Wen Yan pulled a face at her father, then turned back to take Yan Qing’s hand. “Qing Qing, your timing couldn’t be better — there’s a lantern festival tonight. I’ll take you to see the lanterns.”

“A lantern festival?” It was neither a major holiday nor a festival season — how could there be a lantern fair?

“It’s a local tradition here in Taishan. Taishan sits on the coast, and most people here make their living from fishing. Legend has it that the bottom of the sea is pitch black, and the sea dragon, wanting to find light, tried to pluck the moon from the sky to use as a night pearl. The local people, wishing to protect the moon, began making lanterns in the shape of the moon on the seventeenth day of the second month and floating them out to sea. Over time this became a tradition that was passed down, and it has since grown into Taishan’s lantern festival.” Wen Yan talked until she was thirsty and took a large gulp of water. “Father, let me take Qing Qing to see the lanterns tonight — please? Pretty please?”

Wen Xu wore the expression of a man who had long since given up trying to manage her. “You wild child, always out playing — Qing Qing isn’t like you. You can go, but you’d better watch over her properly. Otherwise I’ll give you a proper scolding when you’re back.”

Yan Qing was genuinely a little curious about the lantern festival. Since coming to Xin Guo, she had not yet truly experienced the local customs — this trip to Taishan was her first real venture beyond the doors of the family home.

The Taishan lantern festival was held near a temple, and felt more like a grand temple fair. A long street running from south to north was lined on both sides with many multi-story shophouses, their facades hung with all manner of signboards and plaques — there were even celebrity advertisements among them.

In this era, film stars had already begun to rise — they became the objects of countless people’s admiration and longing, as distant and unreachable as stars in the sky.

But the most captivating sight was not the street food stalls, acrobats, peep shows, and circus acts on either side of the road — it was the row upon row of lanterns in every shape and form that truly held center stage.

These lanterns came in all sizes and a bewildering variety of designs. The largest were two full stories tall, blazing like luminous pagodas. The smallest were dainty and delicate, small enough to slip into a sleeve at any moment.

Even someone like Yan Qing, who rarely cared for bustling crowds, found her gaze irresistibly drawn in — there was simply too much to take in, and it was all breathtakingly beautiful.

“Qing Qing, try this.” Something strangely shaped, with eight writhing tentacles, was held out in front of Yan Qing’s face.

Yan Qing gave a small start. “What is this?”

“Iron-plate grilled squid — a local specialty here. Try it, it’s delicious.”

Yan Qing glanced at Murong and Jing Zhi, who were already eating theirs with obvious delight, and accepted it with curious interest.

The squid had been seared on an iron griddle and brushed with chili sauce and sesame. The first thing that hit the palate was heat, followed immediately by fragrance and a rich savory depth. The flesh was exceptionally tender, cooked to precisely the right degree.

Coming to a stall selling lanterns, Wen Yan encouraged Yan Qing to pick one to bring home. Faced with lanterns in every color imaginable, Yan Qing was quite spoiled for choice, while Wen Yan had already run off with Jing Zhi to another stall to buy small trinkets.

“Miss, do you like this lantern? It has two little kittens playing with a ball of yarn — they’re so adorable!” Murong suddenly held a lantern up in front of Yan Qing’s face.

They truly were the most charming pair of little kittens — gray and white, round as little dumplings. But the moment Yan Qing laid eyes on them, her expression changed completely. Almost as if by instinct, she swatted out a hand and knocked the lantern to the ground.

“Take it away.” She was always composed and serene — she had never lost her composure like this before.

Murong was equally startled and quickly picked the lantern back up, hurrying it back to where it had been. When she turned around, she found Yan Qing pressing her sleeve over the lower half of her face, still trembling visibly.

“Miss, what’s wrong?” Murong was frantic.

After a moment, Yan Qing gradually composed herself. When she lowered her sleeve, she found Murong’s eyes were already red and brimming with tears.

She let out a soft sigh. “I’m afraid of cats.”

—