Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Qiqiao Festival

The second day, as usual, they veered off the main road, taking the mountain path.

Whether it was a shortcut or how many days it would take to reach Liangzhou, Huangfu Jingchen didn’t really care.

Instead, Xia Wenjin took the initiative and said, “Taking this path, crossing that mountain, it will take about five days. Beyond the mountain is Liangzhou. Then we can find a market to buy a horse, and with a fast horse, it will take two more days to reach the destination.”

Seven days, did she plan on seven days? Did that mean there were only seven more days left to spend with her?

Huangfu Jingchen nodded silently.

Seven days was not a short period of time.

Sometimes Xia Wenjin would gallop on horseback for a while, and sometimes she would walk. Her smile was radiant and bright, and she indulged in play whimsically, never showing any signs of fragility during the journey.

If they missed a place to stay, they would camp outdoors. If they got hungry, they would find their own food. In the wild, Huangfu Jingchen didn’t have to worry about being hungry. As long as they found ingredients, Xia Wenjin had the skill to turn them into delicious meals.

As for that scene at Shian Temple, it seemed like it had never happened.

Seeing her so carefree, Huangfu Jingchen repeatedly held back words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Perhaps, it was better not to disturb this purity and simplicity, not to complicate matters. At least for these seven days, they could enjoy each other’s company happily.

On the third day, they had already covered over a hundred miles. They were getting closer to the mountain. Another day, and they would reach the foot of the mountain. Crossing it would take another day. Xia Wenjin had calculated the timing well.

At the base of the mountain was a village of about forty households, nestled against the mountains and by the water. The villagers seemed content and at peace, making the village appear like a paradise.

Xia Wenjin immediately liked the place and had no intention of camping outdoors that night.

They planned to stay overnight at a villager’s home.

They entered the village along a road passable by carriages. The villagers were hospitable. At a household with three clay houses, Xia Wenjin expressed their wish to stay, and the host immediately agreed.

It was an elderly couple whose son and daughter-in-law were working away from home, leaving them with their grandson. Luckily, they had a vacant room.

However, there was only one room.

The old lady smiled and said, “It’s good that you are two young lads; sharing a room is no problem. If you were brother and sister, we would have had to rearrange the rooms.”

Xia Wenjin: “…”

She suddenly felt that sometimes wearing men’s clothes was not so convenient!

Nonetheless, Huangfu Jingchen was quite the gentleman. Throughout the journey, he hadn’t even touched her finger.

Seeing that the elderly couple wasn’t very affluent, Xia Wenjin took out some silver for accommodation and meals.

The old lady didn’t have much at home, so she even went to the village chief’s house to buy a piece of aged cured meat. The dinner was very plentiful, with meat and a chicken raised by the old lady herself.

The old couple specifically vacated the table for them, intending to have their meal by the stove with their grandson.

Xia Wenjin went to the stove and saw their meal was very simple, without any chicken or meat. Their seven-year-old grandson glanced towards the main room, and the old lady whispered to him that it was bought by the guests.

Xia Wenjin laughed and said, “The table is filled with food, we two can’t finish it all. It’s more lively to eat together. Don’t eat here, come, join us at the table!” How could the guests take over while the hosts had nowhere to sit?

The old couple hurriedly declined, saying they usually ate like this, and were already content to have some meat and oil with the guests’ presence.

Xia Wenjin insisted, taking the grandson Hong’er’s hand and bringing them to the table.

With the table full, it immediately felt lively.

Hong’er was very happy to see meat and chicken.

The old couple, seeing that Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin were easygoing and without pretensions despite paying to stay, began to relax.

The old lady chuckled, “You came just in time, there’s excitement by the riverbank tonight. People from nearby villages will gather there, especially the young ones. You can go and join them!”

Huangfu Jingchen was curious, “Why is the riverbank lively today?”

Xia Wenjin’s eyes twinkled as she said, “Is today the Seven Qiao Festival?”

The old lady laughed, “Yes, yes, it’s the Seven Qiao Festival.”

Hong’er, curious, asked, “Why is the riverbank lively during the Seven Qiao Festival? It’s not lively usually!”

Xia Wenjin explained with a smile, “Because on the Seven Qiao Festival, many people go to the riverbank to release river lanterns. They place their wishes in the river lanterns, and the further the lantern floats, the more likely their wishes will come true!”

“What is a wish?”

“It’s what you want in your heart!”

“Really?” Hong’er clapped his hands and laughed, “I want to release a river lantern too. I wish to eat meat every day!”

The child’s innocent words brought laughter around the table. Xia Wenjin gave him a large piece of meat, saying with a smile, “Hong’er, your wish is coming true today, look!”

Hong’er happily said, “Thank you, brother!”

At that moment, Xia Wenjin turned towards Huangfu Jingchen, her profile fell into his sight, her smile bright, her eyes clear, her teeth white. She was smiling at Hong’er, patient and attentive, her eyes sparkling, her entire being seemed to glow.

Huangfu Jingchen’s mind involuntarily replaced her image with the one from Shian Temple when she was dressed as a woman. His lips curled into a gentle smile, somewhat lost in thought.

Until Xia Wenjin patted him lightly, snapping him out of his daze. Xia Wenjin asked, “Are you going or not?”

Huangfu Jingchen replied, “Go!”

The places Wenjin wanted to go, he wanted to go too. They only had seven days together. After that, it might be difficult to meet again. He cherished every moment of these seven days.

The old lady said with a smile, “A few days ago they built a stage by the river, and there are people selling river lanterns. Young folks love to go there, as do young ladies. Go and try your luck!”

The two understood what the old lady meant by trying their luck.

Surely, many young girls would be going to the riverbank, and the old lady suggested that as two “young lads” they might encounter a fateful meeting there.

Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin exchanged a look and couldn’t help but laugh.

However, their smiles carried different meanings.

Huangfu Jingchen had no interest in meeting those girls; he just wanted to accompany Xia Wenjin.

And Xia Wenjin wasn’t going to look at those girls either—she wasn’t into that!

The old lady sighed, “Our Seven Qiao Festival has been celebrated for many years now. My husband and I met by the river back then, and now, time has passed, and we’ve grown old!”

The elderly couple exchanged a smile, seemingly recalling their youthful days through Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin’s youth.

Xia Wenjin laughingly exclaimed, “It seems that the river lanterns were the matchmakers for you two!”

The old lady laughed, “Those river lanterns weren’t just our matchmakers. That river has witnessed more than one or two unions. It used to be called the Canmu River, and now it’s the Yuelao River! During the Seven Qiao Festival, if a young lad and girl fancy each other, they can release a river lantern together, and for the rest of their lives, they’ll be together, forever harmonious and beautiful!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep