(The previous chapter was banned. Plot: the protagonist strolled the Lantern Rite together with Shenhe and Hu Tao.)
"Fang Qiu, what are you looking at?"
Hu Tao's voice rang out beside her ear. Fang Qiu was just about to turn her head when, accompanied by the sound of fireworks shooting skyward, a streak of firelight surged up within her crimson eyes, then burst open with a boom, like a blossoming Glaze Lily, transforming in a most beautiful instant into a riot of colorful sparks, imprinted in Fang Qiu's eyes.
With the blossoming of that single burst of fireworks.
Other fireworks kept shooting up as well, crackling and popping as they exploded across the air.
"Look, look, the fireworks over there are shaped like a little piggy."
Hu Tao tugged at Fang Qiu's sleeve as she spoke.
"Where? Where is it?"
Beaming, Fang Qiu followed Hu Tao's finger, but in the sky the fireworks kept blooming endlessly and she simply couldn't tell which one Hu Tao was pointing at.
Shenhe, meanwhile, gazed quietly up at the sky.
Chongyun, a popsicle in his mouth, leaned on the wooden railing chatting and laughing with Xingqiu, while Xiangling and Guoba nearby also came over to her and Hu Tao's side.
Guoba even gave a hop on its short little legs, clambered up onto the wooden railing, and looked out at Liyue by night.
Just as they were watching the fireworks and chatting happily, a voice rose up behind them.
"Miss Fang Qiu, hello there."
Fang Qiu turned her head and saw Ganyu standing daintily behind them.
"Ganyu, what brings you here?"
Fang Qiu asked.
"Miss Ningguang told me to take advantage of the Lantern Rite and get some good rest for a few days. I'd meant to come find you, but then I discovered you'd moved house. When I went to your new home, I found you'd already gone out. Only now have I finally tracked you down."
Ganyu said.
"Perfect timing, then—come watch the fireworks display with us."
Fang Qiu said with a smile.
"Mm."
Ganyu nodded, walked over to Shenhe's side, exchanged a smile with Shenhe, and looked up at the sky.
Far off, a handsome young man returning from outside the city walked up to a tea house. He looked at Fang Qiu and the others standing in a row before the wooden railing, gave a nod, lifted his teacup and took a sip, then gazed at the fireworks blooming ceaselessly in the sky and murmured to himself: "How wonderful indeed."
At the foot of Mt. Hulao, the towering tree swayed in the wind, its leaves rustling against one another. A single leaf curved through the air, drifting and swaying, and came to rest in a wine bowl filled to the brim that sat on the altar before the gravestone.
The wine rippled.
Beside the wine bowl sat a jar of wine as well.
A strip of red paper was pasted on the jar, on which were written the three characters for Osmanthus Wine.
The wind carried the wine's fragrance drifting along.
Near Mt. Tianheng, within a Bronze Sparrow temple, a young man pressed his palms together and devoutly worshipped the enshrined Bronze Sparrow.
"I'll come again next year."
Having finished his worship of the Bronze Sparrow, the young man walked out of the Bronze Sparrow temple with a smile.
After he stepped out of the temple, the purple smoke rising from the three burning incense sticks set in the censer on the table wavered ever so slightly.
Wangshu Inn.
As the fireworks kept shooting into the sky.
The customers downstairs at Wangshu Inn set down their chopsticks one after another, casting their gazes toward the fireworks rising into the heavens not far off.
The top floor of Wangshu Inn, on the open-air platform.
The people of Wangshu Inn were gathered around a single table.
The owner Verr Goldet, the manager Huai'an, and the taken-in Jiangxue.
The table was laden with plates of food.
The chef Yanxiao brought out yet another dish.
"It's a festival, after all—let's eat well, hahaha."
Yanxiao said with a laugh.
Everyone raised their chopsticks to dig in.
"Truly delicious."
Jiangxue praised.
"Oh, right—I recently heard from a customer that there's some fellow named Fang Qiu who writes books incredibly well. Jiangxue, you, don't go fishing tomorrow—you've got nothing to do anyway. Make a trip to Liyue Harbor tomorrow and buy me a set."
Yanxiao said.
"Fine. For the sake of this fine table of food, I'll make the trip for you tomorrow."
Jiangxue said with a laugh.
"Come to think of it, I've heard about it too. Buy a set for me as well."
the manager Huai'an said.
"Boss, do you want a set too?"
Jiangxue looked toward Verr Goldet and asked.
"Hearing you all talk like that, I'm getting curious about what this Fang Qiu is really capable of. I'll take a set too."
Verr Goldet said: "Might as well buy a few more sets, and see whether the one upstairs likes it."
"All right then, I'll go buy ten sets tomorrow."
Jiangxue said: "That way I can read some books myself."
Verr Goldet picked up a piece of meat, popped it into her mouth, chewed a couple of times, and said:
"Mm, this really does taste good. Yanxiao's cooking has improved again."
"Thank you for the praise, boss."
Yanxiao bashfully scratched his head.
Watching them chat and laugh, Xiao, seated on the rooftop, smiled faintly, withdrew his gaze, and looked at the fireworks blooming in the sky—the colorful blossoms bursting open one after another.
Qingce Village.
The old folk, together with the children, lit the fireworks set on the ground. With a "whoosh," firelight surged into the air and bloomed across the sky.
The children all broke into smiles, laughter ringing out everywhere.
Qiqi and Baizhu were climbing the steps.
"One-two Qiqi, two-two Qiqi."
Qiqi kept hopping up the steps on one foot, switching to the other foot with each hop.
"Heave-ho."
After finally landing steadily on both feet, Qiqi turned around to look at Baizhu, who was watching her with a doting expression.
Baizhu smiled faintly and walked with Qiqi toward an old woman.
"Doctor Bai, thank you for making your house calls again this year."
the old woman said with a smile.
"You're too kind."
Baizhu said with a smile.
Qiqi stood beside Baizhu, gazing at the sky full of fireworks, and murmured: "Lantern Rite... want... to... see..."
"Fang Qiu?"
Baizhu paused slightly, then said with a smile: "Is that the white-haired girl who often comes to play with you?"
"Mm, Fang... coconut milk... so tasty... ice... cold."
Qiqi said.
"I see."
Baizhu smiled and said: "Once things settle down, I'll take you back to Liyue Harbor to play with her."
"Mm, thank you... Mr. Bai."
Qiqi nodded.
She lifted her head toward the sky, anticipation rising in her eyes.
Near Yujing Terrace.
Madame Ping and Yanfei sat at a tea table, watching the sky full of fireworks, their eyes brimming with joy.
"Another year's Lantern Rite. Though I've watched this scene more times than I can count over the years, each time I see it, I feel an especially fond closeness."
Madame Ping said.
"Indeed, indeed."
Yanfei nodded.
At this moment, atop the Jade Chamber.
Keqing and Lumine, dressed in exotic foreign garb, stood side by side on the deck, with Paimon floating beside Lumine.
They watched the fireworks blooming before them, their gazes bright and shining.
"So beautiful."
Paimon said, her little face full of delight.
"Yeah."
Lumine nodded.
"Happy Lantern Rite, Traveler."
Keqing said, brushing back her hair.
"Happy Lantern Rite!"
Lumine and Paimon said together.
Behind them, Ningguang, likewise dressed in exotic foreign garb, leaned against a pillar, holding a pipe and taking a light puff.
"What is it you're wearing?"
Beidou glanced at Ningguang and asked: "Quite trendy."
Ningguang smiled faintly, her beautiful eyes opening and narrowing, and said: "To earn the admiration of the worldly, well-traveled Captain Beidou, this outfit may be said to have done me proud."
Beidou, for once, didn't bicker, but instead looked at the sky alongside her as the fireworks blossomed.
As the fireworks bloomed, the two of them walked over to join Keqing, Lumine, and Paimon, watching the sky full of fireworks, unable to keep the corners of their mouths from lifting.
Feiyun Slope.
Upstairs at the Heyu Tea House, everyone was sipping tea.
Yun Jin and Xinyan leaned over the open-air tea table, watching the fireworks burst across the sky.
"Xinyan, thank you for keeping me company while I rehearsed my opera today."
Yun Jin said with a smiling squint.
"No need to thank me, no need at all—it's nothing."
Xinyan said, waving her hand.
"Tomorrow evening, can you come watch the performance?"
Yun Jin asked.
"No problem at all."
Xinyan said with a smile: "I'll bring Sister Beidou, Kazuha, and the others along."
"Mm."
Yun Jin nodded.
"Come to think of it, I wonder whether Kazuha and the others are watching the fireworks."
As she spoke, Xinyan looked toward The Alcor, moored at the wharf.
Aboard The Alcor.
The married sailors had gone home to spend the Lantern Rite, and several sailors sat on the deck eating fine food and drinking fine wine, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"Old Liu, another rack of lamb—your lamb really does taste great, it's got a touch of Sister Xiangling's skill." After the stubble-faced young man finished speaking, he picked up his wine cup, gazed melancholically at the sky, and said: "On this fine Lantern Rite, only fine food and fine wine can soothe the ache of my lonely heart."
"Screw you—you've got a home and won't go back, so what's all this lonely act?"
A big fellow beside him gave the guy a kick and cursed.
"Hsss, easy there, you're about to spill the wine."
the stubble-faced young man said: "If I go back I'll just get nagged about matchmaking. I'd rather not go back at all. Besides, isn't it nice staying on the ship with the brothers? Big gulps of wine and big bites of meat together."
"You—you don't want to get married?"
the big fellow asked.
"Of course I do. At my age, you've no idea how badly I want to marry."
The young man sighed and said: "But I don't want to spend my whole life with someone I've never even met."
"We've been docked at Liyue Harbor this long, and I haven't seen you set foot off The Alcor more than a few times. And just look at yourself—stubble all over, never bothering to shave. It'd be a miracle if you found a girl."
The big fellow cursed, then said: "Looking like that, anyone who saw you out would think you're five years older than me. Who'd ever guess you only just turned twenty this year."
"You talk about me—what about you? It's not like you have no girlfriend."
the stubble-faced young man said, taking a swig of wine.
"Me? I've got a girlfriend, all right. Today she's spending the festival with her family, and tomorrow we've arranged to go see Your Name together. Lady Ningguang's newly built Reflection Pictures Studio is finished, and the experience is much better now."
the big fellow said with a smile.
"What? You actually have something like that? When did you secretly find yourself one?"
The young man's drinking hand froze. He stared at the big fellow, his eyes full of disbelief.
"There's plenty you haven't figured out yet."
The big fellow's mouth curved into a smile.
"Damn it, whose girl is she?"
The young man took a fierce gulp of wine, feeling thoroughly betrayed.
"The Li family's girl."
the big fellow said.
"You mean that good-looking gal who works at Yuehai Pavilion?"
the young man asked.
"That's right."
The big fellow laughed and said: "After a while, I'll call on her family and propose."
"Good grief."
The young man looked as though he'd lost both his parents.
The sailors all burst into laughter, the deck a scene of merriment, and quite a few of them joined in piling on, bragging about the romantic luck they'd had these past days.
For instance, some days back, a sailor who'd read Fang Qiu's book went to a tavern for a drink and met a girl likewise drowning her sorrows in wine. The two of them poured out their woes to each other the whole night through.
And for instance, a while ago, a sailor combed his hair into a grown man's style, donned a dashing robe, put on a pair of glasses, carried Miss Fang Qiu's book, went to a tea house to read, and became reading buddies with a girl who was likewise reading Fang Qiu's book. With Your Name now premiering, they were going to see it together too—and besides Your Name, there was also the new opera co-created by Fang Qiu and Yun Jin, Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother.
Hearing it all laid out one after another, the young man had a sudden epiphany.
Miss Fang Qiu's books actually had such an effect!
"Tomorrow I'm going to take Miss Fang Qiu's book to the Heyu Tea House to drink tea too."
the young man said: "Maybe I'll find myself a girlfriend as well."
"You'd be better off shaving that stubble of yours first. And quit smoking that dry tobacco—what girl is going to like a young guy who puffs on dry tobacco?"
The big fellow waved his hand.
"Fine, I'll shave first thing tomorrow morning."
The young man nodded. Gazing at the sky full of fireworks, he suddenly felt fresh hope for life.
The big fellow laughed heartily, lifted his head toward Kaedehara Kazuha, who sat on the mast watching the fireworks, and shouted loudly: "Kazuha, come on down and have something to eat and chat."
Kaedehara Kazuha withdrew his gaze and looked at the sailors drinking and feasting on meat down on the deck, so lively and merry, and he suddenly understood Naganohara Yoimiya's words a little better.
Fireworks fade swiftly; human warmth endures.
Surely this scene at Liyue Harbor was just what she had meant.
He smiled, leapt down, and landed steadily beside the sailors.
"Come, come, sit down, quick."
Seeing Kaedehara Kazuha come down, several sailors waved him over to sit, one handing him a big rack of lamb while another poured him a bowl of Osmanthus Wine.
Kaedehara Kazuha accepted the wine bowl and the rack of lamb, drank a mouthful of Osmanthus Wine, looked up at the sky full of fireworks, and the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
On Sister Beidou's The Alcor, everything was good—except it was a bit noisy.
He liked the quiet.
So he often sat alone on the mast, letting the wind blow over him.
But today, perhaps a little noise now and then was no harm at all.
The streets of Chihu Rock.
Ying'er walked along the bluestone-paved street, her hands laden with bags large and small, returning fully loaded.
She looked at Fang Qiu and her group standing before the wooden railing, withdrew her gaze with a faint smile, and headed toward the Spring Fragrance Kiln.
But just as she turned around, she caught sight of a boy and a girl, two children, walking along the road. The boy, his face red, kept tentatively trying to take the girl's hand, yet each time he reached out, he timidly drew his hand back. Watching it made her anxious, and she could hardly resist stepping forward to lend them a hand.
Just at that moment, the girl took the initiative and grasped the boy's hand.
The boy shuddered all over, his body suddenly going rigid, and his face flushed crimson in an instant.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
the boy said in a fluster.
Pulling his hand back wouldn't do; letting the girl keep holding it wouldn't do either. He was utterly flustered.
"Dashu, there are lots of people here. Holding hands makes it harder to get separated."
The girl smiled brilliantly and said: "They're selling Dango Milk over there—let's go buy some. It's a drink that came over from Inazuma. Give it a try."
"Mm."
The boy nodded, his face red.
Seeing this scene, Ying'er couldn't help touching her cheek, an auntie's doting smile spreading across her face, and said: "How wonderfully green and innocent."
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