Wufu didn’t quite catch what Ah Jiu was saying, as she looked outside to see the lights gradually becoming brighter. So, she squeezed out of the cabin and sat on the deck.
A cold wind blew, causing Wufu to shiver. Before she could say anything, a warm cloak was draped over her, and soone sat down beside her.
"Why didn’t you put on a cloak before coming out?" scolded Ah Jiu.
Wufu smiled mischievously, turning her head to look at him, and sighed, "Ah Jiu, in the future, you’d surely make a good husband."
Not understanding what a husband was but knowing it was a complint, Ah Jiu asked, "What?"
"It ans a lady’s good husband!" Wufu looked ahead, where an arch bridge could be seen. People were walking back and forth on the bridge. Past the bridge was the city river, with the sounds of people nearing.
Ah Jiu smiled too, propping his hands beside him like her, extending his legs, and gazing ahead.
Suddenly, two Lotus Lanterns floated past their boat. Wufu curiously looked over and then behind, where Hongyu and Xiao Li were releasing lanterns into the river, chattering excitedly.
The tiny Lotus Lanterns drifted slowly, their lights flickering as if about to go out but not yet extinguished.
"Shall we release one too?" Ah Jiu suggested.
Wufu glanced at him, and he had already signaled with his hand. Yuan Ye quickly appeared behind them.
"Bring two river lanterns."
Yuan Ye responded promptly, bringing over two lanterns and so brush and ink, and moved a Palace Lantern closer to them.
Ah Jiu took one, picked up a brush, and began writing sothing on the lantern. Wufu curiously looked on, "What are you writing?"
"A wish."
With only a few strokes, Ah Jiu finished writing and passed the brush to her, "You write one too!"
Wufu took the brush, her head tilted, but she didn’t know what to write.
"Do I really have to write sothing?" Wufu asked.
"Releasing lanterns with wishes is just for good luck," Ah Jiu said with a smile.
"What did you write?"
Ah Jiu smiled without a word, and glanced at the lantern in his hand, his fingertips tracing over it.
Wufu leaned in to look, and Ah Jiu suddenly caught the scent of her fragrance, looking down to see her slightly disheveled hair and her rosy ear, with a Sapphire earring swinging by her ear, as if swinging into his heart.
"May every year be like today." Wufu finally saw the line of delicate characters, looked up, and collided with his deep eyes, slightly startled.
Ah Jiu watched her steadily, his lips lightly curving. Wufu suddenly felt her face heating up, and she promptly straightened up, took the brush, and said, "I’m not as mushy as you are."
With that, she swiftly wrote a few words: Eat well, live well, and be a freeloader.
Ah Jiu, who had excellent perceptive ability, saw it clearly and burst out laughing.
Wufu glared at him, "What’s so funny? Don’t underestimate it; you need to be very wealthy and carefree to live like that."
"Yes! I wish for Wufu’s wish to co true!" Ah Jiu’s eyes were full of laughter as he lit her lantern and then his own.
Wufu carefully cradled the lantern in both hands and placed it in the river. Ah Jiu released his lantern too.
The two lanterns, one after the other, one to the left, and one to the right, gradually ca together and spun around, their flas flickering in the wind.
"Hey, don’t you knock over mine."
"Ah, Ah Jiu, not only are you naughty, but your lantern is too!"
On the city river, girls were shouting, and boys were chuckling warmly. The two of them laughed and played, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Behind the cabin, several young servants and maids watched the two seated on the deck, bickering. The scene before them seed to sweep away the chill, and they exchanged smiles.
I wish for every year to be like today, with you by my side!
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