“Thank you.”
At the restaurant entrance, Zhu Ming sighed and said, “I was this close to touching that shedding black sheep spiritual manifestation with my own hands. Thanks to you, I won’t be stepping through this store’s doors for the rest of my life.”
Xi Xianqing’s face was no better.
Zhu Ming said faintly, “And I didn’t even get to try the sweet corn pancakes. It’s an exclusive new item, too.”
Xi Xianqing’s face sank again.
He shot Zhu Ming a sideways glance. “You said you were treating an abnormal spiritual manifestation, you didn’t say you were going to cure insanity.”
Zhu Ming paused, realizing he couldn’t really argue with that.
He hadn’t expected Ji Rong to throw such a massive temper out of nowhere.
Sure, Xi Xianqing’s blunt remarks often rubbed people the wrong way, but Zhu Ming had sat through the entire exchange earlier. His responses today hadn’t crossed any lines.
As for Ji Rong, though her emotional management clearly needed work, Zhu Ming had observed from their previous interactions that she wasn’t entirely without manners.
But the moment the name “Shen Ying” was mentioned, she transformed into a firecracker, ready to explode at the slightest spark.
Zhu Ming pondered for a moment and said, “I’m wondering if those two have some sort of past grudge? I mean, in the restaurant business… competition is tough. I hear it’s easy to make enemies.”
Xi Xianqing’s brow furrowed slightly. “If they had a grudge, would they use the same design patterns in their shops?”
Zhu Ming fell silent for a moment. “But if they don’t have a grudge, then why throw us out like that?”
“Could it be that they used to get along… but then had a falling-out?” he hesitantly speculated.
Xi Xianqing was also quiet for a moment.
This was something they hadn’t expected.
Shen Ying was now a rising star in District Two, while Ji Rong was merely the young owner of an ordinary pastry shop. To outsiders, the two seemed like parallel lines that would never intersect.
Their luck had been strangely fortuitous—if Zhu Ming hadn’t held his offline consultation and if Xi Xianqing hadn’t decided to come along today, they might have completely missed this crucial piece of information by sheer coincidence.
Xi Xianqing exhaled, “Let’s go back first.”
The sky had already darkened, and the seaside town was now at its busiest.
Streetlights decorated the pedestrian street, illuminating the bustling flow of people. The sound of waves mixed with chatter, and the salty sea breeze carried the aroma of street food, creating a warm and lively atmosphere.
This scene was vastly different from what Xi Xianqing had seen in District Two’s mountain area over the past few days.
The mountain area of District Two resembled an intricate and elegant oil painting, presenting diners with a celestial and luxurious dining experience. Down here, however, the atmosphere was vibrant and down-to-earth, like frames from a creative and lively comic strip. It felt authentic and dynamic, giving visitors a strong sense of belonging.
While Xi Xianqing was busy capturing the scenery for inspiration, Zhu Ming was having a rougher time.
The food street was already lively, and as the traffic of people grew, it became almost impossible to move through. In the midst of this packed scene, Zhu Ming’s wheelchair made maneuvering especially difficult.
He could only hold his breath, carefully controlling his wheelchair to move slowly through the throng, doing his best to avoid bumping into passersby.
Suddenly, a loud “bang” echoed from a distance.
When he looked up, he could only see a corner of the sky partially obscured by the dense crowd. Confused, he asked Xi Xianqing, “What’s going on?”
Xi Xianqing looked up and said, “Fireworks.”
District Two had indeed put a great deal of thought into its tourism appeal. It was early summer, and fireworks along the seaside made for an unmissable summer spectacle.
The once-flowing crowd came to a halt, standing still to admire the fireworks.
Zhu Ming’s situation was a bit awkward.
He could only hear the sound of fireworks launching into the sky, but his limited view only allowed him to see the shoulders of those in front of him and faint glimpses of the shifting lights above.
He couldn’t see the fireworks that everyone else was marveling at.
Zhu Ming had long grown accustomed to such inconveniences and wasn’t the kind to wallow in self-pity—he firmly believed there were always more solutions than problems.
After a moment’s thought, Zhu Ming pulled out his phone, stretched his arm upward as far as he could, and tried to use the screen to see the fireworks and snapped a few photos in the meantime.
This way, he could send them to Zhu Yingying later and tell her he was living it up in District Two.
Focused on the fireworks in the viewfinder, Zhu Ming suddenly caught sight of something else on the screen—deep green eyes, more dazzling than the fireworks themselves, staring directly back at him.
His finger instinctively hit the shutter button. Lowering his phone, he turned to Xi Xianqing and asked, “What is it?”
Xi Xianqing’s lips moved, seemingly saying something, but the noise of the fireworks drowned out all sound.
Zhu Ming couldn’t hear it and frowned slightly, “What did you say?”
Xi Xianqing didn’t speak again, and pursed his lips.
In the next second, he wordlessly snatched Zhu Ming’s phone. Turning around, he briskly took a few photos of the fireworks for him.
Zhu Ming froze for a moment, then accepted the phone back with a smile, mouthing a silent “thank you.”
But when he looked at the photos, he was startled by how badly overexposed they were—what should have been a fireworks display looked more like a scene from “The Shining.”11980 Stanley Kubrick film from Stephen King’s 1977 novel.
He quickly lowered his head to adjust the camera settings on his phone, tugged on Xi Xianqing’s sleeve, and made a “1” which meant asking if he could take another picture
Realizing his photography skills seemed to be disliked, Xi Xianqing’s expression darkened instantly.
Zhu Ming also knew he might have pushed his luck a little too far.
He mouthed “I can’t see” as an excuse, quickly pressing his palms together in a pleading gesture. Finally, he respectfully held his phone out toward Xi Xianqing.
The fireworks streaked across the night sky like meteors, round after round, but Xi Xianqing didn’t make a move for a long time.
Zhu Ming sighed, admitting to himself that he might have been too demanding. Lowering his head, he stared at the screen again, wondering if some P2Photoshop. software could salvage the overexposed mess.
The next moment, a hand with distinct joints appeared in front of him again.
His initial reaction was joy—he thought Xi Xianqing had a conscience and was willing to retake the photos. Just as he was about to speak, he realized that the hand wasn’t reaching for his phone.
Instead, he felt strong hands firmly grip his lower back and behind his knees. Before he could react, his body was effortlessly lifted into the air—
In an instant, his entire perspective changed.
Zhu Ming’s eyes widened silently as his field of vision opened up. He stared around, almost dazed: “…!”
He saw many things.
First was the beautiful fireworks.
Not just in the sky but also reflected on the gentle waves of the sea. The entire world seemed illuminated by this romantic brilliance, a beauty too vivid to be captured in photos and only truly appreciated through the naked eye.
Shifting his gaze, Zhu Ming slowly turned to look at the person holding him.
The flickering glow of the fireworks illuminated the handsome young man’s side profile. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his expression was tinged with a slight awkwardness.
But as he felt Zhu Ming’s gaze on him, he finally turned his face, forcing himself to meet Zhu Ming’s eyes with feigned calm composure.
“Did you see it?” Xi Xianqing asked.
The sound of Zhu Ming’s heartbeat and the fireworks seemed almost in sync. Zhu Ming slightly hooked his lips, turned his head, and looked up at the sky. “Yeah, I saw it.”
“It’s beautiful,” he said, leaning close to Xi Xianqing’s ear.
Zhu Ming’s profile flickered with the rhythm of the fireworks. His dark, round eyes were illuminated with bursts of color, as clear and dazzling as the finest gemstones.
Xi Xianqing watched quietly for a moment, then silently looked away. “If you want to take pictures, do it yourself. Stop dawdling.”
Even when helping someone, he always had to say things in a deliberately awkward tone.
Zhu Ming chuckled softly.
“En.” He tightened his arm around Xi Xianqing’s neck with one hand while raising his phone. “Since that’s the case, I’ll trouble you to put in a bit more effort and lift me a little higher.”
Xi Xianqing, who had been bossed around without mercy: “…”
The fireworks didn’t last long, but in the end, Zhu Ming managed to capture a few decent photos.
The gathered crowd slowly dispersed. Xi Xianqing bent down and carefully placed Zhu Ming back into his wheelchair.
The air was quiet for a moment, and Zhu Ming softly said, “Thank you.”
Xi Xianqing glanced at him and let out a “Mm.”
As they moved toward the exit of the pedestrian street, Zhu Ming reflected on the day and felt that Xi Xianqing, in a way, had also gained quite a lot.
First, he was scolded in a restaurant alongside Zhu Ming, then he served as a fireworks photographer, and finally, he spent some time as a free human tripod.
Anyone else would probably feel a little resentful, but Zhu Ming wasn’t like most people. He thought there was still plenty more to be extracted from Xi Xianqing, so he shamelessly made another request: “By the way, can we take a photo together?”
Xi Xianqing looked over to him.
“My aunt has been messaging me constantly these days, asking what we’re up to. You know how it is—acting the full part is the only way to convince her.”
Zhu Ming continued, “So a honeymoon photo is necessary. Just cooperate a little ha.”
While saying this, he swiftly raised his phone, moving to press the shutter—
However, Xi Xianqing didn’t let him succeed.
He lifted his arm and covered Zhu Ming’s lens with his long, slender fingers.
“If I take a photo with you,” Xi Xianqing lightly threw out the conditions, “then in return, you’ll have to do me a favor.”
Zhu Ming froze briefly but immediately guessed what that favor might be.
Zhu Ming tried to pull his phone back from Xi Xianqing’s big hand while negotiating, “No way. Your favor is much harder than mine.”
Xi Xianqing glanced at him, still not letting go. “Then I’m not taking the photo.”
Zhu Ming tilted his head, smiling brightly as he bargained, “How about this? Besides this photo, you have to take at least five more couple vacation photos with me over the next few days. Deal?”
Xi Xianqing frowned. “…Two photos.”
Zhu Ming’s smile didn’t falter. “Four photos.”
Xi Xianqing finally released his hand. “Three photos.”
Zhu Ming blinked.
“Deal.” He sighed. “Come on, look at the camera.”
“…”
“No, can you at least smile a little?”
“…”Add
“…Forget it. It’s creepy enough as it is. Better not.”
Unexpectedly learning about Shen Ying and Ji Rong’s acquaintance served as a breakthrough for Xi Xianqing.
A week later, Xi Xianqing ushered in his second meeting with Shen Ying.
The process was almost identical to last time: Xi Xianqing presented a few initial drafts from his team, discussed Shen Ying’s daily dressing habits, and exchanged thoughts on her color preferences.
At the end, he once again asked questions related to Shen Ying’s life experiences.
Shen Ying maintained the same calm and composed demeanor, answering with an equally official and distant tone.
Her responses were always the same—things like “My father’s teachings” or “Owning this restaurant is the most important gift in my life”. Flawless answers that can’t find faults.
She was like a carefully pruned flower placed in a porcelain vase, with every leaf and petal displayed at the most perfect angle for onlookers.
But because its roots had long been severed, soaking in cold water instead of nutrient-rich soil, it was beautiful but devoid of vitality.
However, this time Xi Xianqing was unbothered.
He remained calm, and after receiving Shen Ying’s seemingly flawless, speech-like responses, he simply nodded in agreement, his reaction polite and composed.
This time, Shen Ying served Xi Xianqing and his team with the finest tea from District Two. The tea was placed in an intricately carved porcelain tea set painted with delicate inked landscapes, accompanied by elegant, small refreshments.
“This is Yanying Wuyi Tea3Also known by the trade name Bohea in English, is a category of black and oolong teas grown in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian, China. from District Two—one of the rarest varieties, freshly harvested.”
Shen Ying said, “Please try it.”
Xi Xianqing nodded, picking up the teacup.
He lowered his gaze, took a small sip, and placed the cup back on the table. However, he didn’t retract his hand. Instead, his fingertips traced the edge of the cup before gliding down to a small embroidered pattern at the corner of the linen napkin below.
“Miss Shen, the design on this napkin seems like a fusion of two patterns.”
He looked at Shen Ying’s face and suddenly asked an unrelated question: “Is there a story behind this?”
He noticed Shen Ying’s hands, folded on her lap, tremble slightly.
At the same time, the pale pink creature coiled around her wrist seemed to shrink its eyes faintly. A moment later, it slipped back into the sleeve, leaving only its slender, delicate tail visible.
“The cherry blossom petals on the upper part represent my name.”4The 樱 (yīng) in her name means Cherry.
Shen Ying answered, after a slight pause, her response flawlessly composed. “As for the clouds below, they symbolize this restaurant. Since it is hidden high in the mountains and surrounded by a sea of clouds, the clouds serve as its emblem.”
Xi Xianqing nodded after a moment and repeated her words: “Clouds?”
The smile at the corner of Shen Ying’s mouth froze. “…Yes. Is there a problem?”
“Not really. It’s just that I think your restaurant has an antique, classical charm. If you wanted to express a cloud theme, choosing a design like auspicious clouds—which has a richer traditional aesthetic—would seem more fitting.”
Xi Xianqing said calmly, his fingers tracing the raised edges of the embroidery. “This cloud, however, looks rather round and fluffy. It feels… a bit cartoonishly cute.”
Shen Ying’s fingertips froze imperceptibly.
Xi Xianqing placed the napkin back on the table and looked into Shen Ying’s eyes. “So I can’t help but think that its outline resembles the fur of a certain animal.”
Author’s Notes:
Happy Qixi Festival!
The big peac0ck has such a long neck that it can coolly pick up the little fox to watch the fireworks (proudly wriggles).
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