bayedsolid Chapter 180 Carrying the Mountain of Penglai on His Back, He Dances and Plays in the Vast Ocean
Chapter 180 Carrying the Mountain of Penglai on His Back, He Dances and Plays in the Vast Ocean
The streets of Chang'an were bustling with people, and the lamplight flickered.
Red lanterns hang high, stretching out like a fiery dragon;
The frameless lamp casts a soft, warm glow on the dark night.
Kongming lanterns slowly rise, trailing a long ribbon of light, sending human wishes to the heavens.
The silhouettes on the revolving lantern rotate continuously, vividly depicting one legend after another;
The magnificent Aoshan Lantern makes people stop and look up in awe, marveling at the craftsman's ingenuity.
Yesterday, Yu Zhanmo noticed the envy Xiao Si showed, so he personally made two large red corduroy lanterns for her and hung them outside the gate.
At first, Xiao Si was overjoyed, but one of the lanterns was repeatedly blown out by the wind, which made her inexplicably anxious.
Before long, Xiao Si was standing in front of her own door, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with tears, clear as autumn water, reflecting the countless lights on the street, yet also filled with deep longing for her distant hometown and relatives.
Despite the prosperity of Chang'an, it could not diminish her longing for her hometown and family in the Northeast.
The arrival of the New Year should have been a time of joy and celebration, but instead, a wave of sorrow welled up in her heart, and her longing was like a great river outside Chang'an, endlessly flooding her heart.
She worried that one of the lanterns was being blown out, perhaps due to some kind of signal transmitted through space and time, and thus tears streamed down her face.
Upon seeing this, Yu Zhanmo quickly fetched a ladder and adjusted the position of the lantern, which then lit up steadily.
Seeing this, Zi'an quickly stood by and recited the lines from the poem "Watching Lanterns" by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Shangyin: "The moonlight and lanterns fill the capital, and fragrant carriages and jeweled canopies crowd the thoroughfares."
Xiao Si felt slightly relieved and breathed a sigh of relief, but she still couldn't stop the tears.
"Si'er, why are you crying?" The young man, Qu Youjiu, wandered back and noticed that she was in a bad mood.
He darted over to Xiao Si in a few strides, handing her a small sugar figurine he had just bought. "Stop crying! It's the New Year, you have to cheer up!"
Xiao Si raised her tearful eyes and sobbed, "I...I miss home, I miss my mom and dad, I miss my grandparents, and I miss the icicles, the stove, and the stewed goose in the iron pot in Northeast China..."
Yu Zhanmo laughed heartily: "Alright, let's have goose stew with potatoes tonight! I was just wondering what to cook, Xiao Si is so creative."
Seeing that Xiao Si still seemed overwhelmed with grief, Qu Youjiu scratched his head, then suddenly, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, slapped his forehead:
"I've got it! Little Si, let's go release a sky lantern! Write what you want to say on it and send it up into the sky. Maybe it will really float to your hometown in the future!"
Little Si pouted, a little suspicious: "How far can this little paper lantern float?!"
Qu Youjiu straightened his back, patted his chest, and said boldly, "Trust me, it's definitely possible! Kongming lanterns are professional-grade; even Zhuge Liang relied on them to send messages and fight battles. Our little wish is no problem at all!"
Xiao Si couldn't help but chatter: "What if the light flies out and then goes out with a 'whoosh'?"
Qu Youjiu waved his hand and chuckled, "Don't overthink it! This is a Kongming lantern I made myself! The technology is absolutely top-notch, even more reliable than Zhuge Liang."
Without further ado, the two immediately got to work.
Qu Youjiu instructed in a serious manner: "Come on, Xiao Si, take a piece of paper first, write down your thoughts, and write your name card!"
Xiao Si was lying on the table, writing with great enthusiasm, when he suddenly turned his head and asked, "Ninth Brother, should the 'calling card' be written in simplified or traditional characters?"
Qu Youjiu was taken aback: "Uh... let's write in oracle bone script. It's divine, and it also seems to convey deep emotions!"
After finishing writing, Qu Youjiu began to teach seriously: "Look carefully, we have to stick this note under the lantern. Remember, stick it firmly! We can't let our longing lose its way halfway, that would be so embarrassing!"
But Xiao Si would still look back every now and then to see if the lantern outside the door had gone out again, always looking worried.
Zi'an noticed: "Sizi, you and Xiao Jiu go ahead. I'll keep an eye on our lanterns so they don't go out. Don't worry."
Little Si nodded gratefully.
When the two arrived at the riverbank, Qu Youjiu took out a specially made candle and explained in a serious tone, "This is the 'core power source.' The brighter the candle burns, the higher the lantern will fly!"
He carefully secured the candle and then handed it to Xiao Si: "Okay, you try it. We have to hold the lantern with our palms, don't let it slip, be gentle, like you're holding a little chick!"
Little Si imitated him, holding the lantern with a serious expression, muttering to himself, "Why does this lantern look so much like the lid of our stewing goose pot?"
Qu Youjiu almost choked with laughter: "Don't think nonsense, just wait until the heat inflates the lantern before letting go!"
Finally, the lantern swelled up, bulging like a fat belly about to take flight.
Little Si closed her eyes and gently released her grip: "Go, take my longing with you, and drift to the people I love!"
The lanterns slowly rose into the air, their soft light drifting further and further into the night.
Little Si stared at the faint light, her eyes full of hope: "Ninth Brother, do you think it can really convey my longing and blessings?"
"of course."
"I hope it can travel through time and space, cross the Milky Way, and be delivered directly to my grandparents' yard!"
"Most definitely."
One by one, the Kongming lanterns, like fireflies in the night sky, slowly rose, tracing soft arcs under the moonlight.
The little ox tiptoed, tilting its head back, watching the lights slowly rise into the sky.
She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and silently recited in her heart:
"Grandpa and Grandma, Grandma and Grandpa on both sides, Mom and Dad... Are you all doing well in your respective times and spaces? Si'er is doing well in Chang'an, but I miss you all a little..."
Qu Youjiu stood to the side, gazing tenderly at Xiao Si's still-childish appearance:
"Don't worry, Little Si, these lanterns are floating far away!"
Xiao Si blinked, wiped away the tears on her face, and revealed a bright smile.
A thoughtful look appeared in Qu Youjiu's eyes: "Little Si, do you only have one Dou?"
Xiao Si's eyes widened in surprise as she asked, "How did you know?"
Qu Youjiu smiled slightly, his tone tinged with mystery: "It's not what I saw, it's your destiny! Little unicorn, you have the destiny of a phoenix."
Little Si sighed softly, "Alas, it's not that noble. But I admit, I am lonely, but I am not alone!"
Qu Youjiu nodded: "I understand. The Kun bird transforms into the Peng bird in autumn, enjoying its flight and soaring freely; it flies ten thousand miles into the clouds, something no other bird can do!"
Xiao Si's expression turned somewhat melancholy, and she slowly revealed her true feelings:
"Alas, how can I compare to Dapeng? My life has seemed glamorous on the surface, but in reality, I suffered misfortune from a young age, received little help from relatives, had no parents to rely on, and had to rely on myself for everything. Later, I left my hometown to make a living elsewhere. No matter what I did, my fortunes were always bumpy, with more failures than successes, and I often wasted my energy on trivial matters..."
Qu Youjiu's eyes were full of encouragement:
Fortunately, you have a clear mind, a strong will, and the ability to live independently.
With your intelligence and indomitable spirit, you have already distinguished yourself... The longer you live, the wiser you become.
With a good husband, wealth following, and working hand in hand, she is sure to enjoy both happiness and longevity in her later years!
A glimmer of hope shone in the little ox's eyes:
"I hope so. However, some people always say that I am straightforward, a bit aloof, and not good at socializing..."
Upon hearing this, Qu Youjiu couldn't help but smile and made a metaphor with his hand:
"Socializing? The key is who you socialize with! You're like a little unicorn, full of energy and fighting spirit!"
They hold extremely high standards for themselves and others!
Haha, although I don't have many friends, you have to admit, those who remain are all extremely excellent and beneficial friends!
Little Si chuckled softly:
“Excellent friends are indeed hard to find, but I have no doubt about you all. Sigh, this ‘better to have none than something bad’ attitude sometimes even worries me…”
Qu Youjiu:
"Based on your 'better to have nothing than something bad' attitude, you've already won!"
Friends? They would never stab you in the back in a crucial moment; that's often a test of human nature…
"My friends, Xiao Si and I, are truly kindred spirits; we always manage to spark intellectual discussions that broaden our horizons!"
Xiao Si, who grew up reading fairy tales, never doubted her own kindness and innocence.
Back then, I had complete faith in myself and everyone who seemed like a friend. However, these seemingly least likely friends were secretly smiling, their eyes gleaming with an unknown light...
But!! But!! Little Si still believes in the power of kindness, she said:
"Many people will forgive the world for a minute because of a little kindness, and that's worth it."