Flower Lanterns

The two watched the enormous phoenix lantern in the center of the city for a while before wandering around.

They bought a pair of flower lanterns and made their way to the river within the city.

The river shimmered with specks of firefly-like light in the night, while the flower lanterns hanging along both banks reflected upon its surface.

Countless flower lanterns carrying people's wishes drifted slowly down the river, like a flowing galaxy.

Qian Renxue crouched by the riverbank and carefully set the lotus lantern in her hands onto the water.

Following her example, Jiang Bai pushed his own lantern away from the shore.

The two lanterns spun once on the surface before quickly drifting downstream side by side.

"Where do you think they'll drift to?" Qian Renxue asked softly, her gaze following the lights as they gradually receded.

"Who knows?" Jiang Bai crouched beside her. "Maybe some children downstream will fish them out, or maybe they'll hit something and sink—"

Before he could finish, an evening breeze swept across the river. The lotus lanterns suddenly picked up speed and floated into the distance.

"Oh! Why are they drifting so fast?"

Qian Renxue stood up and stamped her foot in mild frustration, her eyes following the fading lights as they nearly blended into the distant river of lanterns.

She rose onto her tiptoes, trying to see farther. Her long golden hair fluttered softly in the night breeze.

A moment later, she seemed to think of something. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she turned to point at a three-story teahouse nearby.

"Let's go up there and look! We should be able to see where they drift from higher up."

Jiang Bai looked in the direction she pointed.

It was an elegant old wooden building, with strings of lanterns hanging from its upturned eaves, making it especially eye-catching against the night sky.

Both the second and third floors had riverside terraces, and quite a few guests were already seated there.

"Sure." He nodded.

The two entered the teahouse.

The first-floor hall was bustling with voices. A storyteller was recounting a Soul Master legend, and the crack of his wooden clapper against the table rang out from time to time.

A waiter eagerly came forward. Upon hearing that they wanted seats by the river, he led them to the second floor.

Compared to the lively scene downstairs, the second floor was much quieter.

The wooden floorboards creaked softly beneath their feet, while the air carried the fragrance of tea and a faint scent of incense.

Their private table was at the very edge of the terrace. Beyond the wooden railing flowed the river, giving them an excellent view.

"What would you two like to order? We have premium Cloud Mist Tea, as well as freshly delivered osmanthus cakes—" the waiter smoothly listed the offerings.

"A pot of black tea, two servings of osmanthus cake, and a few assorted tea snacks."

Qian Renxue gave the order casually, her gaze already drifting beyond the railing.

The waiter acknowledged the request and withdrew.

Qian Renxue hurried to the railing, braced both hands against the wooden banister, and leaned out slightly to look below.

From this height, the entire stretch of river lay in full view.

Hundreds of flower lanterns drifted slowly across the water like scattered stars.

"Found them!"

She suddenly cried out excitedly, pointing downstream. "Our lanterns are over there!"

Jiang Bai walked to her side and looked in the direction she pointed.

Sure enough, the two small flower lanterns were pressed closely together in the river.

The waiter soon brought over the tea and snacks.

Steam curled from the white porcelain teapot, while the osmanthus cakes had been shaped into delicate flowers and placed on porcelain plates.

Yet Qian Renxue had no mind to taste them. She still leaned against the railing, propping her cheek with her right hand as she gazed dreamily at the river.

There were fewer lanterns on the second floor, and the lighting was gentler and dimmer.

Warm yellow light fell across her face from the side, outlining her delicate features.

A few loose strands of hair slipped from her temples and brushed gently in the night breeze.

"If only things could stay like this forever... how wonderful that would be..."

She sighed softly, her voice carrying a rare sense of ease and longing.

Jiang Bai's heart stirred.

Perhaps... the girl leaning against the railing, worrying over two flower lanterns, was what she truly looked like after setting down all her burdens.

The river breeze carried the bustle of the distant streets, along with the faint sound of a zither from within the teahouse.

With such a scene before them, he truly wanted to—

"On an eastern wind-filled night, a thousand trees bloomed in lantern light," he recited softly.

Qian Renxue tilted her head slightly and looked at him.

"Then it blew, scattering stars like rain."

Jiang Bai continued, his gaze sweeping over the bustling long street below, where brilliant lights shone and people flowed endlessly.

"Fine horses and ornate carriages filled the road with fragrance. Phoenix flutes rang, jade wheels turned, fish and dragon lanterns danced through the night."

Qian Renxue turned fully toward him and leaned against the railing, her purple eyes especially bright in the dim light.

She said nothing, merely watched him quietly and waited for him to continue.

Jiang Bai paused, shifting his gaze from the streetscape back to the person before him.

The girl's fair face appeared and vanished amid the sparse lantern light, while her golden hair seemed to hold all the brilliance of the night.

"Moth-like ornaments, snowy willow hairpins, and threads of gold," he recited slowly, each word clear and solemn. "Amid laughter and soft speech, hidden fragrance drifted away."

Qian Renxue unconsciously tightened her fingers around the edge of the railing.

"Through the crowd, I searched for her a thousand times." Jiang Bai stepped forward, closing the distance between them until they could clearly see the lantern light reflected in each other's eyes. "Then, when I turned my head—"

"There she was, standing where the lantern light had faded."

As the last words fell, a clear note from the zither rang through the teahouse, as though it had drawn the perfect final pause to the verse.

Qian Renxue froze.

"Through the crowd... searched for her... a thousand times..."

She repeated the line unconsciously, and her heart suddenly began to race.

A flush spread visibly across Qian Renxue's pretty face, traveling from her cheeks to her ears and down her neck.

"Jiang Bai..." Her voice trembled slightly. "You can write poetry too?"

"Not really. I just... happened to think of it."

Jiang Bai smiled and took out a brocade box he had prepared long ago from his Storage Bracelet.

When the box was opened, it revealed two hand-sewn puppets.

One was a little Angel with golden hair and a white dress. It was exquisitely made, and its appearance was clearly recognizable.

The other was a boy in blue, holding a tiny seven-story pagoda in his hand. Compared with the little Angel, this puppet was obviously much cruder. The pagoda in its hand was merely a small pillar piled together from cotton.

"What are these...?"

"Here, a little Angel and the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King!"

Jiang Bai put one puppet on each hand and made them face each other. "I made them myself. My craftsmanship isn't very good..."

He controlled the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King puppet, clumsily bumping it against the little Angel's head before saying, "The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King wins!"

"

Qian Renxue finally snapped out of it. She puffed out her cheeks and snatched both puppets away. "Mm—no! The little Angel should win!"

She held the two puppets in her palms and examined them carefully.

The little Angel was indeed delicate and adorable, but the crude "Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King" made her heart stir even more.

Though the stitches were crooked, every one of them had been sewn tightly.

The blue fabric was the color she often saw him wear, and the raised pillar on the puppet's right hand was clearly his Martial Soul.

"It's really ugly," she said softly, though the corners of her lips rose beyond her control.