Rowing back to the main part of the town, Anji finally understood why the tour boats were painted a bright coat of red and lavishly decorated with many lanterns. At night, they were the stars of the show. Even the travellers on land would pause montarily to admire the stunning lights sparkling on the river.
"After sundown, Silver Water Town transforms into a tourist attraction at night. Unlike other towns that promote gambling dens and pleasure houses, Silver Water Town promotes the night flower market and live cooking restaurants afloat in the waters," Zhou Fu explained.
Thanks to the Gentleman Club, all the shady sides of their business were hidden in the darker parts of this town in alleys that nobody thought to check. Hong Nian Niang’s glamourous business hogged the spotlight, giving Mingshen more freedom to operate his information-gathering illegal fight club in peace.
Like everyone else, Anji was drawn to the sparkly lights and lively music. The sll of food reminded her that they had not had dinner yet. Although she was curious to try dining on the river in a boat, her brother had suffered a panic attack earlier. Concerned for his ntal state, she decided to end her river tour here.
Thanks to Zhou Fu’s excellent service, Mingshen gave him extra silvers before he alighted from the boat. The mont his feet touched land, he felt surer of himself. Anji noticed the change in confidence almost imdiately. It was not her job to pry into what her older brother was suffering from if he did not want to share it with her. As his little sister, Anji continued to be supportive and proposed that they look around the night market a little more before returning to the inn for dinner.
Sending Gu Ying ahead of them to inform the hotel steward to prepare their bath and dinner, Mingshen escorted his little sister to look at the bustling fare. Although Anji had been to the town at the base of the Celestial Dragon Mountain, this market was much bigger, and so rchants carried wares from distant lands that Anji had never seen before.
"Brother, what is that?" Anji tugged at his sleeve and pointed at a fluffy cloud on a stick.
Mingshen grinned. Most parents would disapprove of this sweet treat. However, neither of their parents were here. He sent Gu Ying away earlier, knowing that the strict bodyguard would disapprove of Anji’s curiosity.
"It’s a cotton candy," Mingshen explained. "They put sugar into a spinning machine that heats the sugar into liquid. Then, the threads are shaped into a cloud."
Hearing the explanation, Anji was reminded of the traditional sugar art sweets. Back then, her father bought a small butterfly tangren and only allowed Anji to eat half of it, afraid her mother would scold her if she ate too much. Doctor He was also equally displeased when he learned how Anji indulged in the sugary treat when her health was still not at its best. After that scolding, Anji dared not buy more by herself. She felt too guilty to eat them even if she always stared at them longingly whenever she passed them by.
However, before Anji could leave, Mingshen was already walking to the cotton candy store.
"Give the biggest one you have," he ordered and tossed a large silver nugget at the vendor, whose face lit up at the sight of big money.
"Right away, sir!"
Panicked, Anji tugged at her brother’s sleeve and tried to protest. However, Mingshen remained calm.
"It’s ok," he reassured her with a wink. "You don’t have to finish the whole thing if you don’t want to. There are plenty of children around who can’t afford it. You can give the rest to them."
Although part of Anji felt guilty for eating sothing her mother and Doctor He disapproved of. She promised to share more than she ate. Besides, everything would be fine if she drank more water and brushed her teeth. Anji would also willingly beco vegetarian for three days after eating this cotton candy.
The candy man wove large clouds of sugar threads to form five different-coloured clouds. Anji thought so of those were for other custors. However, when the man used a chopstick to start weaving the five different colours together into a large flower, Anji realised with dread how large the cotton candy her brother ordered was.
"Here’s your order, esteed custor. The biggest our store can make!"
Satisfied with the candy flower, Mingshen presented it to his little sister. The sight was rather comical as the flower was bigger than Anji’s face. Even if she used two hands to hold onto the wooden stick, the large flower still wobbled a little in her hands. Although they looked like clouds, Anji thought they were still rather heavy.
With the large candy blocking her vision of the road ahead, Mingshen thought he would paint this scene after returning for his personal collection. However, for now, he offered to help carry the candy for her so she could pinch parts of the petal to eat while they walked.
After so persuasion, Anji finally agreed to "sample" the different colours of the candy, not wanting to waste it. Although his younger sister was usually described as level-headed and mature, she was still a six-year-old child. So things could not be defied. The craving for sweets and delicious food could not be denied.
When Anji pinched part of the flower’s red petal, she realised how soft the cotton candy was. However, she also quickly learned that the candy had to be eaten quickly if she did not want her hands to turn sticky. These sugar threads lted quicker than Anji expected. Even when taking a bite from the little snack, she watched threads lt upon contact with her saliva.
By the ti Anji finished sampling all five colours, noting how they tasted the sa, her hands were full of lted sugar.
"Oh," Mingshen quickly noted the problem. Not only were Anji’s hands full of sticky sugar, but her mouth was also full of different colours. Gu Ying would be sure to find out because Anji’s tongue was stained green.
"What should we do now?" asked Anji.
Contemplating, Mingshen first gave away the rest of the unfinished candy to a beggar child nearby. Then, he found a spot by the river where Anji could wash her hands and gurgle her mouth. As for the green-coloured tongue...
"Try not to speak too much or open your mouth too widely tonight until you brush your teeth," he advised. "I’ll distract Gu Ying when we get back so you can brush your teeth in advance. Check if that helps to reduce the colouring."
Nodding in agreent but still slightly worried, Anji and Mingshen returned to the hotel, but not before buying a small paper lantern so that Anji could release it into the river and make a wish.
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