Chapter 107: Making a Wish

Chapter 107: Wishes

"Your Highness, General Xie has left."

Chang Yuan trailed them like a shadow and hurried to tell Wei Xun as soon as Xie Zheng departed.

"Hm. Follow him."

A Yuan brought A Man to the riverside, where a crowd had already formed.

"Mother, let's go there."

A Man tugged at her mother's hand, pulling her toward the center of the crowd. A Yuan shielded her while reminding her, "Be careful, don’t bump into anyone."

"Don’t worry, Mama, I’ll be careful."

The little girl, chubby and round, could disappear in the crowd in a blink. A Yuan had to watch her like a hawk, so she didn't notice the lantern hurled toward her from the opposite side.

"Watch out!"

A man’s sharp warning cut through the noise. The candle flame ignited the paper, turning into a fireball. Her eyes widened in alarm as she looked up. Just as the fireball was about to reach her, the man rushed forward and pulled her tightly against him.

"Whoosh!"

The fireball exploded before her eyes, sparks flying and searing his back. Then came panicked apologies.

"I beg for mercy! I failed to hold the lantern properly and harmed your ladyship. Please spare my life!"

The streets were crowded, and he had been jostled forward—never expecting such misfortune to befall a noble.

"A Yuan, are you hurt anywhere?"

Wei Xun ignored the burns on his back, immediately asking the woman in his arms.

A Yuan was still trembling. The moment the fireball rushed toward her, she had nearly thought she would die.

"A Man... check on A Man..."

The little girl, sandwiched between them, struggled to poke her head out and said brightly, "Mother, I'm fine."

The two of them had been shielded in the man's embrace, without a scratch on them. Hearing her daughter was safe, A Yuan's tense heart finally settled.

"Mother, the mean uncle’s hurt."

The little girl tugged at A Yuan's hand, urging her to look at Wei Xun's back. Though the man wore winter robes, the fireball had struck directly, burning a palm-sized hole in his brocade coat. His back was covered in angry blisters—painful to look at—yet he bore it silently.

A Yuan froze. Wei Xun turned slightly to block her view. "It’s nothing serious."

He had schemed to get closer to A Yuan, but he didn’t want to use his wounds to guilt her. He secretly hoped—would A Yuan feel distressed for him?

Yet A Yuan merely bit her lip before averting her gaze, her tone indifferent. "Thank you, Your Highness, for earlier. We're fine now, so you may leave."

"A Yuan..."

Wei Xun’s face fell, never expecting A Yuan to truly disregard him.

Before, even if he suffered just a scratch, A Yuan would act like it was an emergency, holding out medicine, begging him to apply it. Those pleading almond eyes, so pitiful, could soften even Wei Xun's hardest heart.

Yet now, those same eyes were full of indifference.

Wei Xun's chest ached dully, the pain in his heart far more unbearable than the burns on his back.

"Did the Wei Crown Prince need something else?"

A Yuan kept up her cold act, though her hands inside her sleeves were clenched tightly.

Wei Xun’s throat went tight, the corners of his eyes tinged red. "I wish to accompany A Man in releasing lanterns."

He’d just ditched Xie Zheng and wasn’t ready to leave without spending more time with them.

"It would be better if the Wei Crown Prince tended to his injuries first," A Yuan murmured, clearly brushing him off.

Moreover, his robe had been singed by the fireball—not exactly presentable for lantern-releasing. Someone so hung up on manners would never tolerate such impropriety in public.

"Doesn’t matter."

He glanced at Chang Yuan. "Give me your outer robe."

Chang Yuan blinked. "What?"

Though stunned, he complied. Fortunately, their statures were similar, and both wore black. It didn’t look weird.

"Better now?"

He stood stubbornly, his face pale from pain, breaking out in a cold sweat in the bitter winter night.

A Yuan’s lashes fluttered faintly as she gripped her daughter’s hand. "Fine."

That was consent.

The corners of Wei Xun’s lips lifted, lighting up like a kid.

Chang Yuan hugged himself, shivering. "Could you spare a thought for me too?"

Must you only care about appeasing your wife? What about me?

Wei Xun shot him a disdainful sidelong glance. "Get lost. Go back."

"Yeah!"

Chang Yuan bore no grudge for being cast aside. Tonight was the Lantern Festival, and since A Yuan hadn’t brought Chun Tao, he was free to return to his own wife.

Xie Yi, who had observed everything, found it all rather odd. The Wei Crown Prince’s timing was way too suspicious.

And should he report this to the general?

The Capital Prefecture handled cases for the people, and as the Vice Governor of the Capital Prefecture, Wei Xun was a familiar face to most in the capital.

"Toss yours in here—they drift the farthest from here."

......

As soon as Wei Xun and the two reached the riverbank, a local waved him over.

The packed crowd parted, clearing a space for them.

"Thank you."

Wei Xun clasped his hands in greeting, winced as the motion pulled at his back.

A Yuan bit back her refusal.

Fine, if he wanted to follow, she would simply ignore him.

A Man, oblivious to the adults' complicated feelings, darted excitedly toward the riverbank with her lantern.

"Slow down, don't fall in!"

A Yuan's heart jumped into her throat as she hurried after her daughter.

Wei Xun's expression softened. Mother and daughter both held lotus lanterns, while his hands remained empty.

"I told you to buy an extra one! Now I can't make a wish, and we'll have to go back. Who knows if there are any left?"

A young couple passed by, the wife pinching her husband's arm in complaint.

"Make a wish?" Wei Xun caught the phrase.

Seeing who it was, the woman quickly composed herself. "Yes! Wishes made during the Lantern Festival are most certain to come true. The Flower Goddess hears them all. Sir, you should get a lotus lantern too—it'll surely grant your heart's desire."

"Heart's desire?"

Wei Xun murmured the words, his gaze cutting through the crowd to rest on the mother and daughter by the river.

"Can it truly make wishes come true?"

"Absolutely!" The woman vowed earnestly. "As long as you pray sincerely, the Flower Goddess will fulfill your wish."

Just then, fireworks exploded above the river. A Yuan looked up, her eyes sparkling with the fireworks' glow.

As the fireworks faded, Wei Xun joined them carrying a lotus lantern.

A Man, still dazzled by the fireworks, said wistfully. "I wish every day could be the Lantern Festival."

She loved the lanterns and the fireworks equally.

"If A Man likes fireworks, this... uh, uncle could arrange some for you, would you like that?"

Wei Xun ruffled her hair gently.

He expected an eager agreement, but A Man shook her head. "No, then they wouldn't be special anymore. Beautiful things are only special on their proper days."

"Mommy, silly uncle, let's float our lanterns! A Man has so many wishes to make!"

Unaware of how her words affected them, the little girl pulled them toward the water's edge to float their lanterns.