You See? She Panicked Again

(I didn't intentionally skip yesterday's update. I went home for a bit, and when I came back, the house was flooded. My two cats were fighting and the faucet broke. The cat food bowls floated all the way to the living room.)

The procession to welcome the gods was grand and impressive, heading towards the neighboring town.

The people in the town had been waiting for a long time.

As soon as the procession reached the town entrance, they saw that every household had set up an incense table in front of their door, burning incense and kowtowing.

Men, women, and children from all over the town poured out, crowding both sides of the street, vying to kneel down and worship the large sedan chair with its draped gauze curtains.

Even more so, the Spirit Beast of the mountains and forests followed obediently at the rear of the procession, keeping pace with it step by step.

The sight left the people of the second town speechless, and they immediately erupted in even more devout worship and shouts.

The crowds that followed grew like a snowball, increasing in number and size until they stretched as far as the eye could see.

But there are always some people who, deep down, don't believe in these things.

In their eyes, welcoming the gods was nothing more than an old custom passed down from their ancestors, just a formality.

The so-called gods are completely fictitious.

They stood at a distance, arms crossed, watching with a hint of mockery on their lips.

However, at that moment...

They witnessed that scene.

From the direction they came from, a dark mass of wild beasts surged forth from the mountains and forests.

Foxes, rabbits, roe deer, muntjacs, wolves, deer... countless creatures emerged from the forests in all directions, gathering in a mighty procession towards the group.

Leading the pack was a pure white deer, its demeanor calm and composed, guiding the seemingly endless herd of beasts behind it at a leisurely pace.

These creatures of the mountains and forests, who should have avoided people and fought each other, were now as docile as if they were being driven, quietly following behind the large sedan chair, step by step.

One mile.

Two miles.

The herd of beasts followed the sedan chair for miles and showed no sign of dispersing.

The mocking laughter gradually faded from their faces.

Taming one or two animals might not be difficult.

But these thousands upon thousands of birds and beasts of all kinds bowed their heads and followed in worship.

Is this something that can be done manually?

Just as their minds were wavering, another cry came from afar outside the crowd.

It was a woman, supporting her son who was terminally ill but miraculously able to walk today, weeping uncontrollably as she thanked God for His grace.

She wasn't the only one who rushed out like that.

Some were suffering from chronic illnesses, some had been trying to conceive for years without success, and some had encountered family misfortunes and were desperate.

Filled with their own sorrows and hopes, they rushed towards the large sedan chair without regard for anything else.

Most of them were stopped by the Divine Guard stationed around the perimeter.

But a few of them, like the woman, received a red date, and wept with joy, bowing again and again in the direction of the sedan chair.

No one knows why the people in the sedan chair behind the veil were chosen.

Others simply attributed it to divine favor or fate.

Only Qin Wangchuan himself knew the truth.

He could discern who was truly suffering and had nowhere to turn, and who was merely joining in the fun or seeking a lucky break. Every glance he received revealed every detail, leaving nothing hidden.

And so, the grand procession, after passing through two small towns, finally returned to Willow Creek Town as night fell.

The town entrance was already crowded with people waiting.

When they saw the returning team, everyone gasped.

That place is still the same size as when I left.

The crowd stretched out from outside the town, endless and dark, filling the entire official road.

The mountain forest Spirit Beast trailed behind, quiet and docile.

Torches stretched like a long dragon, and incense smoke resembled Cloud Sea.

Such a grand spectacle, let alone in Willow Creek Town, even in the three towns that have been holding their welcoming ceremonies for over a hundred years, has never been comparable to tonight.

Everyone had a vague feeling that this year's god might really be a little different.

The commotion continued into the early hours of the morning.

As soon as the midnight bell rang, this grand welcoming ceremony came to an end.

As per the rules, Qin Wangchuan was finally able to remove his magnificent divine robes and change back into his everyday clothes.

In the center of the square, a bonfire was burning brightly.

That moon-white divine robe was thrown into the fire.

This is how we send the gods back to their rightful place, so we can welcome them again next year.

The flames licked the fabric until they disappeared.

Qin Wangchuan stood at a distance, watching quietly.

The things that the girl sewed stitch by stitch for so long were turned into a pile of ashes in the blink of an eye.

If she sees this later, she'll probably be heartbroken for days.

Thinking about it, he could almost picture the girl's wide-eyed expression.

The corners of her lips curved slightly involuntarily.

After the gods were seen off, it was just a regular celebration.

Around the bonfire, the drums and music started again, and people sang and danced, expressing all the joy they had accumulated throughout the year.

The most lively crowd was the young people.

Taking advantage of this rare atmosphere, many people mustered up their courage, blushed, and confessed their feelings to the person they admired.

From time to time, bursts of boisterous cheers would erupt from the crowd.

It goes without saying which blushing kid got what he wanted.

The air was filled with the excitement and sweetness of youth.

It was at this moment that Qin Wangchuan remembered Qin Zhaoer.

When it comes to joining in the fun, this girl is always the first.

Such a lively occasion with singing and dancing should have been the time when she was having the most fun.

Look around.

The vast square was teeming with people, but that familiar figure was nowhere to be seen.

Where are they?

Just as he was wondering, Qin Wangchuan's gaze fell on a figure not far away.

It's Miss Zhong.

She was standing in the shadows where the campfire couldn't reach, gazing at them from afar, her expression revealing a hint of melancholy that he clearly saw.

Qin Wangchuan had no intention of going there.

But recalling her hesitant eyes when they first met, the thought finally took hold.

Some things are better said sooner rather than later.

After a moment's thought, he walked towards Miss Zhong.

However, to onlookers, this scene presented a completely different picture.

The most popular and handsome young man of the night, at this time of year when declarations of love are rampant, actually took the initiative to approach a girl.

The answer seems self-evident.

In an instant, countless eyes turned towards them.

"Hey, you've got it!"

"Go! Go!"

Whistles, cheers, and applause immediately filled the air.

Not far away, Jiang Zhuo and a few acquaintances watched with smiles, their eyes full of mischievous anticipation, just waiting for the inevitable scene to unfold.

However.

Their expectations were destined to be dashed.

A figure practically burst out of the crowd, rushing forward and blocking Qin Wangchuan's path.

It's Qin Zhaoer.

She burst out from some corner of the crowd, her hair disheveled, and she was still out of breath.

That Zhang Su flamboyant little face was now flustered and at a loss, her eyes red and filled with tears.

It was as if if we were a step later, we would lose something.

"Where... where are you going?"

The voice trembled.