Chapter Seventeen: Watching the Lantern Festival, Feelings Heat Up
For the next two days, Xu Chumian was frequently awakened by nightmares about Yinping Alley.
One moment I was suddenly in a daze, lying on my bed covered in blood; the next I was engulfed in flames.
The day to see the lantern festival, which he had arranged with Xiao Qingyan, soon arrived.
Mu Mu was extremely excited today. She hadn't been out for almost half a month, the last time being when she went out with Zhao Yu.
That very night, Xu Chumian was reborn.
As darkness fell, after finishing their meal at the Xu family's courtyard, the group prepared to go out, with Xiao Tao and Liu Da accompanying them.
Only Xiao Qingyan and Liu Da rode horses; the rest of the group traveled by carriage.
Mu Mu wore a hood over her face. The little girl curiously lifted the curtain, but the thin veil blocked her view, and she could only see a blurry patch.
Xu Chumian hugged her: "Are you very happy today?"
Mu Mu nodded emphatically and leaned down to kiss her sister's forehead.
She moved her lips, but still couldn't make a sound.
Xu Chumian touched the little girl's forehead, "She's much better now, and she'll be able to speak soon."
The little girl smiled, her other eye crinkling.
The banks of the moat were bustling with activity, with all sorts of lanterns lined up in rows, and many merchants and vendors along the banks. The area was brightly lit, and every passerby wore a mask.
Xu Chumian held Mu Mu's hand, while Mu Mu's other hand was in Xiao Qingyan's hand.
The little girl tugged at Xu Chumian's hand and pointed to a mask with a puppy pattern.
Xiao Qingyan readily bought it, stepped aside to block Mu Mu from wearing the hat, and then quickly put it on the little girl.
Xiao Qingyan praised her without reservation: "Mu Mu is so cute."
Mu Mu lifted her skirt and tilted her head up to let her sister see.
Xu Chumian stroked her younger sister's head, "Cute."
Xiao Qingyan chose a funny face, while Xu Chumian wore a fox mask.
The two were a handsome couple, a perfect match, attracting the attention of passersby.
Continuing along the riverbank, Xiao Qingyan picked up Mu Mu with one hand, and more and more people gradually appeared.
Just then, someone suddenly rushed out from the side. Xiao Qingyan's eyes sharpened, and he pulled Xu Chumian away.
Xu Chumian was careless and bumped into by someone behind her, falling directly into Xiao Qingyan's arms.
The man's shoulders and arms were as hard as iron, and his chest was burning hot, causing Xu Chumian's forehead to turn red.
"Chumian, are you alright?"
Xu Chumian rubbed her reddened temples, and a sound came from beside her.
"They eat but don't pay, they dress like respectable people but don't do any real work."
It turns out that someone had dined and dashed and refused to pay, which is why they rushed out.
Xu Chumian snapped out of her daze, her ears turning red, and broke free from Xiao Qingyan's arms.
Xiao Qingyan felt a burning sensation under his skin and immediately released his grip.
"I... the situation was urgent just now, Chu Mian, I didn't mean to..."
Seeing Xiao Qingyan's eagerness to explain, Xu Chumian was inexplicably amused, her eyes crinkling into crescents, clear as water and the moon.
Xiao Qingyan was relieved to see Xu Chumian smile. He coughed lightly, realizing that he had overreacted.
The two continued walking forward. The crowd of pedestrians was so dense that Xu Chumian was pushed to Xiao Qingyan's right.
Xiao Qingyan lowered his eyes, his gaze burning with intensity, as if he had made a great decision. He gently took Xu Chumian's hand.
Xu Chumian looked at the man's eyes in disbelief.
Xiao Qingyan: "Chumian, there are a lot of people here. I'll hold your hand so we don't get separated later."
Xu Chumian was startled; the sensation in her hand was obvious, and she didn't react for a moment.
Xiao Qingyan's eyes gradually showed helplessness and frustration; he had acted too hastily.
But the next moment, Xu Chumian softly hummed in agreement and smiled brightly: "Okay."
Then, her fair hand grasped the man's broad, slightly calloused palm.
Xiao Qingyan trembled all over. Everyone around him seemed to disappear. He only had eyes for Xu Chumian. His heart was pounding, and all the blood in his body seemed to rush to that hand.
Xu Chumian took a step forward, but Xiao Qingyan remained motionless.
Through the fox mask, Xu Chumian smiled helplessly, "Qingyan, let's go."
Xiao Qingyan gripped the woman's delicate hand tightly. Mu Mu seemed unaware of anything amiss, clinging to her brother Xiao's shoulder and arm as she curiously observed the crowd.
Xiao Tao followed behind, also beaming with joy.
We arrived at a place where the crowd had been evacuated.
Xu Chumian let go of her hand first.
Xiao Qingyan twitched his hand slightly and coughed lightly, "I'll take Mumu to buy some trinkets."
Xu Chumian hummed in agreement; she stood by the river.
The sound of rushing water accompanied Xu Chumian's thoughts.
Her past life seems like a distant memory, and she is already very content with what she has now.
When Xiao Qingyan returned, he had gifts for both Mu Mu and Xu Chumian.
It's some rouge and face powder.
Xiao Qingyan: "I don't know anything about women's products, and no one has ever told me that these were all recommended by the boss."
He understood the implication in the man's words: he had never been in contact with a woman before.
The woman was quick-witted, and she laughed out loud: "I know, I know."
Xiao Qingyan's little scheme was exposed, so he coughed lightly, "Mumu is sleepy, shall we go back first?"
Xu Chumian responded with a soft "hmm".
At that moment, right at the bridgehead, Shen Lingyin tugged at Princess Xingyang's sleeve.
"Xingyang, do you think that's Lord Xiao?"
Xingyang looked over and saw that the masked man was Xiao Qingyan, but he couldn't tell who the woman was.
Xingyang's face immediately darkened, and he was about to step off the bridge.
Shen Lingyin stopped her, saying, "Don't rush. Find out who that woman is first. What if she's your younger sister?"
Princess Xingyang sneered, "What kind of sister would act so intimately? I bet they're lovers!"
More than an hour later, they returned to the Xu family's courtyard.
Liu Da and Xiao Tao were carrying many things. Xiao Tao led Mu Mu into the house.
Xiao Qingyan and Xu Chumian were still at the door.
It was about time for Xiao Qingyan to leave, no matter how reluctant he was.
He lowered his eyes and took out a hairpin.
The "ghost craft ball" isn't finished yet, let's send something else first.
Xu Chumian raised her eyes, her gaze clear and bright: "Qingyan?"
Xiao Qingyan smiled and said, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard acquired some jade materials a few days ago. I... after thinking it over, I felt that a white jade hairpin would suit you very well."
It is a magnolia flower carved from white jade.
Xiao Qingyan inserted the hairpin directly into Xu Chumian's hair bun. "Chumian, you are very beautiful."
The man's gaze was intense, and Xu Chumian lowered her eyes uncomfortably.
After a moment, she looked up, a clear smile playing on her lips. "Then thank you very much, Lord Xiao."
The woman's smile was captivating, and Xiao Qingyan looked away. "There's a temple fair at Faxi Temple in a few days. I'll take you and Mumu there together."
Xu Chumian nodded, her eyes sincere: "It just so happens that I also have a return gift to give you."
"Then I'll be going now, you can go in."
Xu Chumian watched Xiao Qingyan's back as he left before entering the house.
Xiao Qingyan was alone in the capital. He found the Prince Ding's mansion too big and did not want his father's men to keep an eye on him, so he rented a house in the capital to live in alone.
Upon returning to his residence, Xiao Qingyan went to his study, preparing to write a letter to Prince Ding.
He has found his sweetheart and wants to marry Xu Chumian.
-
Meanwhile, the third branch of the Zhao family...
Zhao Sanye and his wife Zhang looked haggard and dazed, their desire to have Xu Chumian buried with them still lingering.
“Master, that little hussy Xu Chuming has moved. My son died so tragically, I must make Xu Chuming go down and be buried with him.”
"My son couldn't marry while he was alive, so he should at least have a wife to take care of him after he dies."
Zhao Sanye's eyes immediately turned fierce, and he said sternly, "Back then, Zhao Ying became pregnant out of wedlock, which made the old lady dislike the third branch of the family and implicated me. Now her stepdaughter is no pushover either!"
Zhao Ying is Xu Chumian's stepmother.
Zhang said, "My son is to be buried tomorrow, so we need to find Xu Chumian as soon as possible."
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