Yesterday, when he saw Wu Shao's message, he had originally planned to have Wu Shao thank Zisu's father today and politely decline. But Li Yan insisted on accepting.
In previous lantern festivals, she had accompanied him. There was no reason she wouldn't come this year just because they had a child.
Unable to refuse her, Li Fulang reluctantly compromised. Last year, because he was pregnant and for the sake of his health, he hadn't come. To be honest, he really wanted to come this year.
"It's no trouble, I love playing with children," Zisu's father said, waving his hand with a smile.
The four of them left. Li Yan and Li Fulang walked ahead, while Wu Shao and Zisu followed behind, not disturbing each other.
The person who had unsettled him yesterday was now by his side. He couldn't calm down at all, pursing his lips, his whole body a little stiff.
He had applied the lip gloss she gave him yesterday before they arrived this morning. Now that they were so close, he suddenly regretted it.
The decision made last night was a momentary impulse, and he hadn't calmed down all day today.
Wu Shao walked quietly beside him, sensing the slightly awkward atmosphere, and spoke first, "Do you still like the lip gloss I gave you yesterday?" She knew he hadn't looked at it carefully outside yesterday.
"I like it," Zisu opened his mouth, only saying these two words, as if he begrudged saying one more word.
But he actually liked it very much.
He also wanted to tell her that the lip gloss he was wearing now was the one she gave him yesterday, but the words were swallowed back before they could be spoken. There was really no need to tell her such a thing.
"It's good that you like it. It's the first time I've bought something for boys, so I was afraid I picked poorly and you wouldn't like it."
Of course, I like it, I like it immensely. This is the most sought-after lip gloss from the most famous rouge house in Qimu, and you went to great lengths to buy it. How could I not like it?
"Then, then can you put it on for me to see?" Wu Shao said, then felt the words were inappropriate and quickly changed her phrasing, "No, no, I just want to see the color."
Sensing her overly nervous emotions, Zisu suddenly smiled. He stood still, looking at her with a smile. Perhaps it was because of the dazzling lights around due to the lantern festival, but his eyes seemed to glisten with moisture.
"What, what's wrong?" Wu Shao scratched her head, truly not knowing why he was smiling, or if she had done something funny.
"I used the lip gloss you gave me," Zisu raised his arm and pointed to his lips with his index finger, smiling and speaking.
From the moment Zisu spoke his first sentence, Wu Shao's gaze had not left his mouth. Watching his red lips part and close as he spoke, Wu Shao swallowed.
"It looks really good."
Wu Shao, as if mesmerized, stared at his lips and slowly uttered these three words, not knowing if she was complimenting the lip gloss on his lips or—
Zisu's face instantly turned completely red. He turned his head in a panic, not daring to look at her again.
He had to admit that Wu Shao had quietly and rapidly occupied a place in his heart and was rapidly expanding.
The street was bustling with noise, but Zisu felt that her soft and gentle words had cut through all the surrounding noise and reached the bottom of his heart.
"Would the young lady and young master like to buy a lantern?" A street vendor, seeing the two standing still, enthusiastically approached them.
The two then came back to their senses and, in their haste, agreed to the vendor's words and automatically followed her to the stall.
Various kinds of lanterns were displayed on the stall, exquisitely crafted and uniquely styled, most capable of attracting a man's interest.
"Would the young lady and young master like to see which one they like?" The vendor enthusiastically introduced, "This lantern is painted with twin lotuses. This lantern was made by the most famous lantern maker in our town, and that one..."
As the vendor spoke with excitement, she stepped into the stall, picked up a lantern, and introduced it piece by piece, very meticulously.
The Lantern Festival, as the name suggests, is a festival for releasing lanterns. Men, women, old, and young can all go out at this time. The streets are full of lantern stalls, and the competition is quite strong. They would not let go of any customer who had the opportunity to consume.
"Which one do you like?" Wu Shao turned her head and asked softly.
Hearing Wu Shao's question, Zisu subconsciously looked up, and unexpectedly met her gentle, watery gaze. As if scalded, he quickly averted his eyes, his earlobes slightly red.
"Perhaps not," he said. His purpose in coming to the market was to experience the lively atmosphere of the market and admire the various lanterns, but he definitely had no intention of releasing lanterns. The earnest inquiry from the person in front of him made him flustered.
"What?"
Zisu's voice was very soft, and she hadn't heard clearly. She leaned forward and asked again.
"Yes, tell me which one the young master likes, and I'll help you get it." The vendor, seeing the two whispering, was secretly delighted, believing that the business for this lantern was secured.
Sensing the vendor's enthusiastic approach from the side, Zisu leaned towards Wu Shao with a hint of nervousness. Although she still kept her eyes down, she slightly raised her head to be closer to Wu Shao, so she could hear his words clearly, "I don't want to release lanterns."
This time Wu Shao heard clearly and was slightly stunned. She turned to see the vendor approaching and waved her hand apologetically, "Sorry, we won't buy anything for now."
Hearing these words, the vendor who had approached instantly drooped her face, knitted her brows, and opened her mouth as if to say something, but then seeing that there were people around, she said no more and turned back to the stall.
Seeing the two standing near her stall, she became unhappy again and said ungraciously, "You two move away, don't hinder my business."
Hinder her business?
Wu Shao frowned. The two of them were clearly in the middle of the street, and the street was crowded with pedestrians. How were they hindering her business?
If it were any other day, with her temper, she would have argued with that person. But with Zisu by her side today, she decided to endure it.
She glanced at the vendor, said nothing, and walked a few more steps forward, avoiding that spot.
She stopped and turned around in a less crowded area. Seeing that Zisu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, Wu Shao looked confused and lightly rubbed her fingers, "Why don't you want to release lanterns?"
Zisu pursed her lips slightly, lowered her head, her gaze a little unfocused, and said nothing, nor did she look up.
"Does Young Master Zisu have no wishes?"
"Does Miss Wu still believe in these things?" Zisu finally looked up and changed the subject.
"I see that most of the young men in town believe in it, so I thought you would too." Wu Shao scratched her head somewhat embarrassed, "But I heard my brother say that this is quite effective."
He believed it, of course, he believed it.
But it was precisely because he believed that he dared not make wishes casually, nor did he know whether the wish should be made.
Legend had it that there was a lantern god who could help people fulfill their wishes, but only those related to themselves. In recent years, it was rumored that wishes related to marriage were fulfilled more often.
If he had a wish to make for his father, he could make one. But for himself, he knew that if he wanted a good marriage, perhaps he didn't need the lantern god to fulfill this wish, because the person by his side was it.