Chapter 61: The vows of a young couple are so sweet and affectionate
Shen Xingwan looked at Yan Jinghuan with a smile, her eyes full of tenderness.
She tilted her head back and pecked him lightly on the lips. It was just a tentative touch, but the kiss was so intense that it spread like wildfire and could not be stopped.
Yan Jinghuan's eyes suddenly darkened like the night. He leaned over and held her cheeks, stroking her hot earlobes with his fingertips, rubbing all the sweetness between his lips and teeth.
As their lips touched, he gently stroked her hair, caressing it gently.
The two of them blended their auras together, until Shen Xingwan slightly pushed him away due to difficulty breathing, and put her small hand on his chest, and he finally let her go.
"Stop it." Shen Xingwan's cheeks flushed, with a hint of anger in her eyes, "If you keep making such a fuss, you won't be able to have dinner."
Yan Jinghuan chuckled disapprovingly and stroked her slightly swollen lips with his thumb. "Okay, whatever you say."
His cool fingertips slid along her jaw to the side of her neck, touching her faintly beating pulse, wanting to remember every detail of her.
Shen Xingwan's fair cheeks flushed slightly, and her ears were stained with cherry pink. "Why don't you let go?"
She raised her hand and gently slapped his hand away, but he easily caught it and brought it close to his lips, kissing her palm lightly. His warm, thin lips pressed against her palm, causing a slight shudder.
Yan Jinghuan raised his eyebrows and smiled more wantonly, his eyes, which were usually cold and deep, were filled with a doting smile.
"Let's eat first. I'll take you out for a walk later. The night view along the Yangzhou Grand Canal is very beautiful. There will also be a fireworks show tonight. It will be very lively."
"Really?"
Shen Xingwan's eyes lit up, and she was quite interested. She turned around, hooked her arm around his, and shook it gently, "I want to go see it!"
Seeing her acting like a spoiled brat, Yan Jinghuan chuckled and pinched her nose, "Okay."
He ordered food to be served, sat next to her, and served her the food himself.
He picked up a piece of tender braised pork and put it in her bowl. "This is made specially for you by the chef hired by Yangzhou. It's a local specialty. Do you like it?"
Shen Xingwan felt warm at heart. He picked up the meat and took a bite. It melted in his mouth, was fat but not greasy, and filled with fragrance. It was indeed delicious.
She looked up at him and said, "It's delicious." She picked up a piece and gave it to him, "Try it too. It's not fishy or greasy at all. It's very delicious."
Yan Jinghuan was very pleased and naturally accepted it with a smile.
The two chatted while eating. Shen Xingwan talked about the questions he had asked today in a rambling manner. It was not until the moon rose and the bright moonlight cast a silver glow on the ground that the two had just finished their dinner.
Yan Jinghuan raised his hand to gather the slightly messy hair at Shen Xingwan's temples, "The night is perfect, let's go."
Shen Xingwan frowned slightly and hesitated for a moment.
"Don't you hate crowded and noisy places? Besides, you are the regent..."
"No problem."
Yan Jinghuan smiled and didn't seem to care much, "What regent? I'm just an ordinary man accompanying my lady tonight."
He took her hand and interlocked their fingers, "Let's go."
Shen Xingwan's heart trembled slightly, and she pursed her lips and nodded.
Yan Jinghuan grabbed the brocade cloak that was prepared beside him, swung it open, put it around her shoulders, carefully tied the straps for her, and embraced her out of the house and into the carriage.
The banks of the Grand Canal are brightly lit and bustling with people.
The lights on both sides of the river came on, illuminating the entire river, just like the Milky Way from the sky falling to earth.
Lanterns of various colors are hung high, including lotus lanterns, carp lanterns, rabbit lanterns, and phoenix lanterns, which are dazzling and vying for beauty.
Pleasure boats were cruising on the river, the sounds of stringed instruments and orchestras could be faintly heard, and the melodious singing of the singing girl drifted in the wind, attracting passers-by on the shore to stop and listen.
The pleasure boats were hung with red lanterns, casting long reflections on the water like a flowing red brocade.
There are many small vendors on both sides of the river, and the sounds of hawking are heard one after another, making it very lively.
There are people selling candy figures, paper flowers, masks, and all kinds of small gadgets. The variety of goods is so dazzling that it is truly dizzying.
The air is filled with various aromas, including the sweet scent of candies, the light scent of tea, and the appetizing aroma of snacks, which blend into a unique scent that makes people want to take a deep breath.
Shen Xingwan was wearing a simple and elegant lake green dress with lotus patterns embroidered with silver thread on the hem. The skirt swayed gently with her steps, like a breeze blowing across the lake and lotus leaves dancing in the wind. A white magnolia hairpin on her head made her skin look even more fair and her temperament even more extraordinary.
Yan Jinghuan also shed his cold and solemn air, and changed into a moon-white long gown, with his black hair half tied up and a warm mutton-fat jade hair crown tying up his black hair. His handsome face became more distinct under the light, and he looked dignified and outstanding, and his nobility was revealed in his every move.
He mostly wore dark colors because it would be less noticeable if blood was splashed on him, and he seldom wore light-colored clothes. He looked like a completely different person, causing Shen Xingwan's cheeks to turn red, and she couldn't help but look at him again and again.
When the two of them stood together, they looked like a perfect match from a painting, attracting the attention of passers-by.
"Look over there."
Shen Xingwan suddenly pointed at a small stall not far away, her eyes sparkling with joy, "It's candy figurines! This was my favorite when I was a kid."
Yan Jinghuan looked in the direction of her finger, raised the corners of his lips slightly, held her hand tightly and walked towards the stall.
His palm was large and warm, and he completely wrapped her small hand in it, holding her fingers tightly together, as if afraid that she would get lost in the crowd.
"Bring me two sugar men." Yan Jinghuan ordered softly.
The stall owner, whose temples were already gray, looked up at the two and was immediately amazed. He smiled and said, "Which candy figurine do you want, sir? I can make the twelve zodiac animals, flowers, birds, fish, insects, ladies and generals. We have everything you need."
Yan Jinghuan turned his head to look at Shen Xingwan, his eyes full of smiles, "Which one do you want, madam?"
Shen Xingwan raised the corner of her mouth slightly, pointing at a lifelike little fox candy figurine hanging in front of the stall, "Let's take this one, it looks quite like you."
Yan Jinghuan's smile deepened. He clasped her knuckles and gently closed them. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Be careful, the fox wants to eat meat. Will you give it to me?"
The warm breath brushed against her earlobe, causing Shen Xingwan's cheeks to heat up slightly. She raised her eyes and glared at him, "If you keep talking nonsense like this, I'll be angry."
Yan Jinghuan smiled without saying anything, just turned his head and signaled the stall owner to bring a little fox.
The stall owner quickly picked up the syrup with a bamboo stick and skillfully turned it on the copper plate. In a moment, a cute little fox candy man was formed.
"Sir, here are your sugar figures." The stall owner handed the sugar figures to Yan Jinghuan, and asked Shen Xingwan attentively, "Which one do you want, young lady?"
Shen Xingwan pointed to another sample and said, "Let's take this little rabbit."
The stall owner nodded, and after another round of experienced operation, a cute little rabbit candy figure was ready. He handed the candy figure to Shen Xingwan, "Girl, this is your little rabbit."
Shen Xingwan happily took the sugar figure, raised it above her head and looked at the light. She saw that the little rabbit had its ears erected, looking crystal clear, beautiful and cute.
Seeing that Shen Xingwan was so fond of it that he couldn't let it go, Yan Jinghuan paid the money and took out another ingot of silver and put it on the stall, "Father-in-law, you have great craftsmanship. This is a reward for you."
The stall owner was flattered and quickly stood up and waved his hand to decline, "Sir, you are too polite. These sugar figures are not worth so much money."
Yan Jinghuan led Shen Xingwan forward and glanced at her with a smile, "As long as my wife likes it, it's worth it."
Shen Xingwan shyly turned her face away, lowered her head and took a bite of the rabbit ear. The sugar melted in her mouth, sweet and fragrant with osmanthus. She squinted her eyes and praised, "So sweet."
Yan Jinghuan suddenly leaned over and sucked the sugar stains from the corner of her lips, and asked her maliciously: "Are you as sweet as me?"
There were crowds of people around, Shen Xingwan shyly pushed him away, rolled her eyes at him, her neck and cheeks flushed, "Someone's here?"
Then she pinched his arm angrily and said, "Be serious!"
Yan Jinghuan laughed softly, grabbed her naughty little hand and clasped it tightly, coaxing her repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore, let's go for a walk in front."
The two walked and stopped along the way, tasting various snacks, including glutinous rice cakes, osmanthus cakes, crisp candies, candied fruits, fermented rice dumplings, osmanthus lotus seed soup, peach blossom crisps, almond cakes...
When Shen Xingwan lived in Beijing, she was always restricted by her mother to be dignified and proper, and she had almost no chance to go out for a night stroll. Now that she enjoys shopping and has fun, she has become more relaxed and wants to try a little of everything.
As long as she had taken a look at it, whether it was food or toys, Yan Jinghuan would satisfy her and always stay by her side to protect her.
Seeing that she was enjoying her meal, Yan Jinghuan's eyes became more tender, and he would occasionally lean over and whisper a few words in her ear, or take a bite of the cake she had bitten, to taste the fresh snack, which made her blush and her heart beat fast, and she would lightly beat his chest.
Suddenly, a bright firework bloomed in the sky, like a blooming peony, and the golden light illuminated half the sky.
Then, one after another, fireworks were launched into the sky, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, like silver flowers cascading down like a waterfall, like the splendor of a peacock spreading its tail, blooming in the night sky like trees of fire and silver flowers, illuminating the two people's faces flickering.
“So beautiful!”
Shen Xingwan looked up at the fireworks, her eyes reflecting the brilliant light.
Yan Jinghuan just looked at her, his eyes tender, as if he wanted to treasure her every smile at that moment in his heart.
He put his arms around her slender waist and gently held her in his arms, "She is indeed beautiful."
Shen Xingwan glanced at him and saw that he didn't look up at the fireworks in the sky, but was staring at her. She couldn't help but tremble in her heart, "Why are you looking at me? There are fireworks on my face?"
Yan Jinghuan just smiled and held her tightly, walked through the bustling crowd, and came to a quieter place by the river.
There is a wooden bridge connecting the two sides of the river. The bridge is hung with red lanterns, which are reflected on the water like a fire dragon.
Shen Xingwan saw a woman selling paper lanterns on the shore, and her eyes lit up, "There are Kongming lanterns for sale there!"
The lantern was bright red all over, with a round frame supported by bamboo strips and wrapped in paper as thin as a cicada's wing. A small candle was placed at the bottom. When it was lit, it would slowly rise into the air with the heat until it disappeared into the night sky.
Yan Jinghuan strode over, bought a Kongming lantern, and put a pen in Shen Xingwan's hand, "If you have a wish, write it down."
Shen Xingwan thought for a moment, then picked up the pen and gently wrote down the few beautiful words "peace and joy, stay together forever."
Yan Jinghuan looked at the words she wrote, his eyes dimmed slightly.
He raised his hand and gently stroked the words, then took the pen and wrote the seven words "In this world of fireworks, we will grow old together." on the other side of the lamp.
His handwriting is as vigorous and powerful as he is, as if what he wrote is an indelible oath.
The two of them lit the Kongming lantern together, watching the small flame gradually heat up the air inside the lantern, and the lantern gradually swelled and became full.
"Let go." Yan Jinghuan said softly.
The two of them let go of their hands at the same time, and the Kongming lantern with wishes written on it slowly rose into the sky, first circling above their heads, and then floating higher and higher with the air flow, gradually turning into a bright spot of light in the night sky, blending with the stars.
Yan Jinghuan hugged Shen Xingwan from behind, with his chin resting on the top of her head.
"Xingwan." He called her.
He wrapped his arms tightly around her slender waist, very firmly, as if he was afraid that if he relaxed his grip even a little, she would disappear in the next moment.
"You know what? I've never been afraid of anything in my life. The only thing I'm afraid of is... losing you."
Shen Xingwan leaned in his arms, feeling his strong heartbeat, and looking at the lights gradually fading away.
"No." She turned around and looked up at him, her eyes like night stars. "Look, I'm standing here alive and well, aren't I?"
The night wind blew the water vapor from the river onto the bridge, rustling the hems of their clothes.
Yan Jinghuan hugged her tightly, leaned his head on her shoulder, and said sullenly, "Don't leave me again, promise me..."
The lantern was swaying above her head, and the warm yellow light wrapped in fine gold powder fell on her hair. The shadow of the bridge shattered into swaying stars in the rippling waves.
Shen Xingwan turned her head, stood on tiptoes, and took the initiative to kiss Yan Jinghuan's lips.
Yan Jinghuan was shocked and kissed her back.
"I love you." He murmured vaguely.
Fireworks suddenly burst into life in the distance, illuminating the embracing figures of the two.
"Me too..." She panted close to his ear, but the rest of her words were drowned out by the newly exploding silver flowers.
The fireworks shattered into stars on their intertwined eyelashes, and the unfinished oath was finally blown away in the gentle evening breeze.
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