CH 14.2

“Let’s go, we can write the wishes over there.” Qiao Mu waited until Xu Youyou got closer and led her to the side where there were paper and pens. 

Both grabbed their own strip of ribbon and their favorite color pen as the prepared to write. 

Qiao Mu had originally not planned to make a wish. Now that he suddenly had to make a wish, he didn’t know what to write. On the other hand, Xu Youyou had already thought of hers and buried her head to write it down. She concentrated for a while as she wrote each stroke. 

Theses wishes were hung for people to see and Xu Youyou did not cover hers, so Qiao Mu’s eyes swept across to see the contents of her wish. 

[I wish Madam Ji’s second spring* will quickly arrive]

Qiao Mu was stunned, if he remembered correctly Xu Youyou’s parents had just recently gotten divorced. And because of it, she had even become ill and returned with her mother back to China. Why would she wish for her mother to get married again? 

“I’m done. Can you understand it?” Xu Youyou showed Qiao Mu the wish she had written. 

“Yes.” Qiao Mu couldn’t pretend he hadn’t seen it anymore, and could only reign in his curiosity and not ask. 

“That’s good. I don’t have any big wishes, I just want it to be understandable.” Xu Youyou said with satisfaction. 

“Why didn’t you write it in English?” Qiao Mu had seen Xu Youyou write in English before. Her handwriting was nice.

“What happens if a god sees my wish on the wishing tree but is unable to read English?” Before Xu Youyou was an atheist. However after rebirth, she had a newfound reverence and acceptance in ghosts and gods. 

“Are you serious?” Qiao Mu said surprised. 

“Of course. Have you finished writing yours?” Xu Youyou turned her head to look at his strip of paper. 

“I haven’t written it yet.” As he said it, he lowered his head and began writing his own wish. His wish was simple, it was just 3 words.

[Grandmother, stay healthy]

The two hung their strips of paper under the lantern and carried their lantern to the wishing tree. They handed them to the stationed workers who helped hang their lanterns. Inside the lanterns was a special little light switch. It wasn’t a candle. So even if the tree was filled with lanterns, it wouldn’t pose a threat to safety.  

“Come one, let’s go get something to eat up ahead. I’ll treat you.” Xu Youyou grabbed Qiao Mu as they left the lantern festival. The two found a little food stall and bought some snacks. They walked as they ate. 

“It’s already 11:30, why do we still have school tomorrow?” They had three days off for the Mid-Autumn festival, yet it was the last day which was the actual holiday so they would have to return to school the next day. 

“In two more days, we’ll have another break.” It was soon National Day.

“Then we’ll have to endure the next two days.” As long as one has hopes for the future, people’s endurance is far greater than one imagines. 

“Um…thank you.” Qiao Mu suddenly thanked her. 

Xu Youyou didn’t understand and looked at Qiao Mu. The youth’s expression was a bit complicated as if he wasn’t used to directly expressing his emotions. 

“It was Grandmother who asked you to accompany me to the lantern festival right?” Qiao Mu said. 

Grandmother’s treats were clearly ready earlier that morning, yet when Xu Youyou went in the afternoon to deliver mooncakes, Grandmother did not give them to her then. Instead she had him send it over himself that night. Grandmother had also said Xu Youyou wanted someone to accompany her to the lantern festival, but Xu Youyou had previously already arranged to go and take photos with some of the girls in the class. Besides, with Xu Youyou’s personality, if she really wanted help with something she would have asked herself and not used Grandmother as an intermediate. 

Therefore, he could only guess that Grandmother knew he was feeling down and specifically asked Xu Youyou to do this for him.

“You guessed it?” 

“Yes.” Qiao Mu nodded his head.

“So you suddenly changed your mind and decided to help me with the lantern because of this?” Xu Youyou asked.

“Yes.” Qiao Mu nodded his head again. 

“So it was because of Grandmother, not because you wanted to help me then.” Xu Youyou looked a little devastated and used a bamboo pick to poke at a rice cake in the bowl. She was disappointed in her own unreciprocated feelings. 

Qiao Mu wanted to explain himself, yet he didn’t know what to say. Was he supposed to say “I also did it because of you?” It didn’t quite seem appropriate, it was rather ambiguous. 

“Ai, forget it.” Xu Youyou waved her hand and cleared the complicated expression on her face. 

Qiao Mu looked at Xu Youyou, seeing that she wasn’t going to pursue it anymore, he let out a soft sigh. 

“Oh right, since you guessed it. There is something else that I’ll just say directly.” Xu Youyou suddenly said. 

“What?”

“Grandmother wants me to help you lose weight.” Xu Youyou said seriously. 

Qiao Mu’s eyes fixed upon Xu Youyou for a few seconds, and when he say Xu Youyou was unable to hold it in anymore, he suddenly pointed to the fried rice cake in his hand and also said seriously: “Then can I still eat this rice cake?” 

“Pu~~**” Xu Youyou couldn’t help but laugh out loud. 

Qiao Mu also couldn’t help it and laughed happily. The corners of his lips were flying and slowly revealed two dimples.

———————–Translator’s Note ————————–

* Second love/marriage

** Sound one makes when letting out a puff of laughte