Chapter 6 What Mischief Are You Planning? This Time, You're Really Planning It...

It was already late when the two left the mansion. There were still many maids and servants, hand in hand, traveling together with smiles on their faces.

Sang Wan pulled aside a familiar-looking maid and asked her, only to find out that it was the Lantern Festival in Luzhou City these days, and the nights were very lively. Magistrate Li was a compassionate man, so naturally he didn't restrict the servants from joining in the festivities.

Upon hearing this, Sang Wan's eyes lit up, after all, she and Zhui Ming had been cooped up in the mansion for many days.

Their ability to find fun places was certainly not as good as that of young girls and boys who had lived in the city since childhood, so they simply followed behind them.

Turning a corner, the street was bustling with people, the custom of watching lanterns was thriving in the city, and the festive atmosphere was very strong.

The long lantern market, brightly lit with lanterns and fluttering with colorful flags, looked like a sky full of scattered stars from a distance. Many talented men and beautiful women, dressed in fine clothes, strolled through the streets and alleys, the crowds bustling and laughter filling the air.

The bustling and beautiful lantern market overwhelmed Sang Wan, who was there. This vibrant atmosphere was something she had never seen in the sect that was far removed from the secular world.

Sang Wan smiled with delight and eagerly took Zhui Ming's hand, which was hanging by his side. "It's so beautiful, let's go take a look."

Caught off guard, Zhui Ming's hand was taken, and his thoughts paused for a moment. He subconsciously followed her lead and walked forward, breaking through the crowd and stepping into the dimly lit area.

He opened his mouth slightly, his gaze lingering on her profile, which appeared even more beautiful under the light, but he couldn't utter a sound for a moment.

He enjoys looking at beautiful women, and coincidentally, the most beautiful woman is right in front of him.

"Cui Lueshang, which one do you think looks better?" Before anyone knew it, Sang Wan had let go of Zhui Ming's hand and quickly ran to the lantern vendors on the other side of the road, where countless exquisite and unique lanterns filled the streets and markets.

The dazzling array of lanterns—from the shimmering fish lanterns and the exquisitely crafted rabbit lanterns to the lifelike lotus lanterns and the auspicious lanterns inscribed with poems and songs, to the various adorable and lifelike animals, the naturally beautiful flowers, and all sorts of traditional lanterns—is breathtaking.

Touching the goldfish lantern stuck in front of her with one hand and the elegant lotus lantern with the other, Sang Wan quickly sought advice from Zhui Ming, feeling that both were beautiful and she was extremely conflicted.

Zhuiming was snapped out of his daze by her smile. "They all look good." After saying that, he lowered his head as if to cover up his mistake and reached for the wine gourd at his waist, only to find it empty.

Oh, I forgot, the wine gourd has already been put into a little girl's magic bag.

After hearing his words, Sang Wan narrowed her eyes threateningly and gave him a perfunctory reply!

Seeing how skillfully he handled the wine gourd, the crime was unsuccessful!

Just as she was about to grind her teeth and gnaw at the pigs and sheep, a seven or eight-year-old child ran past her side. Sang Wan couldn't take her eyes off him for a second and grabbed Zhui Ming to run after him.

The little boy was holding a blue crab lantern in both hands. He was incredibly cute. As the two handles moved up and down, the big claws of the blue crab also swayed up and down, as if they had come to life.

Sang Wan's eyes were only on this adorable blue crab lantern, its eyes sparkling. In Zhui Ming's eyes, it was only a few months older than a seven-year-old boy.

Zhuiming followed her leisurely, even humming a song, watching her pat the little boy on the shoulder from behind.

Sang Wan bent down and ruffled his fluffy head, instantly turning his neat hair into a frizzy mess, like a little lion.

Realizing she had carelessly damaged the flower, her sweet smile froze for a moment. She quickly removed her hand as if to cover up her mistake, and immediately asked as if afraid of being discovered, "Little brother, your lantern is just as cute as you! Where did you buy it?"

Before he could finish speaking, he heard Zhui Ming chuckle behind him as if he could see right through him, and he couldn't help but squeeze Zhui Ming's rough hand hard.

Xiao An didn't notice their little interaction. His mind was completely captivated by Sang Wan's otherworldly beauty. He stared at her sweet smile, his delicate face slowly flushing red. He didn't hear a word the fairy sister said, and could only shyly murmur, "Are you... are you a fairy?"

Sang Wan smiled even more sweetly; at this moment, the little boy's cuteness had reached an unparalleled level.

Zhuiming grinned and said to the child, "Have you ever seen a fairy descend to earth just for a flower lantern?"

Xiao An completely forgot how she treasured the lantern when she received it from her brother just now, and stared at Sang Wan, saying, "Do you like this crab lantern? My brother made it by hand."

Before Sang Wan could feel disappointed, he said hesitantly, "I'll give you this lantern. When I grow up, will you... will you marry me?"

His ears were red-tipped, and his expectant eyes were exactly the same as Sang Wan's bright eyes as she stared at the lanterns.

Zhuiming almost choked on his saliva and couldn't help but laugh at his childish words.

Sang Wan pinched his little face and said sweetly, "When you grow up, your sister will be old. How will we stay together then?"

Unexpectedly, Xiao An looked at Zhui Ming's handsome face with its stubble, pouted, and pretended to cry, "You're lying. This person is old too, and you're still holding his hand and with him!"

Zhuiming and Sangwan were shocked by his sudden remark. Their clasped hands snapped apart as if struck by lightning, and both of them seemed to be fleeing in panic.

But it didn't end there. The clueless little boy stared at Sang Wan longingly and asked pitifully, "Fairy sister, please don't marry him yet, okay? I'll grow up soon..."

Hearing his lewd words, Sang Wan didn't dare to turn around and look at Zhui Ming's expression, thus missing Zhui Ming's uncomfortable face and his neck gradually turning red.

If it were Sang Wan when she first met Zhui Ming, upon hearing these words, she would definitely roll her eyes, say something ambiguous to tease him, and then observe him with great interest.

But now, upon hearing Xiao An's words, his usually eloquent mouth became as if it had been coated with paste.

"Ke Xiaoan, I told you not to run so fast! I can't catch you, did you hear me?" A little girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old with her hair in two buns caught up from behind. She said angrily, pulling Xiaoan's ear as she shouted.

Ke Xiaoan shuddered, shrinking his neck and begging for mercy, "Don't twist my ear anymore! If the fairy sister sees this, she might not marry me anymore!!"

Ke Xiaoning only turned around to look at the two figures in front of him after listening to his nonsense. Only then did she see the peerless beauty and gorgeous face of Sang Wan, who must be the fairy sister her brother had been talking about.

Just thinking about her brother's talk of marriage and her own rude behavior in front of such a beautiful woman made her face turn bright red. It was a pity that her mischievous brother was still shamelessly pestering her to marry him.

His words were so outrageous that he said, "Then promise me you won't marry this uncle, okay?" Ke Xiaoning looked up at Sang Wan and Zhui Ming, who were both embarrassed, and her head was spinning. She couldn't understand how someone could cause such a big mess. She quickly grabbed her brother with his bleary eyes, apologized, and fled in panic.

The two children, one big and one small, quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving Sang Wan and Zhui Ming standing there, their minds filled with Xiao An's innocent words.

Like a seemingly calm but turbulent pool, a pebble thrown in creates ripples.

The two stood silently for a long time in that small, bustling spot, until fireworks shot into the sky and exploded in the ink-like night sky. The colorful fireworks illuminated the horizon, and countless fireworks bloomed and fell, like grand and splendid dreams.

Sang Wan was drawn to the sudden loud noise, her eyes fixed on the dazzling halo in the sky. She immediately forgot her earlier unease and looked at Zhui Ming with surprise, "What is that?"

She smiled and turned to ask him, as countless fireworks exploded behind her, like a gentle spring rain of flowers falling one after another, finally settling into Zhuiming's heart.

In an instant, the sounds of the wind and noise around us faded away, and the world seemed to stand still for a moment. All that remained before our eyes was her radiant smile, which was more dazzling than any nighttime spectacle of fireworks.

It's like a small, perpetually damp spot in your heart, suddenly pierced by a ray of sunlight.

This place is perpetually shrouded in gloom, overgrown with moss, and filled with the slanting, interwoven threads of fine rain, overflowing with bitterness and sorrow.

The sudden appearance of light and shadow reveals the long rainy season hidden deep within, and also the longing for sunshine.

The longing and daydreams of my youth, long forgotten, transformed into a gushing warmth flowing through my body.

Sang Wan didn't notice Zhui Ming's unusual behavior; her mind and eyes were completely absorbed in the unprecedented fireworks display.

Her eyes, like twinkling stars, were filled with countless fireworks as she murmured, "So beautiful, it's as if it illuminates the whole world."

Zhuiming looked at her, scrutinizing her so closely and intently, a smile playing on his lips—a smile different from his usual boldness, magnanimity, and playfulness, now radiating gentleness and brightness.

With a weary and disheveled air, he lowered his eyes and softly echoed, "Yes."

Sang Wan's ears were filled with a cacophony of noise, but Zhui Ming's world was eerily quiet.

After a while, he heard his seemingly calm voice say, "Let's go, it's not that I want to buy my favorite pastries."

After listening to him, Sang Wan walked forward, gazing longingly at the magnificent night sky. Further on, she entered a lantern-lit corridor, a long, winding path stretching across the water, decorated with all sorts of unique lanterns, making the interior even more lively and bustling.

The stalls were dazzling with their wares, and the flags were fluttering in the breeze. The outer stalls sold all kinds of lanterns, making the waterside corridor even more like an elegant night market.

Every two steps there's a counter, every three steps a food cart, and vendors are calling out their wares one after another.

Everywhere you look in Sangwan, you can see four or five kinds of pastries you've never seen before, such as pineapple cake, chestnut cake, and jujube paste pastry. The vendors are all very enthusiastic, and when they see such a pretty little girl standing in front of their stalls, they all rush to let her try some.

These pastries are not only exquisitely made, but also have a fragrant and delicious taste.

Zhui Ming's pocket was naturally affected. Sang Wan was still waiting for him to make a joke, but unexpectedly, he was surprisingly quiet.

She waved her hand in front of Zhui Ming's eyes, then stood on tiptoe and leaned closer to him. "Cui Lüshang, what mischief are you up to?"

She stared at him intently, noticing that he looked like a ferocious little fox, but deep in his eyes lurked a hint of worry.

I didn't say anything because I was afraid his wound would hurt again.

As Zhuiming looked into her eyes, which were so close to his, his heart pounded like a drum, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, tormenting him.

After hearing her words, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. This time, she really had a bad idea.

He sighed inwardly, but his face returned to its usual somewhat frivolous smile. "Sigh, some young girl is going to squander all my drinking money. What a worry."

A note from the author:

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Hello, this is your mango sticky rice. (Served)