After Becoming a Spare Tire, I Got Together with My White Moonlight - Chapter 38.1

Yan Guiqiu followed the original plan and spent the better part of the morning rowing a boat with Jiang Xuehe.

It was just the two of them in a small boat, drifting mostly around the center of the lake, enjoying the scenery and taking photos with their phones. Yan Guiqiu took the opportunity to look up some information about the so-called “flower lanterns” online.

The scenic area in the suburbs had been developed relatively recently. When Yan Guiqiu was a child, this area was still barren land. Judging by the number of visitors, however, the transformation had clearly been a success.

The large river that flowed through the city also passed through here. Most of the old-style residences nearby had been abandoned due to inconvenient living conditions and were later requisitioned by the government, transformed into an ancient-style street. With its blue-tiled roofs and white walls, the street was lined with various tourist shops and led to the riverbank, where it was said that people often released river lanterns.

In the photos, the flower lanterns were hung, and stalls had been set up under several ancient trees, offering services for hanging lanterns as prayers. River lanterns, on the other hand, were only released during specific months and times, yet many people still made special trips to pray and release them.

The timing was perfect, it was just before the Qingming Festival, and according to reports, there were many stalls along the riverbank.

The photos didn’t reveal anything particularly unique, but the scene was vibrant with lanterns and decorations, bright and festive, reminiscent of the New Year celebrations.

Jiang Xuehe glanced at the photos and seemed intrigued. Whether in her hometown, abroad, or in Yunhua City, she had never seen such activities.

Thus, the rest of their itinerary was settled. After leisurely rowing for a while, the two strolled through the park, found a place to eat, and then headed to the ancient street.

The ancient street consisted of several interconnected lanes, winding and twisting. Once you entered from one end, it was hard to predict where you would emerge. Many leisurely visitors treated it like a maze, and even the alleys with few shops were bustling with people, far from deserted.

The main street was the widest, featuring not only shops but also several restaurants built in an ancient style. Tucked away at a corner was a small opera house. At this time, the crowd wasn’t too large, and one could enter by purchasing a ticket at the door. It was said that local operas were performed there.

Even as a local, Yan Guiqiu hadn’t heard much of it. The dialect, combined with the operatic style, made it difficult to understand, but seeing Jiang Xuehe listening intently, she held back her thoughts, thinking they could come again if the opportunity arose.

Time slipped away unnoticed, and by the time they stepped out, the sun was already setting in the west.

Jiang Xuehe bought some items at the specialty shops, filled out the addresses, and asked the shopkeepers to ship them directly, explaining that she would share them with friends and visiting customers.

Yan Guiqiu added from the side, “And for Sister Xiao He too.”

Jiang Xuehe smiled and said, “You’re right. She’s been working hard at the gallery these past few days.”

Obligingly, she changed the address on the form to the gallery, adding Xiao He’s name and attaching a note specifying which items were for her.

The shopkeeper, delighted by the generous customer, was exceptionally enthusiastic, even waiving the shipping fee. He repeatedly assured them that he would arrange for a courier to pick up the items that very evening, warmly inviting them to visit again as he personally escorted them to the door.

Outside, the sky had darkened, and people were climbing ladders to hang lanterns under the eaves on both sides of the street.

Two lanterns hung at the entrance of the specialty shop as well emerald green, painted with lotus pond patterns. A faint light glowed from within, steady and unmoving, clearly not from a real flame but likely from small electronic bulbs.

The shopkeeper nearby, noticing they seemed to be first-time visitors, smiled and introduced a few things to them before suggesting they explore further: “It’s not dark yet, and the lanterns have just been lit. Wait until evening when they all shine together, it’s truly beautiful. This only happens once a year. After this, you’ll have to wait until the Ghost Festival to see river lanterns.”

“Oh, and if you follow this main road straight ahead, turn into the small square, you can hang lanterns on the trees. They’re a bit smaller than these, but you can make wishes. Young people love this sort of thing nowadays, and many couples even come here specifically to hang lanterns together.”

Up ahead in the small square, there was indeed a large tree with a stall set up beneath it. Clearly, there were more stalls further along, but many people, likely following the earlier shopkeeper’s advice, stopped here.

The stall was filled with a dazzling array of items not just small lanterns, but also red ribbons and little trinkets printed with auspicious phrases. On an empty table nearby, brushes and ink were provided for those who wanted to write their own messages.

“These vendors are really clever with their business tactics,” Yan Guiqiu couldn’t help but remark. In just a short while, they’d managed to entice people into happily spending money at every turn.

But even as she said this, when Jiang Xuehe leaned in to take a closer look, Yan Guiqiu obediently reached for her wallet.

“When in Rome,” Jiang Xuehe said with a laugh, pointing to a small lantern printed with a pattern of flying birds. “What do you think of this one?”

Yan Guiqiu glanced at the neatly arranged bird design, blinked, and replied, “As long as you like it.”

She then turned to ask the stall owner how much it cost.

“Are the two of you together?” the vendor asked. “If you buy two, I can give you a 12% discount, and you can even have words written for free. If you don’t know how to write with a brush, I can do it for you. Whether you’re wishing for wealth or love, our lanterns are very effective and the price is reasonable. You definitely won’t regret it.”

Jiang Xuehe only picked up the one lantern and said, “We’re together.”

The vendor paused for a moment.

He had assumed they would each pick one, but now, seeing how closely they stood together, he seemed to understand something.

Still, he didn’t show any displeasure. One lantern was fine, and he asked with a smile, “Would you like me to write something for you? Once it gets crowded, you might not get the chance.”

Jiang Xuehe glanced at the other calligraphy samples spread out on his table and nodded. “Then we’ll trouble you.”

The vendor asked, “Shall I write ‘Eternal Union’ or ‘A Hundred Years of Harmony,’ or something else?”

Jiang Xuehe turned to look at Yan Guiqiu.

Yan Guiqiu thought seriously for a moment and said with a straight face, “Then write ‘Yan Guiqiu will always like Jiang Xuehe.'”

She then glanced at the lantern-hanging stall and added, “Or how about we get another one and write ‘Jiang Xuehe will always like Yan Guiqiu too.'”

Jiang Xuehe reached out and lightly swatted Yan Guiqiu.

Yan Guiqiu winced, and Jiang Xuehe immediately grew concerned, asking, “Did I hit your wound?”

“No, no,” Yan Guiqiu quickly shook her head. “I was just joking. It wasn’t even that hand.”

“Oh.” Jiang Xuehe breathed a sigh of relief.

The vendor watched them and chuckled. “That’s too many characters. How about I write ‘Eternal Union’ for you?”

Jiang Xuehe said, “Okay.”

Yan Guiqiu, standing to the side, sounded a bit disappointed. “We really can’t write that many?”

They were just ordinary words hanging them up wouldn’t be anything too unusual.

The vendor: “…”

So you actually wanted to write that many characters.

His lips twitched slightly as he bent his head to write, pretending he hadn’t heard anything.

When Yan Guiqiu and Jiang Xuehe stood under the tree holding their lanterns, the branches were already adorned with numerous small decorative lanterns. Some had slips of paper dangling from their tails, while others bore long, heartfelt messages.

In truth, everyone knew these little lanterns would soon be cleared away, but perhaps it was the innate human desire for beautiful aspirations that kept them hanging there.

The colorful lanterns intertwined among the branches, flickering with each gust of wind. The warm yellow light passing through their outer casings created subtle variations in hue.

At a glance, it wasn’t overwhelming but rather lively.

Yan Guiqiu stared at them, lost in thought.

Had she come alone, even as a child, she would likely have scoffed at such things.

In the past, she prided herself on being mature, but standing there now, she suddenly recalled that once, long ago, she had genuinely believed in these traditions.

But that felt like a lifetime ago.

Jiang Xuehe asked beside her, “What’s wrong?”

Yan Guiqiu snapped out of her reverie, released her hand, and motioned for Jiang Xuehe to hang the lantern. Shaking her head, she simply said, “They’re quite beautiful.”

Jiang Xuehe also looked up for a moment and nodded in agreement. “Indeed.”

While looking at photos, she had found them unique, but being there in person, the novelty had faded somewhat. They were lovely, but not enough to be utterly captivating.

Still, since they were already there, it would be a shame not to bring back some souvenirs.

After hanging their lanterns, Jiang Xuehe and Yan Guiqiu returned to buy two more small lanterns. This time, they didn’t write anything on them, treating them purely as mementos to take home.

Jiang Xuehe asked Yan Guiqiu, “Does your younger sister want one?”

Yan Guiqiu replied, “She’s grown up now; she probably wouldn’t be interested in something like this.”

Jiang Xuehe chuckled. “You seem to like them quite a bit yourself.”

Yan Guiqiu: “…”

As they spoke, while choosing the designs, Yan Guiqiu still picked one with a small boat by the riverbank, in the classic ink-wash painting style.

Jiang Xuehe selected one adorned with maple leaves.

As the two continued walking with their lanterns, the streets on both sides began to glow with lights.

The shops varied in height, their eaves rising and falling unevenly. Some two- or three-story buildings also hung lanterns high above, making it seem as if they were about to ascend into the sky when one looked up.

Jiang Xuehe watched Yan Guiqiu craning her neck and worried she might strain it.

“Watch your step,” Jiang Xuehe said, pulling Yan Guiqiu aside to avoid a small pothole ahead.

“It reminds me of the Kongming lanterns we used to fly when I was little,” Yan Guiqiu said, coming back to herself but not letting go of Jiang Xuehe’s hand. She gestured vaguely with the hand holding the small lantern. “They were made of paper, and we’d write wishes on them some filled them completely, others just wrote names. Then we’d light a fire underneath, and they’d slowly rise into the sky.”

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