Chapter 34: The Lantern Festival (6)

She was not only beautiful but also intriguing.

That day, when Xiao Ziheng overheard her conversation with the maid, he realized she had faced some subtle rejection. Yet, when he spoke with her, he didn’t see any trace of grievance on her face. Initially, he assumed her youth made her oblivious to human nature, but upon closer observation, he realized otherwise. Though young, this girl possessed clear and perceptive eyes. He could tell she fully understood the maid’s intentions at that moment.

Seeing through things yet choosing not to reveal it—Xiao Ziheng found her rather fascinating.

Tonight, while wandering out of the palace, he happened upon her by the moat. At first, he didn’t intend to approach her, but then he noticed a few men nearby whose ill intentions were obvious. Since this little girl belonged to Qi Ying’s household, he decided it would be best to intervene, which led him to strike up a conversation with her.

It wasn’t surprising that others harbored ill thoughts toward her; she was indeed stunningly beautiful. Her smile, framed by the rising steam from the bowl of glutinous rice balls, was especially enchanting. She was still young now, but in time, as she matured…

Xiao Ziheng narrowed his eyes slightly.

When Shen Xiling noticed Xiao Ziheng staring at her, she wondered if something was on her face. She wiped her cheeks and hesitantly asked, “…Your Highness?”

Snapping back to reality, Xiao Ziheng was surprised to find himself so entranced by such a young girl, like a fragile sprout. Shaking his head with a chuckle, he asked, “Little one, what’s your name?”

Now accustomed to being asked about her identity, Shen Xiling replied smoothly and naturally, “To Your Highness, I am Fang Jun.”

Xiao Ziheng nodded, then suddenly glanced past Shen Xiling and smiled. “Miss Fang, is it? Look, someone has come for you.”

Shen Xiling turned around in surprise to see Qingzhu standing behind her, somewhat out of breath. Despite the cold weather, sweat glistened on his forehead.

Qingzhu approached Shen Xiling, visibly startled to see the Fourth Prince here. He immediately moved to bow, but the prince stopped him with a teasing remark: “Enough with the formalities. You truly live up to being one of Qi Er’s attendants—just as rigid and dull. Aren’t you here to fetch this little girl? Take her away.”

Having served Qi Ying for many years, Qingzhu was well-versed in the prince’s laid-back demeanor. He knew the prince disliked formalities, and bowing might even irritate him further. Thus, Qingzhu refrained from performing the ritual and instead turned to Shen Xiling, his brows furrowed. “Young Master Qi has been searching for you for a long time, and here you are, enjoying yourself—come along now.”

Shen Xiling was aware that Qingzhu had never been particularly fond of her, and his current attitude certainly wasn’t warm. Feeling awkward, she stood up, realizing she had caused trouble once again and feeling deeply apologetic. However, hearing that Qi Ying had been looking for her brought a faint sense of joy to her heart.

“I’m sorry…” she murmured.

Qingzhu didn’t respond, merely giving a slight bow to Xiao Ziheng and saying, “We’ve troubled Your Highness. I will inform Young Master Qi of this matter.”

Xiao Ziheng popped another glutinous rice ball into his mouth, waving off Qingzhu’s words. “No need for that.”

He seemed to have burned his tongue slightly, sucking in air repeatedly. Glancing at Shen Xiling, he said with a mix of jest and seriousness, “If anything, you should have your master keep a better eye on her. Being too beautiful can be quite dangerous for a young girl.”

His words left Shen Xiling feeling somewhat embarrassed, but Qingzhu remained stern and respectful, replying, “Understood.”

Qingzhu gave a brief bow to the Fourth Prince before turning to leave, and Shen Xiling quickly followed. Just as they turned to go, the prince called out to her again. She looked back to see his playful, twinkling eyes holding a fox-shaped lantern, which he extended toward her. “Here, take this lantern—it’s yours to play with.”

Shen Xiling thought she had already imposed enough by sharing his dessert and hesitated to accept the lantern. But Xiao Ziheng chuckled, saying, “Take it. It’s meant for young girls like you anyway—I don’t have much use for it.”

The prince stood up, walked over, and handed her the lantern. “Consider it my apology for deceiving you last time.”

Shen Xiling was flustered and tried to decline again, but the prince simply placed the lantern in her hands and turned to leave. Before disappearing into the crowd, he waved dismissively over his shoulder.

Holding the lantern, Shen Xiling felt unsure of what to do next. Lost in thought, she heard Qingzhu snort beside her. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”

With that, he strode off, and Shen Xiling snapped back to attention, hurrying after him.

By the time Shen Xiling and Qingzhu found Qi Ying and the others, it was already quite late.

In truth, Shen Xiling hadn’t spent much time wandering. The delay was mainly due to Qingzhu… who seemed to have a poor sense of direction. At first, Shen Xiling hadn’t noticed, but later, when she realized they had passed the same candy stall three times—and Qingzhu still seemed oblivious, maintaining a stern expression—she began to suspect something was amiss.

Shen Xiling knew Qingzhu didn’t particularly like her, and pointing out his lack of direction would only worsen things. So, she silently followed him as they circled the streets aimlessly. Eventually, seeing the sweat on Qingzhu’s forehead increase, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy. Just as she was about to suggest taking the lead, fortune favored them—they finally found Qi Ying and his group.

Shen Xiling could clearly sense Qingzhu’s relief.

By then, the streets had grown quieter. Qi Yun’s daughter, Hui’er, was likely tired from all the excitement and had fallen asleep in her father’s arms. Qi Ning and Qi Le, however, still brimmed with energy, chatting animatedly while each carried five or six lanterns. Shen Xiling noticed Zhao Yao standing close to Qi Ying, tilting her head upward as she spoke to him. Her cheeks were flushed, and she held several exquisite small lanterns in her hand. Qi Ying, bending slightly to listen, had his back to Shen Xiling and Qingzhu. From where she stood, Shen Xiling couldn’t see his expression, only noting that he held a lantern in his hand—a fox-shaped one, similar to the one she now carried.

Baisong stood not far from Qi Ying and spotted Qingzhu and Shen Xiling first. After informing Qi Ying, he turned around. Behind him stretched the brightly lit street, its brilliance making it difficult for Shen Xiling to discern his expression as he looked at her. Only when they drew closer did she notice his furrowed brows as he asked, “Where have you been all evening?”

His tone carried no reproach, yet his frown left Shen Xiling momentarily tongue-tied, unsure how to respond. At this moment, Qingzhu leaned over and whispered something in Qi Ying’s ear. Shen Xiling saw Qi Ying raise an eyebrow slightly, his expression revealing surprise. Then his gaze fell on the fox lantern in her hand.

Zhao Yao, seeing Shen Xiling return with a fox lantern—the very one she had pointed out casually earlier—felt disdain. In her mind, Shen Xiling was deliberately trying to compete with her. Zhao Yao had only mentioned it offhandedly, never expecting this orphan to take her words seriously—it was laughable.

Now, Zhao Yao held several beautifully crafted lanterns, each more exquisite and luxurious than the simple fox lantern. One of them had even been bought for her by Second Brother. Feeling triumphant, Zhao Yao couldn’t help but feel pleased with herself. Seeing Qi Ying frowning at the orphan, she assumed Shen Xiling had upset him, which only added to her satisfaction.

Qi Yun, standing nearby with Hui’er in his arms, observed his younger brother’s frown directed at Miss Fang. He guessed Qi Ying might be about to reprimand her. It wasn’t surprising that he was upset—Miss Fang had wandered off shortly after they disembarked, and Qi Ying had spent a considerable amount of time searching for her. Qi Yun knew his brother well—though outwardly cold, he was inwardly compassionate, especially toward Miss Fang. Though his face betrayed nothing, he had been genuinely concerned. Now that she was found, given his strict nature, it was natural for him to scold her.

Qi Yun recalled how serious Qi Ying had been since childhood. Their mischievous younger brothers often tested even their eldest brother’s patience, but Qi Ying always managed to keep them in line. His reprimands weren’t harsh, yet they left one feeling uneasy. Even Qi Yun sometimes felt intimidated watching him. He imagined Miss Fang was about to face a scolding. Poor thing—so delicate and frail, and now to be reprimanded in front of others—it was rather pitiful.

Since becoming a father, Qi Yun’s heart had softened considerably. He considered stepping in to persuade Qi Ying to spare the girl some dignity, but to his surprise, he heard Qi Ying sigh and say to Miss Fang, “It’s fine as long as you’re safe. Don’t let it happen again.”

This… no scolding?

Qi Yun was quite surprised. He watched as Miss Fang obediently nodded, and just like that, the matter was settled. Beside him, Qi Le muttered under his breath, “Second Brother is so biased. If it were me who got lost, who knows how he’d scold me.”

Qi Ying overheard the remark and turned to shoot Qi Le a glance. Qi Le, frightened, quickly shrank back and offered a placating smile.

At this moment, Hui’er began to stir, waking up grumpy from her uncomfortable nap. Qi Yun, soothing her, turned to his uncle and aunt, saying, “It’s getting late. Perhaps we should…”

Zhao Run nodded, and Zhao Qishi chimed in with a smile, “It’s indeed late. Let’s head back and settle this little darling down.”

Qi Yun and Han Ruohui thanked their uncle and aunt, and the group made their way back to the carriages. Shen Xiling trailed behind everyone else. After only a few steps, she noticed Qi Ying pause and turn to wave her over. “Stay closer to me,” he said.

Shen Xiling blinked, her cheeks flushing again. She pursed her lips, quickened her pace, and moved to his side. Qi Ying gently positioned her slightly ahead of him and said, “Alright, let’s go.”

Shen Xiling’s blush deepened.

Zhao Yao witnessed this entire exchange and felt her earlier triumph diminished. Her previously cheerful mood soured again. Beside her, Qi Le, noticing her silence, leaned over and asked, “Yao’er, what’s wrong? Are you still upset about wanting to buy more lanterns?”

Zhao Yao, of course, ignored him.

The group soon returned to where they had disembarked, exchanged farewells, and climbed into their respective carriages.

After boarding the carriage, Zhao Yao hurriedly opened the window, hoping for one last glimpse of Second Brother. However, she saw him escorting the orphan into the carriage before the curtain dropped, concealing everything from view. Thinking of returning home with her parents tonight while that Ba Commandery orphan would accompany Second Brother back to Fenghe Garden, Zhao Yao’s frustration boiled over. She smashed all the lanterns except the one Second Brother had bought her, startling her father. Then, sobbing loudly, she threw herself into her mother’s arms.

On the return journey, Shen Xiling and Qi Ying rode in silence.

Shen Xiling couldn’t tell if he was angry. She wanted to apologize but felt she hadn’t done anything wrong. Yet his prolonged silence made her uneasy, leaving her caught between conflicting emotions.

This internal struggle continued until they reached their destination.

Qi Ying, seated near the carriage door, alighted first. Shen Xiling followed behind him, noticing he had left his fox lantern inside. She bit her lip, picked it up, and stepped out of the carriage to call after him.

“Master.”

Qi Ying had already walked a few steps but turned his head upon hearing her voice, looking back at her.

Shen Xiling hadn’t fully exited the carriage yet, bending slightly as she stood on the carriage step. In her hands, she held two fox lanterns—the one given to her by Xiao Ziheng in her left hand and the one Qi Ying had left behind in her right. Though both were fox-shaped, there were subtle differences between them. The one from Xiao Ziheng was made of plain white paper, while the one Qi Ying had bought was crafted from delicately dyed red paper, more refined and beautiful. Holding up the one in her right hand, she said, “Master, you forgot your lantern.”

As Shen Xiling stood there holding the two lanterns, Qi Ying approached. However, instead of taking the lantern from her hand, he reached out to steady her as she stepped down from the carriage. Only after she was securely on the ground did he release her, saying, “That one is for you.”

Shen Xiling was taken aback. “Huh?”

Qi Ying paused for a moment before replying, “I thought you wanted it.”

Earlier that evening, when they had first disembarked, Zhao Yao had pointed out the fox lantern by the roadside. At that moment, Qi Ying had noticed Shen Xiling glancing at it, though she quickly looked away. He assumed she liked it, so when he bought a lantern for Zhao Yao, he also purchased one for her. Little did he expect that later, she would encounter Xiao Ziheng, and the eccentric Fourth Prince would gift her another lantern.

Hearing Qi Ying’s words, Shen Xiling was momentarily speechless.

From a young age, she had been sensitive by nature, accustomed to observing others’ actions and deciphering their thoughts, navigating the world with careful precision. Yet, she had never imagined that someone would pay such close attention to her—a single glance, a fleeting movement—and care about her desires and feelings. She had only instinctively glanced at the fox lantern once, and Qi Ying had noticed even that.

Her eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at him. Seeing her reddened eyes again, Qi Ying’s brows furrowed slightly, and he sighed, asking, “Why are you crying now?”

Shen Xiling averted her gaze, shaking her head repeatedly. “I’m not crying…”

Qi Ying was amused by her subdued tone and teased, “How is that not crying?”

When he smiled, his phoenix-like eyes softened, exuding a warmth that made him even more striking. Shen Xiling, unable to meet his gaze, muttered, “It’s just… I’m not crying…”

At that moment, Shen Xiling didn’t realize that her response carried a hint of playful petulance. Though subtle, this was the first time since meeting Qi Ying that she had spoken to him in such a natural, unguarded manner.

So effortless, so spontaneous.

Qi Ying, too, didn’t perceive anything unusual. The tenderness in his eyes deepened further. Though he couldn’t fully grasp what was going through her mind, he could tell her glistening eyes weren’t born of sadness. He raised his head to look at the sky—tonight’s moonlight was bright and clear, without a wisp of cloud. Tomorrow would likely be a fine day.

Lowering his gaze, he said to Shen Xiling, “Let’s go back. Rest early tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see Mother.”

Shen Xiling watched as he turned and began ascending the stone steps toward the mountain villa. His silhouette blended seamlessly with the cool moonlight and the bamboo shadows swaying across the slopes. A profound sense of tranquility washed over her. She glanced down at the delicate red fox lantern in her hand, a faint smile tugging at her lips, and hurried to catch up with his retreating figure.

Tonight, during the Lantern Festival, she… had found happiness.