After slipping on the flower ring, Xue Chenjing's compressed and displaced hand bones instantly returned to their original position, as if nothing had happened. He didn't mind the ring's branches tightly binding his wrist; on the contrary, he rather enjoyed this feeling of constraint.
It felt like being firmly held in someone's grasp.
He raised his hand, turning his wrist in the sunlight, carefully and meticulously admiring the flower ring on his wrist, finding it even more beautiful now.
Xue Chenjing's eyelashes were gilded with fragments of the sunset's gold, his eye corners curved into a beautiful arc, and joy spilled from his eyes. In this moment of happiness, he forgot to put on Xue Mingyuan's mask.
Yu Yi's gaze wandered around the osmanthus tree before inevitably being drawn to him. Could someone really be this happy just from wearing a small, ill-fitting flower ring?
Xue Chenjing, bathed in the last rays of the fading sunset, turned his gaze back and smiled, saying, "Now, I belong to you."
Hearing these words, the warmth in Yu Yi's eyes vanished along with the dissipating sunset glow.
This person's words could be as sweet as honey when using her, and as cold as ice after he was done. She had witnessed this once at Cloud Mountain, and again in the Sunken Flower Sea.
For the sake of system tasks, he would try to brainwash her, would humbly beg to be her dog, would plead for her to like him more, would even pretend to be someone he despised just to get close to her. He would do anything.
If Xue Chenjing wanted to act, then she would play along.
The sunset had completely faded, and the stars and moon had yet to appear. The lanterns in the Moon Goddess Temple hadn't been lit yet, leaving everything above and below shrouded in deep darkness. Sky lanterns floated up from the osmanthus grove, piercing through the thick darkness, carrying the burning and passionate wishes of the mortal realm skyward, like stars rising from the earth.
Ribbons hung from the lanterns with bells attached, creating tinkling sounds as the night breeze passed through.
Yu Yi grabbed his sleeve, stood on tiptoe to reach his ear, gave a soft laugh, and whispered, "Very well, you're mine now."
Xue Chenjing's lowered eyelashes slowly lifted, his eyes widened, pupils reflecting the scattered ascending sky lanterns. His heart swelled lightly, and for a moment, his entire being seemed to transform into an illuminated sky lantern, floating upward.
But in the next moment, the words by his ear harshly pulled him back to earth. Yu Yi softly called out, "Xue Mingyuan, Mingyuan."
Xue Chenjing felt as if he had fallen from a cliff, shattering into pieces, hurting more than ever before. He didn't even know when the person before him had left, until her faint fragrance completely disappeared, until the gongs and drums in the Moon Goddess Temple began to sound.
The system sighed, "Master, why do you torment yourself like this?"
Xue Chenjing caught sight of a group of people approaching from the corner of his eye. He swiftly retreated into the shadows of the osmanthus tree, his fingers digging deep into the rough bark. The tree bore his suppressed anger as its crown trembled, scattering delicate flowers all over the ground.
"Torment? I'm not tormented," Xue Chenjing slowly and restrainedly withdrew his hand. "The faster she falls in love with him, the happier I'll be."
The system remained silent: "..." If you're not tormented, then why are you sniffling?
Xue Chenjing had grown accustomed to being the one abandoned when faced with choices. It was natural for Yu Yi to like Xue Mingyuan; it was natural for everyone to like Xue Mingyuan.
When she completely falls in love with Xue Mingyuan, he would tell her, "The person who has been by your side all along was me." Wouldn't that be interesting? Just thinking about it made the current suffocation in his heart seem insignificant.
Xue Chenjing gently stroked the finger marks on the tree bark, as if soothing the osmanthus tree he had damaged, and perhaps also soothing himself.
Meanwhile, Yu Yi found Crane Senior Brother, who had been playing wildly, grabbed him into her arms, and joined the crowd exploring the Moon Goddess Temple.
This Moon Goddess Temple wasn't particularly large, with only one divine hall. The painted beams and pillars were still fresh and bright, as it was a temple built just five years ago, yet it enjoyed flourishing worship.
The temple enshrined only one deity: the Moon Goddess.
Fengsheng County belonged to Liang Province, under the jurisdiction of the Cloud Peak Sect, one of the twelve major immortal sects. It was said that many places in Liang Province worshipped the Moon Goddess.
In the hall, the Moon Goddess held a moon in her left hand and an osmanthus branch in her right, wearing gold-embroidered colored robes and a jade pearl crown, looking down benevolently at the worshippers kneeling before her.
Legend had it that She would receive worshippers' wishes hung on osmanthus trees every full moon night, then choose fortunate individuals and fulfill their wishes.
The temple was brightly lit with lanterns, wreathed in incense smoke. After a series of worship rituals, the temple fair finally concluded. People carried their lanterns and gradually returned to the city.
When Yu Yi came out of the Moon Goddess Temple, she immediately spotted someone sitting at a lantern stall, holding a four-sided square lantern and drawing on it. As she approached, Xue Chenjing was just finishing his final stroke.
He lifted the lantern and asked the stall owner to add a candle inside. When the candle was lit, it illuminated the drawing on the lantern shade. It was a dancing red-crowned crane with spread wings, its lifelike form captured in simple lines, its neck and tail tips painted in thick black ink, and the cinnabar on its head glowing brilliantly in the transmitted light.
Crane Senior Brother immediately fluttered his wings and flew over, perching on the lantern pole, chirping excitedly, clearly pleased with his portrait.
Xue Chenjing glanced at the flower ring on Crane Senior Brother's neck, then at the one on his own wrist, inwardly sneering.
How dare Xue Mingyuan wear the same kind of flower ring as Crane Senior Brother.
When Yu Yi came closer, he turned the lantern to another side, revealing a portrait of a woman. Ink-wash techniques rendered cloud-like hair, carefully depicted eyebrows and eyes, with even long eyelashes drawn with fine brushstrokes, and a crimson flower mark adorned the space between her brows.
Xue Chenjing held up the lantern, his eyebrows rising in excitement before he suppressed it, maintaining an appropriate smile as he asked softly, "Do you like it?"
Before Yu Yi could answer, Crane Senior Brother chirped first - he liked it! He truly was the world's most unparalleled red-crowned crane, even his courtship dance was so handsome and graceful.
Yu Yi couldn't help but burst out laughing. She reached out to touch it but hesitated, worried the ink hadn't dried. "That flower mark, it's a hibiscus."
Xue Chenjing paused subtly, only now belatedly realizing that Xue Mingyuan shouldn't have seen her with a hibiscus flower mark.
His eyes flickered slightly as he tried to cover up, saying, "Yes, somehow I just felt you would look beautiful with a hibiscus flower mark, and indeed, it suits you perfectly."
Yu Yi seemed convinced by his words and looked up at him with a smile, "You really drew it beautifully."
Xue Chenjing stared at her smiling face and shook his head, "No, it's the subject that's beautiful."
"Beautiful, both are beautiful!" the stall owner suddenly chimed in, raising one finger to point at the lantern in the air, "Young master's artistic skill is excellent." He raised another finger to point at Yu Yi, "And the young lady is beautiful." Bringing his fingers together, he continued, "When combined, isn't it just perfection upon perfection?"
The stall owner's honeyed words continued, "You two standing together are truly a perfect match, made for each other."
Yu Yi was becoming a bit embarrassed, while Xue Chenjing turned to the stall owner with wide eyes and asked earnestly, "Really?"
Yu Yi: "..."
The stall owner, apparently not expecting anyone to take such pleasantries seriously, hesitated before nodding, "Truly, truly. In front of the Moon Goddess Temple, I wouldn't dare speak falsely."
Xue Chenjing immediately pulled out a handful of silver from his robes and dropped it into the stall owner's box, the clinking of silver pieces startling the vendor.
Yu Yi couldn't bear to watch anymore and grabbed his hand, hurriedly pulling him away from the lantern stall. "Let's go, don't disturb the vendor's business."
The stall owner looked back at the box full of silver and called out, "Ah, no disturbance at all! Young master, please wait, you've given far too much silver!"
Xue Chenjing let Yu Yi pull him forward, his eyes fixed on the hand holding his. Yu Yi's palm was soft and warm, her fingers delicate - he could easily enclose them in his own hand with just a slight curl of his fingers.
But unfortunately, the hand was holding onto Xue Mingyuan.
However, upon second thought, he realized it didn't matter. After all, the person she was really holding onto was him. After all, from now on, the person she would truly face would be him, and only him.
Xue Chenjing's fingers twitched, taking the initiative to intertwine with hers, slipping between her fingers and closing around them in a firm grip.
Yu Yi halted her steps and tugged at her hand, but couldn't pull it free. She wordlessly turned back to look at him. Xue Chenjing wore an impeccable smile, and in that moment, he truly looked no different from Xue Mingyuan, politely and gently asking, "May I hold your hand?"
Yu Yi glanced pointedly at their interlocked fingers, which she couldn't even pull away from, and said, "You already are."
Xue Chenjing lowered his head slightly, his eyes clear and bright in the glow of the lanterns, reflecting her image within them. His tone was gentle and impossible to refuse as he said, "Then could you not pull away? Consider it a reward for me drawing this lantern. Look, even Crane Senior Brother likes it."
Crane Senior Brother nodded vigorously from his perch on the lantern pole.
Yu Yi studied him carefully, feeling a wave of uncertainty. For a moment, she couldn't tell whether the person before her was Xue Chenjing, or if he really was Xue Mingyuan.
The street was filled with people carrying lanterns on their way back, walking in groups and pairs, their cheerful voices and laughter floating among the moving lights. It would indeed be lonely to walk alone.
When Yu Yi started walking again with him holding her hand, she didn't resist anymore.
Xue Chenjing held the lantern in one hand and her hand in the other. With both fires returned to his body, he was no longer as cold as before, and now had the warmth of a human.
Their clasped hands held tight together, the touching skin gradually warming to an even higher temperature.
The Moon Goddess Temple wasn't far from Fengsheng County, only about half an hour's walk back, and that was with everyone strolling and enjoying the festival atmosphere.
On festival days, the city gates closed later. The city was brilliantly lit, with shops and restaurants still open, street vendors lining the roads, and various performers showing their skills in the streets.
He still wouldn't let go even after they entered the city, so Yu Yi had to say, "My palm is sweating, it's uncomfortable."
Only then did Xue Chenjing lead her to the side of the street, set down the lantern, and release her hand to examine it. He then used the edge of his sleeve to gently wipe away the slight dampness from her palm.
Yu Yi watched his attentive and gentle expression, her uncertainty growing stronger. She called out hesitantly, "Xue Mingyuan?"
Xue Chenjing's movements paused subtly for an instant before continuing as if nothing had happened, responding softly, "Hmm?"
Was it really Xue Mingyuan? Had she been mistaken earlier?
Yu Yi was about to say something more when she caught a familiar figure in her peripheral vision. She turned slightly and saw an elderly figure pulling along someone who looked like a physician, hurriedly making their way through the crowd.
That wrinkled face was filled with anxiety, and in the lantern light, there were still traces of tears.
"Granny Li?" Yu Yi exclaimed in surprise, pulling her hand away to rush in the direction Granny Li had gone.
Crane Senior Brother immediately flapped his wings to follow, and Xue Chenjing tucked the lantern into his storage pouch with a wave of his sleeve before following as well.
