When Qiguan Yuan's lips pressed against his, the chat in the live stream paused for a moment.
Tens of thousands of comments flooded in simultaneously, the screen filled with dense white text, making it impossible to read a single word.
The video froze for a moment, then after a few seconds the server recovered, and the comments section started scrolling wildly.
[Ahhhhhhh]
[They kissed, they kissed, they kissed]
[ Pei Yubai's first on-screen kiss!!!]
[He never films kissing scenes!!!]
[My first kiss was with Qiguan Yuan ]
[No way, is this Pei Yubai's first kiss?! Pei Yubai has never had a kissing scene in a movie!]
Qiguan Yuan stole Pei Yubai's first on-screen kiss.
[They kissed less than a day after the official announcement]
[Too much sugar, where's the insulin?]
My diabetes flared up.
[He doesn't do kissing scenes in movies because he's saving them for Yuanyuan.]
[ Pei Yubai, you're good]
[ The Taro Balls so real!!! I'm dying of envy!]
Pei Yubai heard Qiguan Yuan say that he was going back.
His mind, which had been momentarily confused, was slowly clearing up.
He looked at him, and after a few seconds spoke, "Are you leaving now?"
Qiguan Yuan nodded.
Pei Yubai was silent for a moment, then stood up. "I'll take you home."
Qiguan Yuan shook his head, grabbed his hand, and stopped him from moving. "You continue recording the program."
The viewers in front of the screen were so engrossed in their romance that they instantly forgot about it when they heard that Qiguan Yuan was leaving.
[Is Yuanyuan leaving?]
[Don't go!!!]
[Isn't today the last day? Can't we leave tomorrow?]
[Waaaaah]
[ Yuanyuan, can you please not leave?]
[ Yuanyuan, what will we do now that you're gone?]
It seems the only option is to check Pei Yubai's Weibo.
[Tearfully watching Pei Yubai, how despicable!]
Qiguan Yuan stood up, his silver hair sliding down his shoulders and falling to his chest, his red clothes appearing very dark in the firelight.
He took the phone from Pei Yubai's hand.
He clicked into his own live stream, where he saw himself leaning against Pei Yubai, the firelight reflecting off his face.
The number of online users in the upper right corner is still increasing.
[Don't go, my Yuanyuan ]
[ Yuanyuan, please stay a few more days.]
We can't bear to part with you.
[ Yuanyuan, look at me]
[Your little fans are here]
[ Yuanyuan, please don't go]
Qiguan Yuan looked at the comments and a slight smile curved his lips.
He noticed an ID; amidst a barrage of scrolling comments, the name slowly drifted from right to left.
"I'm Yuanyuan's Xiao Yuan Grains. Little friend, your name is very nice."
The live chat exploded immediately.
[He called my name!!!]
[ Yuanyuan called my name!!!]
This is a fan of the user with the nickname "I am Yuanyuan's Xiao Yuan Grains," who excitedly sent two consecutive comments.
[ Xiao Yuan Grains is so cute]
[I also want to change my name to Xiao Yuan Grains ]
[It has been changed]
[You guys are so fast!]
Looking at the many nicknames with the name " Xiao Yuan Grains " appearing on the screen, Qiguan Yuan said, "Well then, my Xiao Yuan Grains, I look forward to our next meeting."
He paused, then looked up at the sky. It was completely dark, and the moon had risen from the east, hanging round and bright above the treetops.
He turned his gaze back to the camera. "Good evening, everyone."
He returned the phone to Pei Yubai.
Pei Yubai took the phone; the screen was still lit, and Qiguan Yuan's face was still in the frame. Then the camera panned and focused on the ground.
Qiguan Yuan approached Pei Yubai, tiptoed slightly, and whispered in his ear.
Her breath tickled my ear.
" Pei Yubai, you've found me."
His breath was light, his voice trailing slightly downwards at the end, tinged with a hint of a smile.
He reached out and hooked Pei Yubai's ring finger, his fingertip touching the translucent red thread. He gently pulled it, the thread taut, then released.
"Don't be sad, we'll meet again soon."
Then he stepped back.
Silver hair slid down Pei Yubai 'Pei Yubai shoulder, the ends brushing against his arm.
Qiguan Yuan glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, then turned and walked out of the open space.
Pei Yubai stood there, watching his retreating figure.
Her red dress swayed in the firelight, and her silver hair hung down her back, swaying gently with her steps.
Qiguan Yuan walked slowly, his steps light, making no sound on the road.
He walked to the edge of the clearing, his figure blending into the night. The light from the campfire couldn't reach that far, and Qiguan Yuan's figure grew fainter and smaller until it became a blurry shadow.
Even that faint shadow was swallowed up by the night.
Pei Yubai stood still, looking in that direction.
[ Yuanyuan is gone]
[He's really gone]
[ Pei Yubai stood there, looking very sad.]
[ Pei Yubai, go after him!]
[Can you please not be so sad? Yuanyuan said we'll see each other again soon.]
The campfire was still burning, the firewood crackling.
Shen Yuzhou was still bickering with Cheng Yanqiu, while Su He'an led the Miao girls in a dance, and tourists were taking pictures with their phones.
No one noticed that Qiguan Yuan had left.
Pei Yubai stood there alone, like a tree transplanted to an empty field, completely out of place with the surrounding hustle and bustle.
Meng Xu had been watching this scene from the sidelines. He saw Qiguan Yuan leave and then glanced at Pei Yubai's back.
He waved his hand, signaling the photographer to stop taking pictures of Pei Yubai.
The photographer nodded and turned the camera towards Shen Yuzhou.
Meng Xu walked around from outside the arena, stopped beside Pei Yubai, and asked, "Are you alright?"
Pei Yubai remained silent.
Meng Xu glanced at him, her eyes full of disdain. "Ugh, did your soul wander off? No, Pei Yubai, how come I never realized you were such a love-struck fool! It's not like you're never going to see him again, snap out of it."
Pei Yubai finally turned his gaze away. He glanced at Meng Xu and said calmly, "Because you don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend."
You don't know anything.
Meng Xu choked.
He opened his mouth as if to retort, but didn't know what to say. After a long while, he finally said, "You deserve to be separated from Qiguan Yuan. Go ahead and be sad. I'm just being nosy by offering you comfort."
After saying that, he turned and left, but after taking two steps, he turned back to look at Pei Yubai, Pei Yubai had already turned to look at the campfire.
Meng Xu snorted, walked back to the sidelines, and took out his phone.
His Weibo inbox has been flooded with mentions, all from fans clamoring for " Qiguan Yuan to come back" and "Can we make Qiguan Yuan a permanent member?"
He turned his phone face down on the table and sighed.
Alas, his lucky charm is gone.
Qiguan Yuan walked for a while and arrived outside the village.
The stone-paved road ended, and ahead was a dirt road with terraced fields on both sides.
The moon's reflection shone brightly in the paddy fields.
He stopped.
There was no one around, no cameras, and no live streaming studio.
Only the wind blows from the direction of the terraced fields, carrying the scent of moisture and earth, mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees.
Qiguan Yuan raised his hand, Dust-Settling Red Cord on his wrist moved slightly in the moonlight.
Having regained his magical power, he decided not to go back.
Instead, they used magic to reach Cloud-Hidden Town directly.
The tree canopy obscured the moon, and a thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, making it soft and spongy underfoot.
The villagers of Fated Marriage Village all go to bed early. There is no one on the stone-paved road, and the wooden doors on both sides are closed. Occasionally, a dog barks or two, which can be heard from a distance.
He walked up the mountain along the Fated Marriage Path, ascending the blue stone steps one by one, the moonlight shining brightly on them.
Qiguan Yuan has excellent eyesight and can see clearly at night.
The door to the Yue Lao Temple was ajar.
He pushed open the door and went inside. The incense burner in the courtyard was still burning, and wisps of smoke drifted in the moonlight.
A monk in red robes is sweeping the ground under a tree.
The moonlight shone on his bald head, reflecting a faint glow.
He heard footsteps, looked up, saw Qiguan Yuan, and sized him up. "You're back."
Qiguan Yuan nodded.
The monk leaned the broom against the tree and took something out of his sleeve—a small cloth bag, folded neatly into a square.
"The courtyard has been cleaned. I've kept your things; I'll give them to you now."
Qiguan Yuan shook his head.
"I'll go get it myself."
Jixian nodded without saying anything more, put the cloth bag back into his sleeve, moved aside, and continued sweeping.
The broom swept across the bluestone slabs, making a soft, swishing sound.
Qiguan Yuan walked through the front courtyard, through the moon gate, through the corridor, and arrived at the secluded courtyard at the back.
The gate wasn't locked, so he pushed it open and went inside. The courtyard wasn't large, paved with blue bricks, and a clump of bamboo grew in the corner, the moonlight shining on it and casting bamboo shadows on the wall.
He pushed open the door to the room. There were no lights inside; moonlight shone in through the window, casting a white glow on the floor.
Qiguan Yuan sat down on the edge of the bed.
He didn't lie down. He took out a red thread from his sleeve, a small section of the Dust-Settling Red Cord, tied it around his wrist, and remained still.
He stood up, left the courtyard, walked through the corridor, passed through the moon gate, and arrived at the front yard.
Tree of Fate stands in the middle of the courtyard, its branches laden with red ribbons swaying in the wind.
Qiguan Yuan walked to the tree, looked up, and gazed at the red ropes hanging down.
His gaze moved from one to another, finally settling on one.
The red rope was tied to the lowest branch; it was newer than the other ropes and its red color was striking.
A bamboo skewer was tied to the bottom of the rope.
He raised his hand and took the bamboo stick off. A name was written on the stick: Qiguan Yuan.
If Pei Yubai were here, he would definitely recognize it as the marriage fortune slip he wrote that night.
Qiguan Yuan put the divination slip into his sleeve, turned around, and walked behind the Yue Lao Temple.
The plum grove is behind the temple. Moonlight shines on the bare plum branches, casting shadows on the ground like a traditional Chinese ink painting.
The old plum trees deep in the plum forest are still the same, with thick trunks and cracked bark, with the word "hidden" carved on them.
The characters are deep in ink, somewhat blurred by the passage of time, but still legible.
Qiguan Yuan squatted down under that tree.
He stretched out his hand, his five fingers slightly bent, and grabbed towards the ground.
The soil was turned up from underground and piled up loosely to the side.
A bamboo skewer floated up from the ground, suspended in mid-air, covered in mud, with the bright red string still attached to it.
Qiguan Yuan caught the fortune stick. He held the stick in his fingers and used magic to brush away the dirt on it.
The fortune slip was revealed, with three characters engraved on it: Xiu Yun Yin.
He turned the slip over; the back also had the words "Pei Yubai" engraved on it.
Qiguan Yuan stared at the two names for a long time. He held the two fortune sticks side by side in his hand; one was written by Pei Yubai, " Qiguan Yuan," and the other was written by him, " Xiu Yun Yin " and " Pei Yubai."
He gathered them together and put them in his sleeve.
He turned and left the plum grove, returning to the secluded courtyard.
He placed the two sticks beside his pillow, washed up, changed his clothes, and lay down.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on the two bamboo sticks, which gleamed faintly.
He closed his eyes. His breathing gradually became deeper, and his chest rose and fell slightly.
The Dust-Settling Red Cord on her wrist gleamed briefly in the moonlight, then retracted, remaining wrapped around her wrist and motionless.
The monk sat in front of the temple gate, holding a steamed bun in each hand and eating it.
He was wearing a dark red robe, and his hair was neatly shaved.
A series of footsteps approached.
These are the usual worshippers at the Yue Lao Temple.
The voices of the worshippers grew closer.
The approaching pilgrims immediately spotted the red-robed monk sitting in front of the Yue Lao Temple.
The gate of the Yue Lao Temple behind him was not yet open. Normally, the gate would have been open long ago at this time.
The worshippers naturally recognized the monk; he was the only monk in the Yue Lao Temple and usually roamed around the Yue Lao Temple.
Although you can't run into him every time, all the worshippers who frequently come to the Yue Lao Temple to offer incense know him.
So they asked, "Master Jixian, why is the temple gate closed today?"
Jixian is the Buddhist name of this red-robed monk.
"Amitabha Buddha, the Yue Lao Temple is closed to visitors today. Please come again tomorrow."
It was quiet outside for a while.
One of the worshippers exclaimed "Oh!" in a voice filled with realization, "Look at my memory! I almost broke the rules. Thank you for reminding me, Master Jixian."
So the pilgrims turned around and went down the mountain the way they came.
The footsteps faded into the distance, and I couldn't quite make out what the people were saying.
More footsteps approached. "Master Jixian, we've spread the word that the Yue Lao Temple is closed today, so no more worshippers will be coming up."
Jixian nodded expressionlessly. "Amitabha, thank you, benefactor."
The footsteps faded into the distance.
Jixian finished the steamed bun in his hand, clapped his hands, and stood up.
He turned around, glanced at Qiguan Yuan, and sighed.
He reached out to push open the temple door.
The door slowly opened, and the morning light poured in, illuminating the entire courtyard.
As expected, the door was halfway open when a red line flew in from inside, shooting straight towards Jixian's neck.
Jixian reacted quickly.
His head snapped to the side, the red thread grazing his neck and embedding itself in the door with a thud.
A small hole was punched through the door panel by the red thread; the edges of the hole were neat and clean, as if it had been cut with a knife.
Jixian didn't look back at the hole; he took off running.
His speed was astonishing; his robes fluttered in the wind, and he ran like a startled rabbit rather than a monk who spent his days sweeping the temple.
Qiguan Yuan walked out of the courtyard. His steps were not fast, but each step covered a great distance.
His red robes fluttered in the morning breeze, and a few strands of his silver hair were blown up, making him look like a red leaf being swept up by the wind.
Jixian ran ahead, Qiguan Yuan chased after him.
The distance between the two people was rapidly shrinking.
Jixian glanced back and his heart skipped a beat.
Qiguan Yuan was only a few feet away from him, his face still showing his usual lazy expression, his eyes half-closed.
He runs just like he's taking a walk, but he's incredibly fast.
Jixian shouted as he ran.
The wind was strong, and the sound was scattered, making it difficult to hear what he was saying.
Qiguan Yuan did not answer. He then threw out another red thread, which snaked along the ground and wrapped around Ji Jixian's ankle.
Jixian jumped to the side and dodged it, but this jump wasted time, Qiguan Yuan got closer to him.
Jixian finally stopped running.
He turned around to face Qiguan Yuan, clasped his hands together, and panted. His bald head steamed in the morning light, and his face bore an expression of resignation.
He was careless; he hadn't expected Qiguan Yuan to regain his magical power.