Chapter 94

Chapter 94

"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.

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.