The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 25.2

“What’s going on? We agreed on two hours. If this drags on any longer, you’ll have to compensate for the lost evening business!”

“Here, here, we’ll settle everything together once our young master arrives. You won’t miss out!” A’Nan twisted free from the innkeeper’s grasp, only to be grabbed by the musician: “Let me tell you, I charge by the hour, and this time counts too!”

A’Dong wasn’t happy about this: “You lousy lute player! We already paid the deposit, and you haven’t even plucked a string yet, and you’re already asking for the rest? That’s just too much!”

The chef nearby also started pulling at A’Dong: “Same here! My dishes are already in the pot. No matter how they turn out or whether you eat them, you’re paying today!”

Amidst the tug-of-war, A’Nan felt utterly overwhelmed. He cast a resentful glance toward the door damn it, people who couldn’t keep time were the worst!

By now, it was already well past the second mark of the Hour of Xu, and Su Tingxi still hadn’t shown up. Chi Jinnian muttered under her breath: “Ugh, these young heartthrobs are so unreliable!”

Before she could finish her thought, A’Xi suddenly exclaimed in a panic: “Y-young master, l-look over there!”

Chi Jinnian quickly grabbed the telescope and peered across the way. Yuan Shao seemed to have finally lost patience she abruptly stood up and headed for the door.

Seeing the situation take a turn, Chi Jinnian tossed the telescope aside and sprinted toward the restaurant. No matter what, she had to keep Yuan Shao from leaving!

“Shizun!” Chi Jinnian feigned breathlessness as she dashed through the restaurant’s entrance. “Shizun, I’m so sorry for making you wait. It’s all my fault, I’ve always had a terrible sense of direction since I was little, always getting lost. You must have been worried!”

Seeing her little disciple panting and clutching her waist, Yuan Shao didn’t press further, simply reassuring her: “I was just concerned something might have happened to you. As long as you’re safe.” Though her words were gentle, Yuan Shao tightly gripped Chi Jinnian’s wrist, as if afraid she might run off again.

No sooner had she spoken than the lights in the room suddenly went out, leaving only a faint candle glow at the corner of the table.

Then, from the darkened corners, a melodious lute melody began to play.

Turns out, the innkeeper and the musician, one eager to start the evening’s business, the other hoping to earn more for his performance, had sprung into action the moment everyone arrived.

Inside, the dim, flickering candlelight cast a hazy, crimson glow through the lantern shades, enveloping the space in an ambiguous atmosphere.

The musician’s skill was impeccable, his lute notes flowed like spring butterflies, tender and lingering, each one brimming with deep emotion, perfectly complementing the setting.

Before Chi Jinnian could react, a rich aroma caught her attention. Unlike the floral fragrance that had filled the room earlier, this was the unmistakable scent of food.

Led by the head chef, several dishes were suddenly brought out and placed on the table in quick succession, each one announced with a flourish.

“A Slice of True Devotion!”a pan-seared cod.

“Lovebirds Taking Flight!”a plate of roasted chicken wings.

“Eternal Togetherness!”a serving of braised pork intestines.

“Entwined Passion!”a dish of sweet and sour pork.

“And finally: A Hundred Years of Harmony!”a lotus seed and lily soup.

Once the presentation was complete, the chef beamed proudly: “Honored guests, your dishes are served! Now that everyone’s here, we couldn’t have waited any longer the food would’ve turned to mush!”

Chi Jinnian:

Beside her, Yuan Shao suddenly spoke up: “A’Nian.” She turned to Chi Jinnian, who was covering her face, mistaking it for shyness, and asked: “Did you arrange all of this?”

“Shizun, I”

Before Chi Jinnian could finish speaking, the chef nearby chimed in first: “Exactly! These dishes were pre-ordered and cooked long ago. If you’d arrived any later, they wouldn’t be edible anymore! I made sure every single one was served to you without fail!”

The implied message: You’d better pay in full!

Chi Jinnian shot him a resentful glare, gritting her teeth. “Well, I really must thank you!”

But as she looked at him, she found him somewhat familiar.

The chef seemed equally startled upon seeing her, and the two exclaimed in unison, “It’s you!”

This chef was none other than the plump rat from the pair of skinny and plump rats who had once stolen sesame oil on Huang’er Mountain! Then, the sound of the zither abruptly stopped. Chi Jinnian glanced over good heavens, the skinny one was here too!

Chi Jinnian looked at the two rats, then at the restaurant. She had asked Anan and the others to find the best restaurant in the demon realm, yet the head chef and the musician of this so-called “best” establishment were rats! For a moment, Chi Jinnian felt deeply concerned about the food hygiene standards of the demon realm’s populace.

The skinny rat suddenly blocked Chi Jinnian’s path, assuming she was here to cause trouble, his expression wary.

Noticing Chi Jinnian’s discomfort, Yuan Shao gently placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, “You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?”

Chi Jinnian nodded. “Shizun, I feel a bit tight in the chest. I’d like to step out for some fresh air.” In truth, she was afraid of contracting the plague, she couldn’t bring herself to eat at a rat-run establishment.

Yuan Shao, of course, had also recognized the two rats. Though she hadn’t seen their human forms before, she recognized their voices. She understood that her little disciple wasn’t actually unwell but likely just wanted to leave this dubious place. So, she took A’nian’s hand and said, “Alright, you can go wherever you’d like.”

Yuan Shao held on a bit too tightly, as if punishing Chi Jinnian for making her wait earlier or perhaps fearing that her little disciple might slip away if she wasn’t careful.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that her little disciple was like a small boat on water, easily carried away by unseen currents, she had to hold on tight.

Chi Jinnian winced slightly from the grip but didn’t complain. She knew she had left Yuan Shao alone in this unfamiliar place, which had upset her. So, she let herself be led out of the restaurant.

Yuan Shao guided Chi Jinnian to the covered walkway by the ferry dock, where they sat down to rest. “Feeling any better?” Yuan Shao sat shoulder-to-shoulder with Chi Jinnian, not mentioning her earlier disappearance at all.

Only then did Chi Jinnian withdraw her hand and nod slowly. Her gaze drifted to the river ahead, thinking that Su Tingxi, finding the restaurant empty, would probably come straight to the ferry dock.

After all, the second step after their candlelit dinner was to release river lanterns together, followed by a romantic confession under fireworks.

Chi Jinnian’s gaze caught Yuan Shao’s attention. Following her little disciple’s line of sight, she saw the shimmering river surface dotted with countless tiny lights, like stars scattered across the mortal world. Upon closer inspection, each light was cradled in the center of a lotus-shaped boat, swaying gently with the waves, the candle flames dancing in rhythm.

“Do you want one too?” Yuan Shao asked.

“Hmm?”

“I see people handing them out up ahead. I’ll get one for you.” With that, Yuan Shao stood up and approached Axi and Abei’s stall.

These two attendants recognized Yuan Shao. The young master had instructed them to give her a special lantern. Immediately, Axi retrieved two pre-prepared red lotus lanterns from the array of colorful ones and handed them to Yuan Shao. Abei then passed her flint, candles, slips of paper, and a charcoal pencil.

As they handed them over, they explained, “Write your wish on the paper, place it inside the lotus lantern, and the lantern will carry your wish up to the heavens to the gods. Your wish will then come true.”

This was rather intriguing. It was the first time Yuan Shao had heard that the gods resided at the end of the river. She supposed it was merely people’s hopeful yearning for their deepest desires. Thanking them, she took the items and returned to Chi Jinnian.

“Here.” She pressed the paper and charcoal pencil into Chi Jinnian’s hands, repeating the instructions Abei had just given her. “The shopkeeper said these are for making wishes.”

Chi Jinnian glanced at the lanterns specially made for Yuan Shao and Su Tingxi, pursing her lips slightly. “These lanterns are so beautiful. Master should be the one to make a wish.”

“Don’t you like them?” Yuan Shao looked up, her eyes reflecting the candlelight from the river, bright and clear. “If you don’t like them, we don’t have to set them afloat.”

Seeing this, Chi Jinnian stopped her. “It’s not that I don’t like them. I just haven’t decided what to wish for.” She smiled as she took the paper and pencil. “Thank you, Master.”

With that, the two began writing their wishes.

Yuan Shao’s wish was simple just four words: “Peace and health for all.” But when she turned around, Chi Jinnian was still gripping the charcoal pencil, its tip scratching busily across the paper. The slip was nearly filled with words.

Hadn’t she said she hadn’t decided on a wish? Yuan Shao quietly moved closer, curious about what her disciple was writing so fervently.

Hearing the rustle behind her, Chi Jinnian turned and met Yuan Shao’s inquisitive gaze. She quickly covered the paper. “Master, you mustn’t look. If you do, the wish won’t come true.”

Yuan Shao chuckled helplessly and agreed, stepping aside to light the candles.

Once everything was ready, Chi Jinnian finally arrived with her slip of paper.

“Finished?” Yuan Shao handed her the lotus lantern with its lit candle.

“Yes.” Chi Jinnian placed the slip inside the lantern and, cradling it in both hands, walked to the riverbank.

It was Qixi Festival, and the riverbank was crowded with people releasing lanterns. Chi Jinnian had to squeeze through the throng before reaching the water’s edge. She and Yuan Shao crouched down, gently placing the lotus lanterns on the water’s surface and giving them a slight push. The two small red lotuses floated side by side, standing out vividly against the night river.

Chi Jinnian clasped her hands together, eyes tightly shut, as if praying fervently for her wish to come true.

But just then, a sudden gust of wind blew in from nowhere, toppling a candle from a distant lantern. Instantly, the small lotus burst into flames. The lanterns on the river were packed closely together, and one by one, the lotuses were consumed by the fire.

Yuan Shao leaped into action, skimming lightly across the water’s surface. Before Chi Jinnian could open her eyes, she had rescued their two lanterns. She also intercepted the other lanterns, keeping them at a safe distance from the flames and preventing further disaster.

Back on the shore, Yuan Shao exhaled softly in relief. If her disciple had seen her lantern reduced to ashes, she would have been heartbroken.

A series of fluid movements caused quite a stir in the surroundings, prompting Chi Jinnian to open her eyes. Only then did she realize what had happened. Turning around, she found Yuan Shao no longer by her side. With so many people around, she had to stand on tiptoe and call out, “Master!”

As if hearing Chi Jinnian’s call, Yuan Shao was about to respond when she lowered her gaze and noticed delicate handwriting covering a slip of paper on one of the red lanterns.

Then, the words came into view

“First wish: May my master cultivate smoothly and ascend to great heights once more.”

Second wish: May my master attain the Great Dao and ascend as an immortal.

Third wish: May my master never give up, for there is still a long road ahead.