After a long while, Zha Muxi finally opened the door, a hint of Wunai in her voice. "Prince, go back first." Because she was hungry and wanted a late-night snack.
Mo Xuanjing looked up at Zha Muxi, his gaze revealing an indescribable sorrow, and then he cautiously embraced her, as if holding onto some peerless, precious treasure.
Zha Muxi gently pushed Mo Xuanjing away, saying softly, "Prince, it's all in the past."
"It's not in the past," Mo Xuanjing murmured lowly.
For a moment, Zha Muxi didn't quite catch it. "What did you say?"
Mo Xuanjing's gaze was as tender as water, staring straight into Zha Muxi's eyes. "I said, it is not in the past. Xier, I'm sorry. I didn't know my imperial father had done so many things to hurt you, and while I hated him, I became him, and even committed more harms than he did."
Zha Muxi frowned slightly. Although she had planned all of this, why did he look so heartbroken? It was just the loss of a person; there would always be someone else to take that place.
"Prince, but you also saved me. We are even now." Zha Muxi raised her head, her eyes gazing unwaveringly at Mo Xuanjing.
A trace of determination flashed across Mo Xuanjing's face, as if he had made a major decision. "Xier, accompany me to tomorrow night's lantern festival, just like ordinary people, and then we will divorce. How about that?"
Zha Muxi did not refuse. She had to execute her plan as quickly as possible. Only with formidable strength could she fight against Lan Chenyu. Of course, she also wanted to find out who the person in her dreams was, as they disturbed her sweet dreams every single day.
This was the annual Peach Blossom Festival in the Capital. Ahead lay the lantern market. Looking into the distance, thousands of bright lanterns floated like bright moons and numerous stars in the Milky Way; the market was bustling with worldly noise, and beneath the banks, the lights were brilliant.
Mo Xuanjing held Zha Muxi's hand as they walked through the bustling crowd.
Mo Xuanjing unobtrusively shielded Zha Muxi, preventing the crowd from bumping into her.
"Xier, I heard that on the east side of the city, there is a millennial peach blossom tree, and prayers there are exceptionally efficacious. Let's go take a look. How about it?" Mo Xuanjing turned to look at Zha Muxi, his eyes full of anticipation.
Zha Muxi was not someone who particularly enjoyed lively crowds. If possible, she would rather lie at home and do nothing at all.
Besides, she didn't believe in deities at all; they were merely the repositories of human desires. Furthermore, deities never delivered the worldly masses from their suffering, and fate showed no mercy to the unfortunate. Praying to gods was inferior to relying on oneself.
Still, Zha Muxi managed a faint smile. "Alright."
Mo Xuanjing saw that Zha Muxi's smile did not reach her eyes, and he smiled bitterly to himself. He knew that if not for the divorce agreement, she wouldn't even touch him, let alone hold his hand.
The peach blossoms were brilliant and vibrant, and the fragrant scent of peach blossoms could be smelled from afar. The moonlight was as bright as day, and looking out, the mountains and plains were covered in blooming mountain flowers, poetic, picturesque, and dreamy.
Zha Muxi hadn't been very enthusiastic at first, but now she was utterly mesmerized. The hustle and bustle of the world seemed to vanish from her ears in that single instant.
It wasn't until Mo Xuanjing gently shook Zha Muxi's hand that she came back to her senses, turned her head, and said, "I have never seen such a beautiful rain of peach blossoms. Thank you, Prince."
Mo Xuanjing remained silent, lowering his head slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Zha Muxi with a faint smile. He pulled Zha Muxi toward the millennial peach blossom tree and then said happily, "Xier, look, this is the millennial peach blossom tree! Let's make a wish quickly!"
At that moment, a clear and pure youthful voice rang out, "Elder sister, come quickly, there's a huge peach blossom tree here."
Zha Muxi turned sideways and saw a slender, upright youth of about sixteen years old, dressed in white, standing with his back to her.
A woman wearing a veil—leaving only a pair of seductive peach blossom eyes visible, the corners of her eyes tinted with a glistening, alluring red—slowly walked over and smiled faintly. "This must be the millennial peach blossom tree. Make a wish quickly, and then we'll go eat desserts later. I heard the desserts at Liuli Residence are especially sweet without being greasy."
"I knew Elder sister is the best to me." The moment the youth turned around—
Mo Xuanjing suddenly reached out and turned Zha Muxi back around, looking aggrieved. "Xier, didn't we agree you would come and accompany me tonight? But your gaze kept lingering on someone else."
Zha Muxi evidently realized it as well and could only laugh awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I just thought that voice sounded a bit familiar."
Zha Muxi had to forcefully suppress her confusion. For a thousand years, she had not spoken to a single soul; nowadays, she remembered every person she had ever spoken to, but why was the voice of that strange youth so familiar?
Only then did Mo Xuanjing let Zha Muxi off, pressing no further. To shift her focus, Zha Muxi hurriedly urged Mo Xuanjing to make his wish.
He wished that the Peach Blossom Deity would bless Xier with peace, joy, and smooth sailing for the rest of her days. If possible, he was willing to make a wager with the deities, gambling on a single moment of her heart fluttering.
Having finished these wishes, Mo Xuanjing opened his eyes, only to find that Zha Muxi had long since finished hers and was watching him from the side.
Wonderful, Xier. This time you're looking at me, not someone else. A flash of delight crossed Mo Xuanjing's face.
In truth, Zha Muxi had quickly scanned her surroundings just moments before. She wanted to catch a clear look at the youth from earlier, only to find that he had already vanished without a trace, which was why she had then looked back at Mo Xuanjing.
Zha Muxi felt a twinge of regret, but there was nothing she could do; with people packed like sardines here, finding a single person was nothing short of a fairy tale.
"Xier, what wish did you make?" Mo Xuanjing asked, looking at her with curiosity.
Mo Xuanjing eagerly wanted to know if Zha Muxi's wish had anything to do with him, even the slightest bit? Little did he expect that Zha Muxi hadn't made a wish at all and had simply been preoccupied with looking for someone.
Zha Muxi felt a slight pang of guilt. She took a few steps forward and glanced back with a smile. "Prince, I don't believe in these things. If the deities were truly so almighty, why are so many commoners still suffering? Why are so many people still living in discontent?"
She paused for a moment and continued, "By the way, aren't we supposed to go release river lanterns at the moat? Let's go!"
Actually, Mo Xuanjing didn't believe in them either, but if it could make Zha Muxi love him, then he would believe.
Mo Xuanjing walked quickly to Zha Muxi's side and took her hand. "It's fine, Xier. It was my oversight. Is there anything you want to do or eat? If you don't want to go release lanterns, that's completely fine too."
Zha Muxi shook her head. "Prince, let's go. There's nothing I want to do or eat; tonight, I'll defer to the Prince's arrangements." She certainly couldn't accompany him to look at handsome men, after all!
Mo Xuanjing held her hand tightly, and his hand was very warm. For a brief moment, Zha Muxi felt a tiny bit reluctant to let go. Perhaps during her thousand years in the abyss, she too had once yearned for someone to accompany her, to hold her hand tightly, or simply to speak with her.
"Alright, Xier, shall we go buy the lanterns first?" Mo Xuanjing led Zha Muxi to a stall selling river lanterns. The various kinds of lanterns were dazzling to the eye.
At a glance, Zha Muxi spotted a lantern shaped like a little fox, and her eyes instantly lit up a little.
Mo Xuanjing naturally noticed Zha Muxi's reaction and pointed at the fox-shaped lantern. "How much for this one? I'll buy it."
Mo Xuanjing rejoiced inwardly—he had finally managed to buy something that caught Zha Muxi's interest! But his fantasy was shattered the very next second.
"Patron, I'm terribly sorry, but this lantern was just bought by someone else. They left it here with me in advance and will come back to pick it up after they finish eating. Why don't you choose another one?" the stall owner said apologetically.
Mo Xuanjing frowned tightly. He hadn't expected someone else to have bought it already. No, he couldn't do it—he couldn't bear to see Zha Muxi wear a disappointed expression toward him again. "I can pay ten times the price."
Zha Muxi was slightly stunned. Although it wasn't her money, she still felt a bit of a heartache at the cost. Seeing Mo Xuanjing continue to raise the price, the vendor looked close to being persuaded.
Zha Muxi hurriedly gave Mo Xuanjing's hand a gentle shake. "Forget it. Since someone else bought it first, it means that person has a stronger affinity with it. I like to let nature take its course; what is mine is mine, and what is not mine shouldn't be forced."
Only then did Mo Xuanjing give up, pulling Zha Muxi toward the next stall. Meanwhile, the stall owner watched them leave with a grief-stricken expression, tightly clamping his hand over his mouth for fear he might fail to hold back and call them back, causing his poverty to take its leave instead.
Just moments after Mo Xuanjing and Zha Muxi left, an exquisitely featured youth and a veiled woman arrived at the stall.
The youth's soft, doughy voice rang out, "Old uncle, where are our lanterns?"
The owner beamed and took out the lantern, looking at the youth with paternal affection. "Just a moment ago, two people had their eyes on this lantern too and even offered a high price to buy it, but am I the kind of person who loses his principles for money? When you're out making your way in the world, integrity is everything!" The vendor completely forgot his own shameful temptation from a moment ago.
"One look at you, old uncle, and I knew you were a truly good person." A smile bloomed across the youth's brows.
Seeing such clear eyes, the owner instantly felt a bit embarrassed; this youth was truly good-looking.
"Little brother, let's go release the lanterns." The veiled woman gently ruffled the youth's hair and said softly.
"Alright, Elder sister! Then goodbye, old uncle!" The youth pulled the veiled woman along and walked excitedly toward the moat.