AMLFS Chapter 43

Chapter 43: The Lantern Festival

Chapter 43: The Lantern Festival

After the Lantern Festival, the court’s holiday ended.

On the morning of the Lantern Festival, Zhao Fangye dug Song Huaixi out of the bedding: “Wake up, little sleepyhead. It’s the Lantern Festival today, are you going to sleep until the sun is high in the sky?”

Song Huaixi’s eyes were drowsy. Being pulled up, he leaned into Zhao Fangye’s arms. He mumbled, “I’m so sleepy. Can I sleep a little longer…”

He dazedly burrowed into Zhao Fangye’s embrace, his eyelids seemed glued shut.

“Just a little while…”

Zhao Fangye helplessly held him. He really didn’t know how this person could sleep so much. He reached out and stroked his eyelashes, calling him a little sleepyhead, but didn’t wake him up again.

He held him on the bed for a while. By the time Song Huaixi groggily woke up, half an hour had passed.

“Awake?”

Zhao Fangye pinched his nose: “It’s the Lantern Festival today, we have to eat yuanxiao (sweet dumplings), yet you’re still so sleepy.”

Song Huaixi gave him a shy smile and quickly sat up to tidy himself.

Zhao Fangye took his hand and sat him down at the pear wood table. Chun Hua had already placed two bowls of steaming yuanxiao on the table.

Looking at the yuanxiao in the bowl, Song Huaixi frowned. He didn’t really like eating yuanxiao because the filling was very sweet.

He found it greasy.

Picking up a spoon, he scooped several yuanxiao from his bowl into Zhao Fangye’s bowl, leaving only two or three for himself before finally stopping.

Zhao Fangye watched his actions quietly without stopping him, looking at the pile of yuanxiao in his bowl.

He chuckled, “You don’t like to eat them?”

“Mmm.” Song Huaixi nodded: “Too sweet. I don’t like them.”

Knowing that he didn’t like sweets, Zhao Fangye had anticipated this.

He scooped up a yuanxiao, blew on it to cool it, and held it to his lips, saying, “Knowing you don’t like sweets, I specially ordered the kitchen to make it. It’s not very sweet, try it?”

He bit into it suspiciously. The soft outer skin wrapped a filling that was sweet but not greasy.

One bite left a fragrant taste on his palate. It was completely unlike the yuanxiao Song Huaixi had eaten before.

His eyes flashed with surprise, it was really delicious.

Song Huaixi took a few more bites, eating several yuanxiao in one go from Zhao Fangye’s hand.

Zhang, the nanny, who was serving nearby, was a little surprised to see him eat half a bowl.

Song Huaixi didn’t like sweets. When he was in the Song Mansion, he disliked the greasy filling of the yuanxiao.

He would usually eat a few and then leave the rest aside.

This was the first time she had seen him eat half a bowl in one go.

He wanted to eat more, but Zhao Fangye withdrew his hand and fed the yuanxiao into his own mouth. Song Huaixi looked at him eagerly, wanting to eat more.

“Want more…”

Putting down the bowl, Zhao Fangye placed a finger on his lips and shook his head: “Yuanxiao are made of glutinous rice, which is sticky. Eating too much can easily cause bloating. Huaixi shouldn’t be greedy.”

“Okay.”

Knowing that he was doing it for his own good, Song Huaixi licked his lips. Although he was a little unsatisfied, he still obediently listened.

Looking at the yuanxiao in his bowl, Song Huaixi said, “The yuanxiao in the Ning Wang Mansion are so delicious. They’re the best yuanxiao I’ve ever eaten.”

Seeing him looking like a little glutton, Zhao Fangye’s lips curled up and he couldn’t help but feed him the last one.

“If you like them, then the efforts of the chefs weren’t wasted.”

Zhao Fangye had specifically instructed that the yuanxiao should not be made too sweet, as the Princess Consort didn’t like it.

Therefore, the kitchen had made several kinds of yuanxiao and presented them for the Princess Consort to choose from.

However, when they were presented, Song Huaixi was sleeping soundly.

Zhao Fangye had picked out one kind from several, and it turned out to suit Song Huaixi’s taste.

The Lantern Festival was most lively at night.

Zhao Fangye took Song Huaixi’s hand and strolled down the street.

The streets were decorated with lanterns and streamers, and were bustling with activity. Countless colorful lanterns hung high on both sides of the street.

Illuminating the entire street as if it were daytime. The streets were crowded with people, laughing and talking, their faces filled with festive joy.

Vendors set up various stalls on both sides of the street, selling all kinds of snacks and toys.

Tanghulu (sugar-coated haws), sugar figurines, cotton candy and other delicacies were tempting, while paper windmills, masks, lanterns and other toys attracted the attention of many children.

Young ladies from secluded boudoirs also took advantage of the Lantern Festival to come out and play. They wore gorgeous clothes, held lanterns, and strolled through the crowds.

Zhao Fangye was handsome and had an extraordinary temperament. Along the way, many beautiful girls looked at Zhao Fangye, giving him the eye.

Zhao Fangye didn’t care about the glances they cast at him and his attitude was cold. But Song Huaixi, who was by his side, was very anxious.

Whenever a girl sized up Zhao Fangye, Song Huaixi would rush forward to block him.

He fiercely declared his ownership to those admiring him, “Don’t look! He’s mine! Don’t look!”

Zhao Fangye was tall and slender, Song Huaixi only reached his shoulder. How could he cover up his face, which attracted bees and butterflies.

The girls looked at Song Huaixi’s face, which already looked childish, and his feigned ferocity.

They only found it cute and not at all intimidating.

Zhao Fangye watched him in front of him, and stopped browsing the street.

He mustered all his attention to stay by his side, pretending to be fierce towards those who glanced at him.

A strange sense of satisfaction washed over him, his eyes filled with doting.

Although he was happy to see Song Huaixi care about him so much, Zhao Fangye had brought him out today to have fun together.

He didn’t want to let these little things ruin his mood.

Taking his hand, he stopped at a stall, Zhao Fangye picked up a mask and put it on his face.

He said to Song Huaixi, “This way, no one can see my face anymore, is Huaixi relieved?”

He carefully checked to make sure that Zhao Fangye’s face was completely covered, and only then did Song Huaixi feel relieved.

He nodded: “Mmm!”

This way, only he could see Zhao Fangye, and no one else could snatch him away!

Just as he was thinking this, a mask was also put on his face. Zhao Fangye bent down to tie the mask’s straps for him.

He leaned close to Song Huaixi’s ear, his warm breath tickling: “I also don’t want Huaixi to be seen by others.”

Looking through the gaps in the mask, Song Huaixi could see Zhao Fangye’s pale eyes and lowered eyelashes.

In the midst of the bustling crowd.

At this moment, Song Huaixi knew that they understood each other’s hearts. A warm current flowed through his heart. He didn’t avoid the passersby on the street at all.

Under the brilliant fireworks and newly lit lanterns, Song Huaixi suddenly hugged Zhao Fangye’s waist tightly: “Zhao Fangye! I really, really like you.”

Not expecting his sudden confession, Zhao Fangye reached out and put his arms around his waist.

Holding him in his arms, he felt a tremor in his heart: “Me too.”

Passersby turned their heads one after another, surrounding them, thinking that a young lady disguised as a man and a noble young master had fallen in love at first sight at the Lantern Festival.

They applauded and cheered.

Being watched by so many eyes at once, Song Huaixi’s face under the mask turned red and hot. He struggled to get out of Zhao Fangye’s arms.

But Zhao Fangye’s hands firmly imprisoned him in his embrace, Zhao Fangye whispered, “What are you afraid of? You are the Princess Consort whom I carried back to the Ning Wang Mansion in a grand wedding procession.”

Song Huaixi wasn’t afraid, just a little embarrassed. He didn’t really understand what Zhao Fangye meant by what he said.

He had no concept of what an eight-carried sedan chair or an official marriage was.

But Zhao Fangye’s gentle and deep voice made him feel at ease in the noisy crowd. As long as Zhao Fangye was there, he would feel very secure.

However, on a distant pavilion, Zhao Jingshuo in a bright yellow robe was attracted by the noisy voices downstairs.

Taking a closer look, wasn’t the figure in the crowd Zhao Fangye? His gaze fell on the man in his arms. A dark light flashed in Zhao Jingshuo’s eyes.

The one in his arms must be a beautiful little thing.

Holding up his wine glass, he toasted the two in the crowd from afar. Zhao Jingshuo suddenly had an idea.

His tone was sinister: “Interesting, Zhao Fangye, we’ll see.”