In order to arrange the plot, they could go out in the evening, so they had dinner early and didn't eat much, planning to walk and eat while visiting the Lantern Festival.
When Wen Zhan heard her say that she was going out, he subconsciously felt resistance.
He hadn't felt the light for too long, and he couldn't quite remember what it felt like to be in a noisy environment, so he felt a little scared.
But he disguised himself very well and didn't let Lu Yunchu notice that he was in a bad mood. Besides, she was looking forward to the Lantern Festival with such great enthusiasm, he couldn't spoil her fun.
Lu Yunchu searched through the dowry box and found the important tool used in today's plot in the book - the chess flower. In fact, it is a simplified version of a signal flare. Tie a colored firecracker to a bamboo stick, light it and fly it into the sky, exploding a colored flame in the sky as a signal for action.
Before Lu Yunchu came through, the female supporting role presented the male protagonist with a flag flower used by her father's army in order to please him. This was the original version, the fireworks were not big and did not rise high. Later, the male protagonist found a counselor and modified it, and this thing was very useful in many battles.
After Lu Yunchu took this out, he put out a pile of clothes, selected them carefully, and dressed up nicely.
She doesn't look like her, Wen Zhan.
"Today is your birthday, why not wear red?" Lu Yunchu picked up the clothes and compared them to him. The scarlet color made his skin look even whiter, adding a touch of gorgeousness to his cold temperament. His already passionate eyes suddenly sparkled without any makeup, like a sudden warmth in the ice and snow.
Wen Zhan's limbs were stiff and he was not used to being pressed and dressed.
He looked down at Lu Yunchu's eyes shining, and really didn't understand why she was so interested.
Lu Yunchu put down his clothes, then picked up a moon-white pair of pants and gestured to him.
The moon white color brings out his temperament even more. The orchid, jade trees, bright moonlight, which should have been extremely cold and pure with his appearance, but his gentle eyes turned it into spring water meandering under a glacier.
"This one is the best." Lu Yunchu made a decision, "Let's wear this one."
Wen Zhan didn't like to wear light colors, as these colors would look out of place in the dark. But he didn't refuse, and took the clothes. His fair and slender fingers touched the moon-white cloth, and the ugly dark red scar on his hand became more obvious.
He quickly lowered his hands, not wanting to expose his scar.
Just as I was indulging in my depressed mood, I suddenly heard Lu Yunchu say, "It's a little lighter this way. You have red lips and white teeth, but you're just missing some lip balm. Why not put on some lip balm?"
Wen Zhan looked up in horror, and Queen Cang took two steps back, like a cat whose fur stood on end when its spine was stroked.
Lu Yunchu immediately laughed: "Just kidding."
Wen Zhan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling ashamed for making a fuss over nothing. She gave an apologetic smile, but just as she managed to force out a smile, she heard Lu Yunchu continue, "But you really don't want to consider it?"
He exploded again.
Lu Yunchu laughed loudly, but in the end she didn't tell Wen Zhan whether she was teasing him or not.
All those depressed emotions were stirred up like this, and Wen Zhan was left with only a dizzy and confused feeling in his heart.
It gets dark early in winter, and the lights were just coming on when the two of them went out. Anyway, the plot location suited her, so she arranged for Wen Zhan to take a carriage to the most prosperous street in the city.
Arriving at the market town, she immediately jumped off the carriage, eager to join in the bustle of the lantern festival.
Lanterns of various colors are hung all over the long street, and the tide is surging, and the sky is full of flowers. The bright and soft lights are like stars scattered in the mortal world, reflecting the frozen river surface, and the ice surface reflects the light in the air, turning the long street into a Milky Way in the mortal world.
She was amazed for a moment, then quickly turned around and urged Wen Zhan to get out of the car.
The car curtains were not quiet.
Just as she was about to lift the curtain and pull Wen Zhan down, a pair of fair hands suddenly lifted the curtain. Wen Zhan buried his head and clenched his teeth to prevent her from seeing that he was trembling.
The lanterns were not brighter than the sun, but they were still dazzling. The tourists were shoulder to shoulder, and the sound of their conversations and laughter was amplified several times in his ears. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he heard such a lively and noisy sound. It was too loud, like a heavy hammer constantly hammering at his temples.
The light was not bright enough, and Lu Yunchu could not tell whether he was healthy or not. He just raised the corner of his mouth and watched him get off the car.
He had an upright figure, a gentle demeanor, and was as pure as jade. Even when he was working with his head down, it looked like a stream of light. Others' slow work looked annoying, but his slow work made him look dignified and elegant.
After he stood still, Lu Yunchu turned around and went into the crowd: "Hurry! Let's go eat something delicious!"
There seemed to be a thin film in the air, isolating him from the world. The brilliant lights and shadows before his eyes seemed like an illusory dream.
Wen Zhan looked at Lu Yunchu's back and wanted to follow him, but he couldn't control his stiff body and became more and more annoyed with himself.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yunchu took a few steps, turned around suddenly, and grabbed his sleeve: "Why are you in a daze? Hurry up." She smiled and said, "Hold on tight, otherwise you will be separated by the crowd."
Wen Zhan staggered a few steps as she pulled him, stunned, and suddenly he and she broke into the bustling world.
The Lantern Festival was so crowded that people carrying lanterns had to dodge left and right to make way.
Lu Yunchu pulled Wen Zhan into the gap between the crowd. She had a delicate and petite figure, but Wen Zhan was not as smart as her and was soon knocked down by the crowd.
The man raised his head and was about to curse, but when he saw Wen Zhan's face, he swallowed his curse words and stammered away.
Lu Yunchu frowned. Seeing that Wen Zhan looked pale, he thought that he was hurt, so he asked hurriedly, "Are you okay?"
Wen Zhan shook his head, trying to calm his breathing and suppress the panic brought about by the discomfort.
Lu Yunchu nodded, pulled his sleeve and continued walking forward. After a few steps, he was knocked down by the car again.
She was immediately annoyed: "You're walking without looking at the road!"
She was very angry and pulled his sleeve and let go of his hand. Before Wen Zhan could react, she held his hand.
"Follow me closely." She took his hand and pulled him forward hard. The two stood side by side, very close to each other.
All that noise, all that light and shadow, vanished in an instant and completely dispersed.
Wen Zhan could only hear his own sudden heartbeat. He looked down at the top of her head, but could not sense anything except the temperature of her palm.
Before he had the chance to leave, Lu Yunchu sensed the plot guidance appearing.
She paused.
It seems that the time is almost up.
"Are you hungry?" Lu Yunchu turned his head and asked Wen Zhan, "Can we go eat later? We have something important to do now."
Wen Zhan shook his head and looked at her in confusion. What serious business did she have to do
Lu Yunchu raised his head with a determined smile, held his hand tightly, and suddenly led him to run towards the carved bridge in front.
Passersby screamed and moved out of the way.
She ran very fast, her long hair flying, and Wen Zhan followed closely beside her, stumbling a few steps at first, then immediately keeping up with her pace, running together on the bustling street.
Passing through the crowd, the light quickly retreated, and there was unexpectedly a sense of freedom and enjoyment.
Arriving at the Carved Bridge, Lu Yunchu looked forward, and sure enough, he saw the hero and heroine walking towards him side by side not far away.
She gasped, and Wen Zhan smiled brilliantly.
Because the hero in the original book rarely shows romance, she remembers this plot very clearly. After the hero discussed with the heroine about going to the lantern festival together, he prepared a surprise for her in advance. In the following plot, he will set off colored flares as a signal, and the people who have received money will come over one by one to congratulate the heroine and give her the lanterns in their hands.
This romantic plot did not last long because the author would not stop adding melodrama. After the people presented the lanterns, the hero and heroine smiled at each other, and then the supporting female character Ma Xian appeared to make trouble.
After going through the plot many times, Lu Yunchu was already familiar with the plot's guidance and knew how to time it.
Wen Jue escorted the heroine towards this side, looked up and saw Lu Yunchu at the carved bridge, and was stunned. Liu Zhixu looked in the direction of his gaze, and saw Lu Yunchu and Wen Zhan standing side by side on the bridge, with the ice surface behind them reflecting the starry sky, a fairy couple, especially pleasing to the eye.
She showed a warm smile on her face: "They are here too." Thinking of the quarrel between Wen Jue and Lu Yunchu, Liu Zhixu suggested, "There are too many bridges, why not change the road."
She rarely made suggestions, and Wen Jue subconsciously nodded in agreement. After he nodded, Liu Zhixu led him around, and his body suddenly became lighter, as if the shackles that were pressing on him were loosened.
He looked back at the bridge and felt that he should go to this place.
Liu Zhixu was too afraid that he would go and cause trouble for Lu Yunchu, so he quickly said, "Don't look at me, let's go."
Wen Jue retracted his gaze, put aside the thoughts in his mind, and walked with Liu Zhixu in the opposite direction of the Carved Bridge.
At this moment, a gorgeous firework suddenly bloomed in the sky behind him.
The crowded streets fell silent for a moment. The people who were talking, laughing, busy, and walking suddenly changed direction, like water hitting the gravel on the river bank, and they all carried lanterns and walked towards the carved bridge.
The plot unfolds, like a huge machine operating, huge and silent, suffocating and powerful. But the details are suddenly replaced by something, like a butterfly flapping its wings, dominoes falling, and all the arrangements tilted in an instant, suddenly shifting to the variable.
Wen Zhan frowned when he saw their actions, and wanted to pull Lu Yunchu back to make way, but she held him down.
There was a bright and fragmented light in her eyes, and he showed a cunning and complacent smile.
The people came over here but did not go around them. They stood still in front of them.
This blacksmith, a big and strong man with a simple and honest smile on his face, was confused for a moment when he saw the two people in front of him, but he quickly followed the guidance in his heart and did what he agreed to.
He smiled and said, "May everything go well in the new year."
After he finished speaking, he raised the lantern in his hand, but I didn't know who he gave it to.
Wen Zhan turned his head to look at Lu Yunchu in astonishment, his eyes full of surprise and disbelief.
Lu Yunchu pursed her lips and smiled secretly, pushing his hand behind his waist.
He was caught off guard and took only half a step forward.
The blacksmith then handed him the exquisite lantern.
Wen Zhan took it and held the lantern, still in a state of disbelief and shock.
The second person came over here. He was a little boy with a bun on his head. He recited the greeting in a slurred voice: "May you be healthy and worry-free for many years."
After the little boy finished speaking, without waiting for Wen Zhan's reaction, he strung the small lantern in his hand to the bottom of the lantern in his hand and ran away.
The third one was a gray-haired old woman. Her eyesight was not very clear, but she smiled with half-closed eyes and said in a kind and long voice: "May you be safe and happy, and have peace of mind and health."
After the old woman finished speaking, she stretched out her hand, wanting to hang the lantern on the bottom of the lantern in Wen Zhan's hand. Wen Zhan hurriedly bent down, took the lantern awkwardly, and hung it under the big lantern.
The old woman smiled more amiably, her eyes darting between the two of them, and nodded, "Okay, okay."
She walked slowly, and the next girl immediately took over and recited congratulations in a crisp voice.
"May the heavens be happy and have joy tonight."
…
The string of lanterns in Wen Zhan's hand grew longer and longer, dazzling and brilliant. When he had finished stringing together one large lantern, another trader handed him a new large lantern.
He stood on the brightly lit bridge, accepting the sincere wishes of men, women and children. Finally, he held several huge lantern stands in his hands, as if he was about to be buried in the warm lights.
After saying his last blessing, Lu Yunchu walked forward, holding in his hand a lantern that he had gotten at some point.
Wen Zhan looked at the lantern in her hand, then slowly raised his head and met her eyes.
Because it was too unbelievable, he forgot to restrain his eyes, and his lack of confidence and cowardice were all revealed in his eyes. He nodded slightly, not daring to look her in the face for a while.
But his eyes were filled with passion, a passion so raw and incomparable that even fear and inferiority could not suppress it.
He had never had such a contradictory feeling in his body, so cold, yet so hot.
Lu Yunchu's smile was warmer and brighter than the lanterns, and he put the lantern in his hand: "Ah Zhan, happy birthday. I hope you will never be sick again and finally be free."
It was as if the air suddenly disappeared. Wen Zhan breathed heavily, as if he was too happy to breathe, and as if he couldn't suppress his sobs under the great shock.
There was light or water in his eyes.
He smiled happily, happier than ever before, revealing a row of white teeth, as pure as a child.
He nodded heavily, expressing his silent thanks with his eyes.
Lu Yunchu also grinned foolishly with her.
The sky is full of stars and the scene is lively.
At this moment, they are no longer chess pieces that are overwhelmed by the plot, nor are they puppets that are at the mercy of fate.
The two insignificant characters finally break free from the rules and tease everyone.