That maybe, just maybe, they could finally have the ordinary happiness they both deserved.
But in Huaijin's dreams, the image of that peaceful moon trembled slightly, like a warning ripple across calm waters.
Because deep down, she knew that peace in stories like these never lasted long.
And she was already preparing for the storm to come.
***
The afternoon sun was beginning to mellow when the Mid-Autumn Festival reached its most vibrant hour.
Lanterns were strung from every branch and stall, the soft hum of chatter mixing with music from the open stage. The air smelled of roasted chestnuts, sugar, and excitement.
At one corner of the fair, a small stall with a hand-painted banner—"Huaijin's Handmade Mooncakes!"—was doing surprisingly well.
The bright tablecloth fluttered gently in the breeze, covered with boxes of mooncakes that looked so neat and glossy that even adults passing by stopped for a second glance.
