evening.

Qin Luo and Hua Ying walked in the sunset glow, the mountains and forests enveloped in the afterglow, like a golden painting.

Cicadas~ Cicadas~

Qin Luo looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the cicadas were coming from the bushes. Hua Ying smiled and said, "They're quite intelligent."

The cicada had been following them quietly along the road, but now it was making a loud noise.

Qin Luo followed the sound and found cicadas and a large number of red raspberries in the bushes.

"These raspberries are quite sweet, you should try some."

"It's so sour."

"The light red raspberries are a bit sour, but these purplish-red ones are very sweet. You should try them if you don't believe me." Qin Luo picked some dark red raspberries and gave them to Hua Ying.

Hua Ying ate the raspberries Qin Luo picked, and a smile appeared on her lips. "They are indeed very sweet!"

"No matter how many raspberries we have, they can't fill our stomachs. Jiangnan City is just ahead, let's go into the city and have a good meal."

"It's good to be with a rich woman."

Is this a compliment?

"certainly."

......

Jiangnan City.

The largest city in Jiangnan County.

As night fell, Qin Luo and Hua Ying entered the city, which was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

"Special products of the Great Chu Kingdom, clearance sale, all 20% off! Don't miss out!"

"A thousand-year-old secret recipe, made using ancient methods, the most authentic dog skin plaster. For cold legs, sprains and bruises, backaches and pains, just apply one plaster. Pay after you apply it. If it doesn't work, you don't have to pay."

"At home, you rely on your parents; away from home, you rely on your friends; and those with money, please support us financially..."

Cheers and shouts rose and fell.

Hua Ying raised an eyebrow and pointed to a large restaurant not far away, "Let's go there for a good meal."

Qin Luo looked at a corner not far away, where an elderly woman with silver hair was running a wonton stall. The stall was not doing much business, and the old woman sat alone on a small stool in front of the stall, staring blankly at the passersby.

"I want to eat wontons."

"Let's go."

Hua Ying understood Qin Luo's thoughts.

As they reached a secluded corner, the bright moonlight followed them, and the old woman's eyes lit up. Her previously dull gaze brightened, and a kind smile appeared on her wrinkled face. "Do you want to eat wontons?"

Hua Ying said softly, "Give me a bowl of wontons."

The old woman smiled and explained, "A small bowl has eight wontons and costs three coins, while a large bowl has twelve wontons and costs six coins. You might as well order two small bowls; it's a better deal."

"Give me two large bowls."

Qin Luo said with a smile.

"Two large bowls?"

"Yes, two big bowls."

"Mother-in-law, we'll listen to him."

The old woman was overjoyed. "Please have a seat, gentlemen. I'll go and cook you some wontons right away."

In front of the wonton stall was a low table. Qin Luo and Hua Ying sat facing each other. The old woman took out an old drawer, inside which were neatly arranged wontons, like exquisite gold ingots.

Do either of you have any dietary restrictions?

"No spicy food."

"I'm the same as him."

"Okay, the wontons will be ready soon."

Soon, the old woman brought two large bowls of wontons to the table, topped with hot minced meat and dried shrimp.

"Please enjoy your meal, both of you."

"Thanks."

Qin Luo nodded with a smile.

"It smells so good!"

Qin Luo picked up the wontons and smelled them. He ate one wonton after another, even drinking all the soup. Hua Ying thought the taste was just so-so. She ate half of one and asked, "Can you still eat?"

"Give it to me."

"Um."

Qin Luo picked up Hua Ying's bowl of wontons, and after finishing the wontons, he rubbed his stomach and said with a smile, "I'm so full. I haven't eaten this much in a long time."

Hua Ying took out twelve copper coins and placed them on the table, then said with a light laugh, "Grandma, we're leaving now."

"Take care, gentlemen." The old woman waved goodbye, and only after Qin Luo and the others had walked away did she turn back to tidy up the table.

After eating and drinking their fill, Qin Luo and Hua Ying continued strolling through the city. There was a wide river in the city, with flower boats decorated with red lanterns on the water. The boats were set up with festive stages, and the air was filled with the sounds of singing and dancing. Many people gathered on the riverbank to watch.

What are you looking at?

"I didn't see anything."

"So you're staring at them?"

"None of them are as good-looking as you."

Hua Ying burst out laughing.

A crowd of people surrounded the stage, where an actor dressed as a scholar knelt on the ground, pleading, "Great Master, Xiaoqing and I are truly in love. Please grant us your blessing."

The bald monk glared angrily, "Li Erlang, you have been too deeply bewitched by this cat demon Tu. Today, this humble monk will act on behalf of Heaven and subdue this cat demon who is causing havoc on the human world."

"No!"

"I will not let you take Xiaoqing away."

The kneeling scholar, who had been pleading, suddenly stood up, clenched his fists, and charged at the tall and imposing high priest.

"My husband!"

The woman with the cat's face painted on her hand reached out and called out.

The audience was captivated. Some little girls covered their eyes, too afraid to watch. Others were cursing the Grand Master. Hua Ying had heard the story of the Water Goddess before, but seeing the performance on stage, she couldn't help but complain, "This story is so fake."

Qin Luo smiled and said, "Any story that the people like is a good story."

"This is so awkward, I can't watch it anymore."

Even as Hua Ying looked away, she could still hear the woman playing the cat demon calling out for her husband with all her might.

"Then let's go for a stroll ahead."

Qin Luo led Hua Ying forward. There were old men making sugar paintings on the side of the street. They stood by and watched. The old men were very skilled and made very lifelike sugar paintings.

Many children were queuing in front of the old man's stall, so Qin Luo and Hua Ying could only continue forward. Not far away, there was a lantern riddle guessing activity, and a group of scholars were gathered there discussing the lantern riddles.

Qin Luo wasn't interested in solving riddles. He noticed a young woman in blue ahead, who was none other than Miss Li, the one who had given him the oil-paper umbrella years ago. Beside Miss Li was a handsome man in brocade, and between them was a little girl in a red dress playing a ring toss game on the street.

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