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On the Lantern Festival day, both the town and the county would hold lantern festivals. Despite the town being smaller than the county, the town’s lantern festival was just as lively, if not more so. This was due to several wealthy individuals who adored lanterns. Each year, they hired the best lantern craftsmen, competing to showcase the most exquisite lanterns. Various festive activities were organized, drawing villagers from miles around and even attracting scholars and affluent families from the county. The atmosphere was vibrant and bustling.
As Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi arrived in town, the sky was beginning to darken.
In the town, not every area was adorned with lanterns. Main streets were the focal point, with lanterns adorning both sides. Many stalls were set up to display lanterns and sell a variety of trinkets. Shops were also decorated, hoping to boost their businesses during the bustling festival.
On Shen Zi’an’s cart, a group of young children sat, including Huzi, Xiaosuo, and the children from the main and second households. They chattered excitedly, pointing at the newly hung lanterns along the streets, their eyes sparkling with delight in the glow of the lanterns.
Seeing Su Zhi’s joyous expression mirroring the children’s, Shen Zi’an squeezed her hand and said, “The lanterns aren’t at their best yet. When night falls completely, and all the lanterns are lit, that’s when it will be most beautiful. I’ll take you to see all the lanterns then.”
“Alright, I want a lotus lantern. Don’t forget to buy it,” Su Zhi joyfully exclaimed. Even in her previous modern life, she had never attended a lantern festival. Now, in this reincarnated state, being able to hold hands with the person she loved while enjoying the lantern festival felt incredibly magical. The happiness in her heart bloomed like the lanterns, lighting up one by one, growing more numerous and radiant.
Shen Zi’an replied, “Perfect, one lotus lantern for each of us.”
Li Qing’s Wife watched them walking ahead and teasingly remarked, “What secrets are you young lovebirds whispering about? Share it with us, let’s join in the joy.”
Shugen’s wife pulled her back, teasing, “How can we listen to the whispers of the lovebirds? Whispered words should be kept secret. If you want to know, have your husband tell you.”
Huzi loudly interjected, “Mom, what are you and Dad talking about? You can’t keep secrets from me! I want to hear the whispers too!”
Others laughed at the teasing, with older girls like Chunlan and Chunxi blushing slightly. They understood that the whispers between spouses were meant to be kept private. Watching Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi, they felt a tinge of envy. The affection between Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt was evident, and they all hoped to find such loving partners in the future.
Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi, walking behind, listened with smiles, not feeling embarrassed at all. Their happiness was well-known, and they didn’t mind others seeing their loving relationship.
Shen Zifu and Shen Zigui glanced at their Fourth Brother’s smiling face, relieved to see him so happy. Seeing him smile like that, they felt reassured that he had finally found the right match and that his days of hardship were now over.
Su Zhi, smiling, suddenly felt as though someone was watching her. She glanced around but only saw the bustling street with many pedestrians. Despite the lanterns illuminating the area, there were still shadows where people could hide. She furrowed her brow, thinking she might be overly sensitive. In a crowd, it was natural to inadvertently catch someone’s gaze or be noticed by others.
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Zi’an noticed Su Zhi’s slight frown and asked with concern. He reached out, gently tucking a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, his touch tender and affectionate.
Su Zhi shook her head and said, “It’s nothing, just feeling overwhelmed by the crowd now, and it will only get busier.”
“I’ll hold onto you tightly later so I won’t lose you,” Shen Zi’an assured her.
Su Zhi nodded, moving closer to Shen Zi’an, engaging in a quiet conversation with him, listening as he described the upcoming activities. Her smile grew brighter on her face, illuminated by the increasing number of lanterns, creating a dazzling atmosphere.
From a dim corner Su Zhi had observed earlier, a figure emerged. The person watched Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an disappear into the crowd, their eyes flickering.
“Young Master, let’s go,” they said.
A young boy, around twelve or thirteen years old, dressed in green attire, respectfully addressed the motionless figure, questioning why they were so fixated on the group of villagers in the cart. Even if there were a few young women among them, they were too young to be considered exceptionally beautiful. The young master would not be interested in them, so what were they looking at?
“Let’s go,” the figure responded with a hint of melancholy flashing across their face before turning and walking away, blending into the crowd with the young boy. They headed in the opposite direction from Su Zhi and the others, walking farther away. Many years later, when reflecting on this moment, they wondered what would have happened if they had followed. Upon contemplation, they realized the inevitable outcome – they would have still left alone.
Shen Zi’an and the group found an empty space by the street, greeted the nearby vendors, and parked the cart. With more people around, they prepared to start their business.
The group took out the pre-prepared grass stems and displayed the tanghulu on them, inserting them densely. Shen Zifu and a few other men each took a large stem, while the women held smaller ones. Once everyone was ready, they discussed which streets to cover to avoid crowding and happily split up to sell the tanghulu.
Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi stayed behind, setting up their display on the cart. Together, they started calling out:
“Tanghulu for sale! Sweet and sour tanghulu! Try one strand, and you’ll want more! They are sour, sweet, and visually appealing! Buy a strand and sweeten your day!”
Su Zhi’s voice rang out, soft and clear, captivating those who heard it. Her melodic voice drew people’s attention, and her enticing descriptions of the tanghulu made them seem irresistibly delicious.
After just a few calls, customers started approaching.
Su Zhi introduced the tanghulu, employing a selling technique she learned from selling pastries. She let a child taste one with their parent, resulting in the child eagerly requesting another strand.
The bright red hawthorn fruits coated in glistening syrup under the light looked visually appealing, arousing people’s appetites. Business picked up swiftly, with Shen Zi’an handing out tanghulu and Su Zhi collecting payments. In no time, they sold dozens of strands. As those who had gone out to sell with grass stems returned, they refilled them, each person returning with smiles on their faces.
After a couple of hours, all the tanghulu were sold out. Some customers bought dozens or even hundreds of strands, indicating they were from affluent households purchasing fresh treats for their masters.
Once all the tanghulu were sold, Shen Zi’an bid farewell to everyone. Watching families blend into the crowd, he and Su Zhi drove the cart to a late-night food stall owned by an acquaintance of Shen Zi’an. Parking the cart there allowed them the chance to enjoy the lantern festival.
Shen Zi’an kept two strands of tanghulu, handing one to Su Zhi as they strolled hand in hand through the bustling street, enjoying the lanterns and savoring the tanghulu. Su Zhi felt like she was in paradise, not wanting this moment to end.
After finishing the tanghulu, Su Zhi felt a bit hungry. They sat at a stall and each ordered a bowl of Yuanxiao, known as “Yuanzi” during this festival. Similar to Tangyuan, these glutinous rice balls had various fillings. Su Zhi’s bowl was sweet, while Shen Zi’an’s was filled with red bean paste, both exceptionally sweet. Despite Su Zhi not having a strong sweet tooth, she ate it all, feeling warm and content after finishing the soup.
“Is this your wife, young man?” asked the elderly couple selling Yuanxiao. They observed Shen Zi’an offering his bowl to Su Zhi and helping fix her hair, and the old man kindly served Shen Zi’an a bowl of soup.
Shen Zi’an nodded with a smile, looking at Su Zhi’s rosy cheeks. He thought how wonderful it would be to grow old together like the elderly couple before them.
The old man chuckled and said, “Young man, you are truly fortunate. Your young wife is very beautiful, looking even better than my wife did when she was young. Take good care of her.”
The old woman on the side heard the old man sighing, but she looked at Shen Zian and Su Zhi with smiles on her face. Su Zhi was a little embarrassed, but at this time she felt as if someone was looking at her, she quickly turned to look around, only to see the bustling street with no one out of the ordinary. She realized she might have been overly sensitive.
“Zi’an, let’s go,” Su Zhi said, feeling a bit uneasy despite acknowledging her own unwarranted concerns. They stood up, Shen Zi’an paid, bid farewell to the lovely elderly couple, and continued their lantern viewing.
As they left, a young nobleman in a blue silk robe with bamboo patterns, adorned with a white jade hairpin, white jade pendant at his waist, and a sachet, took the seats they vacated. It was evident he came from a wealthy family.