble. Thank you for your kindness, Lord Wang."

Wang Shaolin exclaimed with regret, "Qilang, how long has it been since we brothers had a proper get-together? I remember the last time I celebrated your birthday was more than ten years ago when your aunt took you back to Huizhou to visit your relatives."

Upon hearing the words "Huizhou," Xiao Qiyu's eyes involuntarily trembled, and deep-seated memories surfaced, with many blurry and colorful images flashing through his mind.

The red fish lanterns, winding like dragons, illuminated the streets, turning the night into day. The sounds of bustling people, the sweet aroma of pastries, and a warm, soft hand tightly gripping his—all these filled the air. Above him, a young woman's gentle yet stern voice suddenly reached his ears, as clear as if it had happened just yesterday.

"Yu'er, there are many people here, don't run around, hold on to your mother's hand tightly."

The afterglow of the sunset was as brilliant as fire, Xiao Qiyu's eyes darkened, and his aura became much colder.

Wang Shaolin was lost in his memories and didn't notice Xiao Qiyu's change. He said with deep emotion, "Do you still remember when we were in Huizhou? Back then..."

"I don't remember."

Xiao Qiyu's voice was icy. He stopped talking to Wang Shaolin and turned to leave.

...

After leaving the Ministry of War, Xiao Qiyu walked alone in the bustling city.

As dusk settled, the fiery clouds on the horizon burned to their zenith, a vast expanse of red, magnificent to the extreme, displaying utter extravagance.

Xiao Qiyu walked through the bustling crowd. Around him were pedestrians returning home, vendors hawking their wares, and children laughing and playing. It was a lively scene.

But all this excitement seemed to be separated from him by an invisible barrier; even though he was in it, it had nothing to do with him.

"Dad, I want to buy sugar paintings!"

A child's clear voice suddenly rang out like a silver bell, followed by a man's indulgent laughter: "Alright, alright, I'll buy it for you, Daddy will buy it for you right away."

"He hasn't even eaten yet, why is he eating candy? You're just spoiling him." the woman scolded.

The family of three passed by Xiao Qiyu, their laughter fading into the distance as they brushed past him.

His pace gradually slowed as he began to uncontrollably recall memories of Huizhou.

Those winding, flowing lights, the fish lanterns as dazzling as a galaxy, and the hand that held him tightly.

"Yu'er, there are many people here, don't run around, hold on to your mother's hand tightly."

"Yu'er...hold your mother's hand tightly..."

"Yu'er..."

Xiao Qiyu suddenly closed his eyes.

The surrounding noise seemed to fade away instantly. He tried to calm his breathing, attempting to throw those memories into a corner he could never revisit, not wanting to feel the pain every time he thought of them.

Apart from him and his mother, no one here knows how beautiful the lights of Huizhou are. His mother is gone, and as long as he forgets those things, he can pretend he never saw them.

If you've never seen it, you've never owned it.

If you've never had it, there's no need to reminisce, and even less need to suffer because of longing for it but not being able to have it.

As his breathing gradually calmed down, Xiao Qiyu opened his eyes.

The sun had already set, and the crowds were thick with people. The thick night enveloped the capital city, and the lights in the shops along the street lit up one after another, illuminating the path for pedestrians.

Xiao Qiyu's gaze swept lightly over the crowd, his expression calm as always.

Just then, a familiar figure suddenly came into his view.

The girl was dressed in a long red begonia dress, with floral patterns embroidered in gold thread at the hem. As she moved, she seemed to float like clouds. In her hand, she held a string of sugar paintings she had just bought. The sugar threads were crystal clear and outlined the shape of a little rabbit. The lava reflected the light, making her profile shine like snow, as if a pearl were glowing.

...Cui Ying?

Just as this question flashed through Xiao Qiyu's mind, he saw that familiar figure walk briskly through the crowd and turn into a quiet alley.

Almost instinctively, Xiao Qiyu lifted his leg and followed.

He didn't even have time to think about why she was there; he just subconsciously didn't want that figure to disappear from his sight. If moths are born to chase after fire, he would always be completely captivated by Cui Ying.

The night was deep.

The last glimmer of light on the horizon was swallowed by the night, and the narrow alleyways were pitch black.

Xiao Qiyu followed and turned into the depths of the alley, then out of the alley and into a wide-open street.

He looked around anxiously, and couldn't help but call out, "Cui Ying? Cui Ying!"

The radiant figure was nowhere to be seen; it was as if everything he had just witnessed was merely an illusion.

There were pedestrians walking on the street, and shop vendors hawking their wares on both sides; the scene was nothing unusual.

However, Xiao Qiyu still sensed something unusual.

He felt that many eyes were fixed on him from all directions.

Xiao Qiyu immediately focused his mind, his back tensed instantly, his muscles strained, and his right hand silently pressed against the hilt of the sword at his waist. His eyes were sharp as blades as he scanned the ordinary-looking pedestrians and vendors around him.

"Whoosh—"

The longsword was slowly drawn from its sheath, its chilling light flashing in the dim light.

At that moment, a loud "boom" rang out.

In an instant, hundreds of koi lanterns with bamboo frames, silk covers, and brightly painted scales lit up one after another on both sides of the street. They swayed lightly in the air, and the warm yellow glow dispelled the heavy darkness, making the world as bright as day. The scene was dazzling and beautiful.

Under the dreamlike, fiery lamplight, Cui Ying stood directly in front of Xiao Qiyu, her eyes sparkling with smiles, her features exquisite.

Looking at Xiao Qiyu, who was still frozen in place with his hand on the hilt of his sword, she spoke in a clear, melodious voice, like shattered jade and scattered pearls, her words tinged with amusement:

Happy birthday, Xiao Qiyu!

The girl smiled radiantly, her amber eyes shining brightly, as if the entire starry sky were contained within them, clearly reflecting the boy's astonished expression.

Xiao Qiyu stood frozen in place, as if under a spell. His hand, which had been gripping the sword hilt, slowly loosened, and the cold blade quietly slid back into its sheath with a crisp sound that sent shivers down his spine.

Those phoenix eyes, which were always dark and unfathomable, were now filled with the flowing lights and the girl's bright smile. In an instant, it was as if a spring breeze had blown, and all things had come back to life, with orioles flying and grass growing.

Seeing him standing there blankly without saying a word, Cui Ying ran over to him and held up the crystal-clear sugar painting in her hand to his lips, coaxing him like a child: "What are you daydreaming about? Come on, have a taste, it's so sweet. Luckily I was quick and bought the last one, otherwise there wouldn't be any left."

Xiao Qiyu looked into her eyes, unable to look away, and even when he lowered his head, his gaze was still upward.

He parted his lips slightly and, taking her hand, gently bit the ear of the sugar-painted rabbit.

With a soft "crack," the delicate sweetness melted instantly on the tip of the tongue.

"How is it? Is it sweet?" Cui Ying asked with a smile, her eyes curving into crescents.

Xiao Qiyu looked into her eyes and said, "Sweet."

Cui Ying took a bite of the sugar painting herself, chewing it with relish. She then naturally took his arm and pulled him towards the sea of ​​colorful lights: "Come on, let's go see the lights. I spent a long time making these!"

Xiao Qiyu lowered his gaze, looking at that soft little hand, letting her hold his hand. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but he still didn't say anything.

As he walked step by step into the dazzling light, looking at the lifelike fish and dragon lanterns that swayed their heads and tails, the soft warm light outlining his handsome and delicate profile, Xiao Qiyu remained silent for a long time before speaking softly: "So that's why you were drawing at the table that day."

"What else could it be for?"

Cui Ying looked up at a huge dragon-headed lantern, the pearl hairpin in her hair swaying gently by her ears as it tilted. She blinked, chewing on a candy, her tone tinged with a hint of smugness: "I thought to myself, it's your birthday, after all. If we just have a meal and give you a gift, it would be too ordinary and boring. Then I remembered that you lived in Huizhou with your fifth aunt for a while when you were little—"

Cui Ying turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling, her voice filled with undisguised joy: "I immediately thought of it, the fish and dragon lanterns of Huizhou are famous far and wide! Although I've never seen them in person, I could imagine what they looked like. After asking around and consulting many people from Huizhou, I modified the design and had the craftsmen make them accordingly. How about it? Doesn't it look quite authentic?"

The soft, drifting lamplight, like a thin veil, enveloped the two of them together.

Xiao Qiyu looked at Cui Ying, at Cui Ying's eyes, at Cui Ying's smile, at the swaying motion of Cui Ying's steps as she spoke, and suddenly felt as if something had filled her empty heart, warm and swollen, so swollen that her eyes started to sting.

“Very similar,” he said softly, his voice slightly hoarse.

Cui Ying carefully observed his expression. Seeing his indifferent reaction, she raised an eyebrow, somewhat displeased and a little aggrieved, and said, "What's wrong with you? You're so indifferent. Don't you like it? Let me tell you, I put my heart and soul into it. I revised the design countless times, made countless trips, and practically wore myself out talking to the craftsmen before—"

She didn't finish her sentence.

Because Xiao Qiyu suddenly leaned down and gently covered her lips with his warm lips.

Unlike any other kiss before, this one was not forceful or domineering, nor was it burning with desire. Instead, it was incredibly gentle, softly and tenderly resting on her lips, lingering and lingering, as if she were a precious and fragile piece of porcelain that would be damaged with the slightest force.

Everything is still.

Cui Ying's breathing became sluggish, and she could not hear any sounds from the outside world, only the buzzing in her ears and the deafening sound of her heartbeat.

She could feel his breath brushing against her cheek, warm and gentle, mixed with the lingering sweetness of sugar on his lips and teeth, filling her nostrils.

Such a gentle, warm kiss, devoid of any lust.

But Cui Ying heard Xiao Qiyu's heartbeat.

It was rapid and turbulent, as if a seed that had been dormant within him for a long time had suddenly sprouted and grown into a towering tree in the blink of an eye.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Qiyu moved slightly and very slowly pulled away from Cui Ying's lips.

He opened his eyes, his phoenix eyes shimmering with tears, clearly reflecting her equally misty pupils.

He didn't speak, but just stared at her quietly, as if he couldn't get enough of looking at her.

A moment later, he lowered his head again, but not to kiss her. Instead, he pressed his forehead against hers, and as their breaths mingled, he sighed softly.

"I like it, I really like it, I really like it."

"Thank you, Cui Tuantuan."

Cui Ying was so dizzy from his kisses that she didn't even care that he called her by her childhood name. She forced open her full, moist lips and said in a daze, "I like it... I'm glad you like it."

But I still couldn't help but complain in my heart.

She always felt that ever since Xiao Qiyu had experienced her..., he had become so flirtatious. He would kiss her when he was angry, he would kiss her when he wasn't angry, and he would kiss her when he was happy. What, did his mouth look delicious?

As if sensing her inner turmoil, Xiao Qiyu gently bit her lip in retaliation. After a moment's pause, he said, "Do you know where these lights would look better than on the street?"

Cui Ying was still dazed. She subconsciously shook her head, looked up at him, and her eyes were so moist they could melt one's soul: "Where?"

Xiao Qiyu looked at her, a hint of desire flickering in his eyes, but he smiled without saying a word.

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Author's Note: Still owes two thousand (I dare not open my eyes, hoping it's just my imagination). The next chapter will officially begin the shameless and unrestrained lovemaking mode between the young couple. [heart emoji]