"System, did you glitch?"
"Doing good deeds +1, score +1."
"Huh?"
Qi Huan was puzzled. She was just sitting here, not doing anything, how could she be doing good deeds?
Yet, her System kept busy saying "Doing good deeds +1, score +1", not only having no time to answer her but also giving her a buzzing headache.
For this, Qi Huan had no choice but to use her trump card: "Mute."
Just as her ears were quieted down, she was suddenly lifted up.
"Look, the second birthday gift."
Following the direction Li Shuchen's chin was pointing, Qi Huan looked ahead and saw the winding river divided into two halves.
One half was a silver water surface, the other half was orange-red flames.
Following the flow of the river, the flickering flames kept drifting towards them. The rippling waves carried small boats made of tung oil-soaked paper, bearing glimmering candlelights, surging forth.
Setting her down, Li Shuchen walked to the riverbank, bent down to pick up one of the boats, plucked off the red candle, and handed it to Qi Huan.
After taking it, Qi Huan unfolded the paper boat to see the words written: Wishing Huan a joyous birthday, may all the beauty of the world be linked together for you.
These were lyrics from a song she had once sung to him.
Seeing the familiar handwriting, her heart skipped a beat. Gazing at the pool of candlelights, her throat went dry.
"Shu, did you write something on each paper boat?"
"Mm-hmm."
On his birthday, she gifted him a paper full of red hearts.
So today, he returned to her a whole pool of sweet nothings.
"Then who released these river lanterns?"
"One bowl of rice, in exchange for the blessings of the common folk, wishing my Huan peace and happiness, a smooth-sailing life."
Huan had a soft heart but also aspired to benefit the world.
He wished for what she wished, for all in the world to have food and clothing, keeping her wish in his heart, slowly realizing it.
So he ordered Yan Jiu to prepare the rice rations in advance, waiting upstream for his signal.
Huan had once given him the blessings of the people, and he did the same in return.
After receiving the news early, the common folk swarmed forth, each sincerely wishing this Huan a long and healthy life.
Every person who received the rice thought: It would be best if this was celebrated every year, so they could get a free bowl of rice rations, have a little more food, and go a little less hungry.
At this moment, Qi Huan finally understood why the System kept adding to her score.
With teary eyes, she smiled at Li Shuchen, hooked her arms around his neck, pulled him down, and kissed him.
Under the moonlit night and gentle breeze, some paper boats sank into the river, while those following quickly caught up, the flames spreading far, the affection pouring into their hearts.
The two embraced, kissing passionately, as Li Shuchen wished he could meld her into his bones and blood, nestling her at the tip of his heart.
With her arms around his neck, Qi Huan kissed him fervently, venting the love and emotion surging in her heart.
In this life, it is easy to obtain priceless treasures but difficult to find a true lover. A soulmate is even harder to seek.
Fortunately, she met him.
Behind them were the high-hanging moon in the night sky, the vast grassy plains, and in the distance, the sleeping forms of Yan Wu, Yan Qinghe, and Xiu Wen covering Lu Yueming's eyes.
"Huan is so fierce!"
Lu Yueming pulled Xiu Wen's hand away, glancing at her friends by the river, her drunkenness kicking in.
She grabbed Xiu Wen's robe, pulling him towards her, licked her lips, and excitedly said, "I can't fall behind either."
Hearing her say this, Xiu Wen panicked, his breathing grew heavy, but he leaned his head back slightly, "You, you stay back, don't be rash, we can't! I'm not worthy of you! Yueming, don't joke about your maidenhood!"
He blabbered on and on, while Lu Yueming covered one ear, annoyed, "Not listening, stop your rambling."
"Then quickly let go of this rambler!"
Xiu Wen hurried, "I'm just a eunuch. Yes, I'm a eunuch. You can't... you're just drunk... I can't..."
Drunk, Lu Yueming's face flushed red. She slapped Xiu Wen and cursed, "To hell with being a eunuch, I just like you, what's the problem!"
With that, she moved her finger and sealed his pressure points.
Xiu Wen froze, regretting not drinking more. He only thought about having to look after her so he couldn't drink too much, but never expected her to be so fierce when drunk.
He should have just passed out drunk instead.
The moon is in the sky, only to be gazed upon from afar.
He was merely a lowly eunuch. Now also a criminal, following the lord on a path full of thorns.
What could he give Yueming? He could give her nothing, being with him would only make others say she fell into the mud.
Anxious, Xiu Wen started rambling again, "Yueming, be good, you're just drunk, quickly unseal my pressure points, I'll coax you to sleep.
Once you wake up, you'll be fine. A girl like you should marry a proper man. Your future Mr. Right should either be a talented scholar, a martial arts expert, or possess great wealth.
But definitely not a eunuch."
Saying this, his heart felt sour and swollen. Thinking of the moon becoming someone else's moon, while he could only remain in the dark, dim and lightless, felt like his heart was being gripped tightly, squeezing until he could hardly breathe.
Xiu Wen knew, he had known from the start, that Yueming looked at him with admiration. The lack of fatherly love made it easy for her to drown in his kindness.
He wanted to pull away, to be cold, but couldn't.
Xiu Wen closed his eyes, no longer saying words of rejection. He thought, he should take responsibility, and confess to the lord, and if he could live, then try to embrace the moon.
"Done talking?"
Seeing him fall silent, Lu Yueming secretly wiped a tear away.
She was somewhat drunk, but still lucid.
From a young age, she had been spoiled by her mother, causing her to act a bit unruly. She didn't mind Xiu Wen being a eunuch.
Her father's disgusting face also made her dislike men.
A eunuch was fine, a eunuch has no desires, so he wouldn't go chasing skirts, right?
Most importantly, she liked the feeling of being around Xiu Wen, like basking in a spring breeze, her heart all warm and cozy.
Feigning drunkenness, Lu Yueming suppressed a maiden's shyness, wanting to probe his feelings, but he actually retreated.
Pressing her lips firmly against his soft ones, Lu Yueming bared her teeth, punitively biting him and stubbornly said through her tears, "The words from this mouth were too unpleasant to hear. It deserves punishment."
She didn't know how to kiss, only pressing her lips repeatedly.
Opening his eyes, Xiu Wen looked at her.
The moonlight was bright and clear, and her gaze was resolute as she stubbornly continued to kiss him.
It felt like electric jolts surging through his body, tingling and numb.
"Yueming, I..."
However, before he could finish speaking, his words were drowned out by the sound of exploding fireworks.
Lu Yueming looked up, watching the dazzling fireworks blooming in the night sky, beautiful yet fleeting.
Just like her girlish infatuation and her all-or-nothing courage.
He refused her, saying she should marry someone else.
The young lady of the Lu household felt her pride slapped hard across the face. She quickly released Xiu Wen's pressure points and turned, running towards her horse, mounting it swiftly. Without looking back, she called out to Qi Huan by the riverside, "Happy birthday, Huan! I'll head back first."
Behind her, Xiu Wen lowered his outstretched hand, clenching his fingers, and walked to the river's edge, kneeling down with a splash.
Qi Huan was originally gazing at Lu Yueming's retreating back, her heart growing suspicious. Seeing Xiu Wen's dejected expression, she guessed roughly what had happened.
She gave Xiu Wen a sympathetic glance.
Yueming was outwardly tough but inwardly gentle. When in love, she charged ahead with singular courage, but in reality, she lacked self-confidence. Perhaps due to being neglected by her father too often, she always felt a sense of insecurity, afraid of being abandoned again, so she easily took the initiative to abandon others first.
Qi Huan sighed softly, "Brother Xiu Wen, you'll have to chase after your wife all the way to the crematorium."
With that, she tactfully turned and left, leaving the riverside and Li Shuchen to Xiu Wen.
