Like Pearl and Jade

Chapter 78

In the night, the green trees had drooping shadows like beauties wearing hazy silk. This seemed to look like a beautiful dream.

There were fine-colored lanterns hanging from the trees. Some were like fresh flowers, some like animals. Each lantern was not large, but hanging from the trees, they seemed to create a dream-like world of beauty. People would feel like they did not know where they were.

Jin Yang thought of a grand Lantern Festival that Jin Prefecture had held in his childhood. He had been locked up in the prince establishment. Until the end, he had no chance to see what it was like outside.

Later, he heard his younger brother say that the lanterns had been made in the shapes of flowers, little dogs and rabbits. He had secretly envied him. But as he grew up and became the emperor of Great Feng, he saw all kinds of fine and beautiful lanterns in the palace, many times more beautiful than the lanterns from a little place like the Jin Prefecture.

But when he saw the colored lanterns hanging in Luanhe Palace today, he suddenly remembered—back then, he had once said to Gu Ru Jiu what had been at the Lantern Festival, and all that he remembered from what his younger brother had said during his childhood.

The liveliness at the festival, those adorable animal lanterns, and the snacks on the sides of the streets had become the things he had been interested in and part of his childhood dreams.

But he had grown up, and thrown his childhood memories to the back of his mind. When he talked about this with Jiu Jiu, it was just as part of an interesting conversation.

He had not expected Jiu Jiu to have people make the lanterns that he had imagined, and copy the little food stalls with the Jin Prefecture style.

A familiar scent came into his nose, and seemed to fill something up. His heart seemed to be in a bowl of sweet soup, so soft and warm.

He looked dazedly at Gu Ru Jiu. He found that he could not say a word, but he believed that he would never forget this scene in his lifetime.

The flower lanterns under the moon, the lover who had prepared this for him, and the fragrant delicious food.

"Which young master is this who has come here?" Gu Ru Jiu smiled brightly and pulled Jin Yang into Luanhe Palace. Then she said, "This little shop has a special longevity noodle bowl, made personally by this shop owner. The person who eats such noodles will live a hundred years, have good fortune, a hall full of children and grandchildren, a loving wife. Young Master, do you want one?"

Jin Yang's throat felt slightly sore, slightly sweet, slightly choking. He stared at Gu Ru Jiu, not wanting to move his gaze away.

"Young Master, since you do not speak, then you have agreed." Gu Ru Jiu smiled and pulled Jin Yang to sit at the table. Then she rolled up her sleeves. "Please sit for a moment; the noodles will be ready immediately."

Ten steps away, there was a pot with a wood fire underneath it, and the water in the pot was boiling.

Put in the noodles and the vegetables, and then lift the pot. Sprinkle chopped green onion in the bowl, then seasoning, wipe away the water on the edge of the bowl. Gu Ru Jiu placed the bowl in front of Jin Yang. "Young Master, please eat."

The fragrance of the onions and the noodles crept into his nose. Jin Yang picked up the chopsticks, and then picked up the noodles.

This was one strand of noodles, very long, but uneven, crooked and very ugly. He shoved the noodle into his mouth. He did not bear for it to break, so he ate carefully, even being careful how hard he held his chopsticks.

After finishing the noodle, he ate the vegetables and drank all of the soup. He even used his chopsticks to pick up and eat the chopped onions on the sides of the bowl.