Chapter 35 In the distance, within the small circle, she spotted a familiar, tall figure…
After the writing was finished, the enthusiastic villagers came forward to help, carefully lighting the specially made fuel block under the sky lantern. The weak flame licked the air, gradually heating the gas in the lantern. The warm air slowly filled in, and the three plain white sky lanterns visibly inflated and rose, becoming full and bright, like three stars enveloped in a soft halo, illuminating the writer's face and expectations.
"Come on! Everyone get ready, let's let go together! May all your wishes come true and may blessings last forever!" The village chief's loud and blessed voice echoed in the open space, bringing everyone's emotions to a climax.
Lin Yuwei, Zhou Xubai, Gu Qingyan, and the surrounding villagers together devoutly and expectantly held up their respective sky lanterns, which were already filled with warmth and hope.
With the village chief's long, drawn-out "Release—", countless warm lamps carrying wishes were released simultaneously, like spirits breaking free of their shackles, rising lightly and slowly into the deep night sky studded with diamond-like stars. They flew higher and higher, their lights twinkling, until finally merging with the vast Milky Way, a magnificent and breathtaking sight.
Lin Yuwei tilted her head back, her clear eyes reflecting the dazzling lights and stars in the sky. For a moment, she was lost in thought, as if her soul had flown with the light to the distant horizon.
Unbeknownst to her, Zhou Xubai to her left wasn't gazing at the starry sky; instead, he was slightly turned, smiling as he gazed tenderly at her profile, softened by the warm firelight. A little further to her right, Gu Qingyan's gaze also shifted from the magnificent river of lights, lingering briefly but profoundly on her upturned figure. In the depths of her eyes, complex and unfathomable emotions surged before settling into a serene depth.
The sky lanterns soared higher and higher, gradually transforming into distant and blurry points of light until they completely merged into the night sky, as if becoming part of the stars. The atmosphere of the evening party reached its peak and gradually came to an end.
With satisfied smiles and heartfelt wishes, the crowd began to disperse in twos and threes, chatting and laughing as they headed towards their temporary lodgings. The valley gradually returned to tranquility, with only the lingering red glow of the campfire softly flickering.
The delegation members were accommodated in a distinctive guesthouse in the center of the village. As the crowd dispersed, Zhou Xubai naturally walked over to Lin Yuwei, his voice gentle and carrying just the right amount of concern: "You must be tired after a long day. Let's go back."
Gu Qingyan happened to be passing by and heard this. Without stopping, he simply turned his head and nodded slightly to Lin Yuwei and Zhou Xubai, his tone so flat that it revealed no emotion: "See you tomorrow." After saying that, without waiting for a reply, he strode towards the guesthouse with the sparse crowd. His dark blue figure quickly blended into the night and disappeared around the bend in the path.
Lin Yuwei gazed in the direction he had left, a strange emptiness settling over her heart, like a string that had been gently plucked and then suddenly fell silent, the lingering sound gone. She withdrew her gaze, then turned to Zhou Xubai and nodded, softly replying, "Yes, let's go."
The stone path back to their lodgings was relatively quiet, with only the occasional distant barking of dogs and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Zhou Xubai considerately refrained from asking any questions about making wishes with sky lanterns or about Gu Qingyan. Instead, he chatted casually about the interesting folk customs he had observed that day and the general arrangements for tomorrow's work. Lin Yuwei responded verbally, but her thoughts drifted uncontrollably.
The dark blue figure that resolutely departed, and those eyes that appeared exceptionally deep and unfathomable in the leaping campfire, would always inadvertently intrude into her mind, stirring her emotions.
When they returned to the quiet guesthouse courtyard arranged by the village, it was already late at night. Several lanterns hung under the wooden corridor, casting warm yellow and hazy halos of light. Zhou Xubai naturally carried their luggage and escorted Lin Yuwei to her room.
Lin Yuwei took her suitcase and gave Zhou Xubai a grateful smile: "Thank you for today. You must be tired after a long day. Get some rest."
Zhou Xubai nodded, his gaze as gentle and tolerant as ever: "You too, get a good night's sleep." He paused, then added: "My room is right next door, feel free to call me anytime if you need anything."
"Okay, goodnight." Lin Yuwei turned around, took out a key from her pocket and inserted it into the lock. The old-fashioned wooden door made a slight creaking sound, which was particularly clear in the quiet night.
Just as she pushed open the door and was about to step inside, driven by some intuition, she instinctively turned her head and looked towards the darker area at the other end of the corridor. In the distance, she saw a familiar, tall figure standing quietly in front of another door.
It is Gu Qingyan.
He seemed to have just opened the door, or was about to come out of the room, but his movements paused slightly, as if he had been frozen in place. He had changed out of his ethnic clothing from the daytime and was wearing a dark gray casual outfit. In the dim, hazy light, the outline of his figure appeared somewhat blurry and indistinct.
Only his eyes seemed even deeper than the heavy night, piercing through the dim light from a distance that wasn't close, quietly and accurately looking in her direction. He saw her, and clearly, he also saw Zhou Xubai, who hadn't left the corridor behind her.
Without a nod, without a polite smile, without even the slightest change in expression, he stood there silently, his gaze as calm as a bottomless pool of cold water, radiating an indescribable aloofness and coldness, as if those brief moments of closeness by the campfire at dusk, the accidental touch of fingertips, and those words with subtle tension... were all just her hazy illusions, never truly happening.
Lin Yuwei's heart skipped a beat, and her hand gripping the cold doorknob tightened slightly involuntarily. Her gaze was like an invisible thread, quietly taut in the silent night.
The next second, Gu Qingyan suddenly turned around, no longer looking at her or lingering. He walked straight towards the stairwell opposite this side, his steps steady yet swift, without the slightest hesitation. His dark gray figure was quickly swallowed up by the shadows deeper in the corridor, as if he had never appeared.
At this end of the corridor, only the blurry light and shadow cast by the lanterns, swaying gently in the night breeze, and Zhou Xubai's gentle voice, tinged with a hint of doubt, remained: "Yuwei? What's wrong? What are you seeing?"
Lin Yuwei snapped out of her daze, as if waking from a brief nightmare. She quickly turned around, instinctively raising her hand to brush a stray hair behind her ear, using this gesture to avoid Zhou Xubai's probing gaze. She explained in as light a tone as possible, "Ah? It's nothing... I think I saw a stray cat run past over there just now, it startled me. It's alright, you should go back and rest." As she spoke, she gave Zhou Xubai another hurried smile, a hint of forced smile in it, and then, without waiting for him to say anything more, she quickly turned and went into the room, gently closing the door behind her.
A soft "bang" shut out the warm yet unsettling light and concern from outside the door.
Leaning against the cold door, Zhou Xubai's hesitant footsteps in the corridor outside gradually faded away, eventually disappearing after the slight sound of the door opening and closing next door. The courtyard became completely quiet, with only the occasional chirping of insects outside the window, making the night seem even deeper.
But Lin Yuwei's mind was far from calm. The scene from just now was playing back clearly like a movie on a loop: Gu Qingyan's silent and complex gaze in the dim light, filled with indescribable estrangement and scrutiny, and his back as he turned away without any lingering feelings, decisive and resolute.
That gaze, that silhouette, was like a tiny thorn piercing her heart, bringing a subtle yet persistent, dull ache. She closed her eyes, trying to dispel the image, but even the cold door seemed unable to withstand the chill that was quietly spreading in her heart.
The next day, the investigation continued to delve into the core area of intangible cultural heritage in Longquan Village.
Sunlight filtered through the lush foliage of the towering ancient trees, casting dappled shadows on the winding bluestone slabs. The group strolled along the stone path and eventually arrived at the workshop of woodcarving master Li, a place steeped in the marks of time.
Upon entering, a faint, refreshing woody fragrance wafts over. Master Li is intently carving a piece of finely textured rosewood. Hearing the noise at the door, he looks up and sees Zhou Xubai and Lin Yuwei. The master immediately beams with joy, puts down his carving knife, and warmly greets them.
"Mr. Zhou, Ms. Lin, you've come at the perfect time!" The old master's voice was loud and clear, his eyes shining with the joy of finding kindred spirits. He naturally took their hands, one on each side. "Regarding the issue of transitions and connections in the sword technique that you mentioned last time, I've been pondering it in seclusion these past two days and have come up with some new tricks! Come, come, this is a rare opportunity, I'll demonstrate it for you right now!"
As he spoke excitedly, he naturally led Zhou Xubai and Lin Yuwei to his workbench piled with tools and wood. The three of them instantly formed a focused and harmonious little circle, effectively isolating the other members of the inspection team from the outside.
With a gentle smile on his face, Zhou Xubai skillfully communicated with the master craftsman about the details and techniques of carving in the local dialect. Lin Yuwei leaned forward slightly, observing the master craftsman's every subtle movement, occasionally asking one or two insightful professional questions. Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the three of them, creating a harmonious scene resembling a meticulously composed oil painting.
Director Liu stood aside, watching the harmonious scene of the "golden couple" having a deep exchange with the master craftsman. A smile of great satisfaction and gratification appeared on her face. She clapped her hands and raised her voice to the others, saying, "Alright, alright, let's not crowd here and disturb Master Li's transmission of his unique skills. Come on, I'll take you to see the bamboo weaving workshop next door. That's also a unique feature of Longquan Village, a treasure of intangible cultural heritage!"
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Author's Note: To all the big shots who've read this far, could you please consider adding me to your favorites? [Please!] My stats aren't good enough to get on the leaderboard, and the single-player mode is a bit lonely. [Pity]
Lately, as a nobody, I've been seeing my clicks occasionally increase, but my favorites keep dropping, and it's making me really anxious. I'm even waking up in the middle of the night in a panic. [crying emoji]
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