40 Extra 3
◎Ye Guifan x Luo Zhaohong◎
In late autumn and early winter, in order to ensure the smooth development of the Lantern Festival next year, the Chamber of Commerce took the lead and the lantern makers and vendors in the capital held a lantern festival in advance.
Ye Guifan had nothing to do, so upon hearing the news, he set off to take a look.
Although the streets are not as lively as during the Lantern Festival every year, there are still many people coming and going for fun.
A closer look at the high-hanging lights that add a few touches of light to the night reveals that there are indeed many new styles compared to last year.
Somewhere in the brilliant lights, a man and a woman stood facing each other. The woman handed the man a token, and he took it. The two looked at each other with a knowing smile.
Ye Guifan narrowed his eyes, "Why do those two look so familiar..."
The servant who followed him said, "They look like the pomegranates and violets from Prince Yi's palace."
"It's true." Ye Guifan chuckled.
Looking at the two people who were in love with each other in the distance, Ye Guifan wondered when his own marriage would come.
But the thought was only fleeting. She continued to walk forward and called to the servant, "Let's go."
"yes."
The two of them were strolling around and passed by a lantern stall on the corner that was covered with rectangular red paper. Ye Guifan stopped.
The vendor greeted her warmly, "Miss, would you like to guess the lantern riddles? If you guess correctly, you'll receive a small gift. If you guess incorrectly, you can choose to buy a lantern. Of course, if you don't want to buy, we won't force you. Just have fun, Miss."
The lanterns displayed behind the stall were exquisitely designed. Even if I didn't guess the riddles, I would have wanted to buy one or two. What's more, the vendor spoke eloquently and didn't force me to buy anything, which made me quite fond of him.
Ye Guifan nodded and looked at the first riddle hanging on the shelf.
On the bright red paper, golden handwriting appeared: "Without a single tile above, without a single place to stand, with a gourd hanging from the waist, I understand the yin and yang energy." (Guess a word)
Ye Guifan thought for a moment and replied, "Divination."
"predict."
Two different voices came at the same time, and Ye Guifan turned his head to look at the owner of the other voice.
Judging from his build, he was a man. He was wearing a mask, so his features could not be seen clearly. One could only see through the holes in the mask a pair of dark eyes that expressed no obvious emotions.
The vendor blinked, looked at the two of them, and slowly took down the red paper with the solved puzzle. He then took the two clay figurines from the table and asked hesitantly, "You two?"
The man accepted it first, and seeing this, Ye Guifan also took it and handed it to the servant behind him.
Ye Guifan was aroused by this man's competitive spirit and looked at the second riddle: "When drawing, it's round. When writing, it's square. Winter is short. Summer is long." (Guess one word)
Ye Guifan looked at the man with a smile. Although he did not point it out explicitly, he was looking forward to the man's reaction.
The man received Ye Guifan's hint and said calmly, "There is a fish in the East China Sea, without a head or tail, and without a spine. That's the riddle."
Ye Guifan found this man quite interesting, and chuckled before continuing, "A beautiful day with a late Jiangshan."
The vendor echoed loudly, "Hey! You two are right again!"
Passersby occasionally stopped to watch out of curiosity as the two people were solving the riddles.
The vendor, with a keen eye, immediately took out all the little trinkets. "Meeting is destiny. If you can solve all the riddles hanging here, in addition to these small gifts, you can also choose a lantern of your choice. What do you think?"
Ye Guifan and the man looked at each other and nodded.
The two of them solved the puzzle almost in unison. Rather than competing, it would be more accurate to say that they cooperated tacitly.
The two of them solved the puzzles one by one, and more and more people gathered to watch.
Small in stature, yet priceless, she loves to paint her face with rouge and often hangs out under the moon and flowers.
"Seal." Ye Guifan tilted her head slightly and smiled brightly. She looked frankly and straightforwardly into the man's clear eyes, not knowing what she was thinking.
"Seal." The man's heart trembled and he silently looked away.
As the number of puzzles became fewer and fewer, Ye Guifan slowed down intentionally or unintentionally. Perhaps he was tired, or perhaps... he wanted to work on the riddles with him for a while longer.
…
When the last riddle was finished, the people around applauded and cheered for the two.
Ye Guifan nodded proudly in cooperation, but the man didn't react at all. His true emotions were hidden under the mask, making it difficult for others to discern.
The vendor carefully wrapped the gifts and designated lights for the two of them, grinning from ear to ear.
The man left first with his things. Ye Guifan stood there in a daze for a moment, then foolishly followed him.
After the two left, the onlookers also left one after another, but some people still took this opportunity to buy lanterns from the vendors, and everyone was happy.
————
"Young master, please stay." Ye Guifan jogged over to catch up with the man and called out from behind him.
The man paused, then slowly turned around and asked, "What's the matter?"
Ye Guifan smiled and said, "Young Master, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle all this by yourself. Do you need me to help you?"
The man looked at Ye Guifan, who had nothing in his hands, in confusion. Ye Guifan explained, "I just sent my servant back with the things."
The man looked at the pile of things in his arms, thought for a moment, and shook his head, "Thank you, but no thanks."
"Okay." Ye Guifan stopped asking questions and strode beside the man, walking side by side with him.
The man did not object.
The stone steps were uneven, which wouldn't have been a problem on normal days, but today, carrying so much stuff added a bit of a burden to the walk. The man stumbled and nearly fell.
Ye Guifan was quick-witted and quick-handed. He held the man's arm with one hand and supported the shaky object with the other hand at a clever angle.
Thanks to Ye Guifan's timely protection, the person was not hurt and the belongings were intact. However, due to the twists and turns, the straps of the mask became loose and fell off at some point.
Ye Guifan let go of the man's hand only after he confirmed that he was standing firmly, and at the same time he saw the man's true face.
The man's appearance is not stunning, and can even be said to be ordinary, but his facial features are regular, giving people a refreshing and comfortable feeling. He is a friendly type.
Luo Zhaohong was still in shock and didn't notice the mask was gone for a moment. After calming down, he thanked Ye Guifan first.
"Nothing." Ye Guifan squatted down, picked up the mask, and brushed off the dust. "But your mask fell off."
Luo Zhaohong realized it then and subconsciously tried to raise her sleeves to cover her face, but the heavy object in her arms pulled her back and she couldn't move. She then slowly calmed down.
Without any cover or disguise, Luo Zhaohong actually became much more at ease.
He jokingly asked, "Miss, you might be a little disappointed to see such an ordinary face under the mask."
Ye Guifan thought for a moment, "If this were in a storybook, a stunningly beautiful face would surely appear after the mask falls off."
Luo Zhaohong smiled when he heard this, "Indeed."
Ye Guifan said in a gentle voice, "My appearance is not outstanding, and you treat me with an ordinary heart. It can be seen that your heart is clearer than that of ordinary people."
Luo Zhaohong shook his head, "You're too kind."
"My name is Ye Guifan."
"Luo Zhaohong."
The atmosphere between the two became much more relaxed, and they chatted as they walked, having a great time.
Strolling to the end of the street, although they didn't say it explicitly, they both knew in their hearts that it was time to part.
Ye Guifan hesitated for a moment and said, "Mask..."
Luo Zhaohong smiled faintly, "I can't take it, it's up to you to take it or leave it."
Ye Guifan's heartbeat slowed down a bit.
Seeing her looking straight at him, Luo Zhaohong lowered his eyes embarrassedly.
Ye Guifan was usually a smart guy, but for some reason he was tongue-tied today. After thinking for a long time, he could only say, "Will there be a chance to see you again in the future?"
Luo Zhaohong paused and said, "We will meet if we are destined to."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Ye Guifan couldn't stay any longer, feeling empty inside. His fingertips unconsciously groped for the mask. The surface felt frosted, while the inside of the mask was smooth and delicate.
She picked up the mask and carefully put it away.
From that day on, Ye Guifan sent people to keep an eye out for news about Luo Zhaohong.
During this period, she would go to the street where they met every now and then, hoping to meet him by chance, but unfortunately she never did.
After anxiously waiting for several days, I finally found out the whereabouts of Luo Zhaohong.
Without giving it time to think, Ye Guifan rushed to find him.
————
In the Shuilan Pavilion.
Luo Zhaohong sat in front of the piano and thought of Ye Guifan unconsciously, and the corners of her lips rose.
Someone was coming in and out of the piano room, and Luo Zhaohong's thoughts were pulled back to reality. At the same time, the sounds in the hall came clearly into his ears.
The laughter and joy that we had long been accustomed to now became particularly harsh. Although this was a Qingguan, it was a place for selling jokes after all.
He suppressed the throbbing in his heart, smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"Zhao Hong~"
The madam walked into the piano room and asked everyone else in the room to leave.
He held Luo Zhaohong's hand affectionately and said with a smile that a distinguished guest from the Ministry of War had specifically asked for him.
Luo Zhaohong couldn't believe it. Because of his unremarkable appearance, he was rarely assigned to perform specifically. He usually performed with others. Only when someone really required his piano skills would they occasionally ask him to listen to his piano, but the number of times could be counted on one hand.
Luo Zhaohong looked at the excited look of the madam and thought it was probably true.
Not to mention that he had no right to refuse, he also wanted to go out of selfish motives, because the money he earned this way would be much more than usual, so he could save enough money to redeem himself sooner.
Luo Zhaohong did not refuse. The madam happily asked people to dress Luo Zhaohong up and even took out a good piano that she had always treasured. She sent both Luo Zhaohong and the piano to the largest room.
When the door of the wing room opened, the reactions of the people inside and outside were completely different.
Ye Guifan, who was sitting upright on the armchair, suddenly had his eyes light up. He supported himself on the edge of the chair with both hands and was about to stand up, but his eyes caught sight of the madam and he pretended to be calm and sat down again.
When Luo Zhaohong saw the "distinguished guest", he stood there in a daze, holding his zither. He suddenly felt ashamed and his ears turned red with shame.
He wanted to turn around and leave immediately, and instinctively took a step back, but he suddenly felt a pain in his back, and the old brothel owner, who was smiling fakely, blocked his retreat with her body.
Luo Zhaohong became much more sober, but he still couldn't help laughing at himself. Yes, this was a brothel, and he was supposed to be a servant. Besides, he had done this many times before, so there was no need to run away.
Luo Zhaohong gave up struggling, and the madam closed the door with satisfaction.
Luo Zhaohong walked to the piano stage in the side room, put down the piano, and sat on the wooden bench. The vague goodwill she had was suppressed by many complicated emotions, and replaced by numbness.
Ye Guifan's eyes were always following Luo Zhaohong's figure. The days of waiting became worth it when he saw him.
Compared to the simple attire when we first met, he looked more flamboyant today, but also had a unique charm, as if he was another side of himself.
Without waiting for Ye Guifan to speak, Luo Zhaohong asked coldly, "What song do you want to hear?"
Ye Guifan didn't react for a moment and just casually said the title of a song. Luo Zhaohong put his slender fingers on the strings and began to play the song.
The sound of the piano was so beautiful that even Ye Guifan, a half-baked musician, could tell that the piano skills were indeed superb.
While admiring his piano skills, Ye Guifan couldn't help but recall that from the time they met until now, he seemed to be quite polite and distant to him.
Was he so aloof because he was afraid the madam would know we knew each other, which was why he sneaked out earlier? After all, he had worn a mask on the day we met, probably because he was afraid of his identity being exposed.
Ye Guifan wanted to ask the reason, but he couldn't bear to interrupt the piano music.
Luo Zhaohong lowered his head and looked at the piano, absent-minded, and didn't even notice that he had played a part wrong.
At this moment, the door made a loud noise and both of them were startled.
Ye Guifan looked closely at the person who came and found it was Jiang Yan.
She didn't know why she came here to find him. Seeing her cold face, Ye Guifan had to send the madam and her group away first.
Jiang Yan walked into the room unhappily and sat next to Ye Guifan.
Luo Zhaohong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and was about to take this opportunity to take the zither and leave.
Ye Guifan hurriedly said nervously: "Zhaohong, you stay."
Luo Zhaohong paused after hearing this, then sat down again with his brows lowered.
Jiang Yan looked between the two of them, as if he understood something, but he didn't want to ask more questions.
Ye Guifan was in a state of anxiety, but she saw that Jiang Yan was in a worse condition than her. She thought that she had a conflict with the person at home, so she had to comfort Jiang Yan first.
The atmosphere in the room was quite awkward. Ye Guifan wanted to listen to his piano music to calm his mind, so he turned to Luo Zhaohong and said softly, "Zhaohong, continue."
Luo Zhaohong nodded, and at the same time realized sadly that he was ultimately just a servant who pleased others.
His slender fingers danced on the strings, and beautiful and sad music rang out.
After the song ended, Jiang Yan could no longer sit still and went back home to find his lover.
Ye Guifan sent Jiang Yan away, and the two were finally alone in a room.
However, Ye Guifan originally thought that he would relax a little when they were alone, and even show his true feelings like he did that day, but unexpectedly, Luo Zhaohong remained silent.
She couldn't help but ask, "Zhaohong, why are you so distant to me today? Is there something wrong with me?"
Luo Zhaohong said stiffly, "No."
Ye Guifan was speechless and stood there in a daze.
The two of them were in a stalemate for a while.
Luo Zhaohong didn't know how to face her, so she just said she was not feeling well and left first.
Ye Guifan rushed over, grabbed his sleeve, and said anxiously, "Zhaohong, that day you said that we would meet if we were destined to. Seeing you again today is a fate I forced upon you. Although I don't know how I made you dislike me, I really... cherish our fate."
Luo Zhaohong felt bitter in her heart, "It was just a joke. My Lord and I are worlds apart, how dare I call it fate?"
Luo Zhaohong pulled back the corner of his sleeve with force, and his heart was tightened by an invisible force, making him feel uncomfortable.
A trace of sadness and reluctance flashed across Luo Zhaohong's face, which was keenly caught by Ye Guifan. She vaguely guessed something.
————
A few days later, Ye Guifan went to look for Luo Zhaohong again.
But this time, without waiting for Luo Zhaohong to start, Ye Guifan took him to the seat where he sat last time. Confused and confused Luo Zhaohong was about to stand up.
Ye Guifan smiled and said, "Sit down. If you don't sit down, I won't move."
Luo Zhaohong looked at her hand pressing on his shoulder and had to agree.
Ye Guifan let go of his hand and sat down in front of the piano. "I don't know what song you like, I'll just play one for now."
Although Luo Zhaohong was confused, he was also curious about what she wanted to do.
Ye Guifan plays the piano quite well, to a level that an outsider would find pleasant to the ear, but an expert would notice his lack of skill.
After Ye Guifan finished playing, he looked at Luo Zhaohong, a smile on his lips but a serious look in his eyes. He said, "I didn't mean to use you that day. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to explain. My intention wasn't to put you down, but I've always had you in my heart. Seeing you again made me so happy that I felt a little dizzy and lost my composure."
Ye Guifan's words were so sincere, and Luo Zhaohong completely let go of the grudge in his heart because of his "undignified" behavior.
Luo Zhaohong smiled embarrassedly, "It was I who was overthinking it that day. I'm sorry."
The two finally opened up to each other and returned to the pleasant atmosphere of their first conversation.
Ye Guifan walked up to Luo Zhaohong, smiling brightly, "Zhaohong, are you interested in becoming my legitimate lord?"
Luo Zhaohong chuckled and said, "The chances are great."
Ye Guifan extended his hand to him, "Then I have to work hard, hoping to gain your favor soon."
Luo Zhaohong held her hand and said solemnly, "Okay."
【Author’s words】
The riddle references are all from the Internet.
I wish all my little ones a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day! [kiss]
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