**
Xu Kai searches his surroundings with his eyes.
"What are you looking for?" Asks General Li, tapping his shoulder to retrieve his attention.
"Nothing. Should we head into the streets to search for any clues?" His eyes trace the path in which Yuan Zi Yan had left.
General Li frowns, "We will not find anything in the city's streets. I actually think the proper question is, who exactly are you looking for?" She sneers pathetically, "Although I think I know the answer to that question already."
Having no response, Co-Commander Xu swiftly gets up, ready to depart from the scene.
A hand grabs his right wrist. "Xu Kai," the lady utters, "Please don't forget.. you have a purpose and mission to accomplish. It would be best to not—"
Xu Kai glances back and coldly acknowledges, "General Li, don't forget our arranged marriage had been annulled for quite some time now. It would only be proper for you to release me."
General Li bites down on her lips, "Are you still bitter that I couldn't save your sister? Xu Kai, you've ought to understand that—"
"Enough. I ask of you to not speak of my sister," Sir Xu pushes her hand from his wrist. "Please keep your modesty, General Li."
Thereafter, the Co-Commander disappears and blends himself in the streets. Yet no matter how remote he is, General Li can spot him at anywhere and at anytime.
"I thought our mutual suffering will bring a closer understanding between us.." General Li clenches her fists, "You haven't given me a chance at all, have you, Xu Kai?"
**
When Xi Ning tells me she doesn't feel well, she asks for my pardon to leave. I suggest to return with her, but she bid me to enjoy the festival.
Poor girl.
I exhale with exhaustion. Events like this are quite uninteresting without another accompany. I have Xiu Ying, but she informs me that she dares not to be treated with luxury, for she is my servant after all.
The city is filled with light and laughter. My intuition guides me to attend the booth where citizens can win lanterns, but only if we solve a mystery correctly. This is an ancient Chinese tradition, where riddles are written within the lanterns.
There were a great amount of people surrounding a Scholar, who was writing and handing out the mysteries. The lanterns with burning candles inside are tied to the bamboo poles and hung in the heights of the booth.
"Young Miss, would you like to solve a mystery?" The scholar says before handing me a rolled up rectangular piece of paper. I didn't get to respond to his question, but it seems he is pretty preoccupied so I won't disturb him.
"Elder Miss, what does it say? " ponders Xiu Ying, waiting for me to open up the piece of paper.
I twirl it open, reading:
Hollow tree
Solid buds
Years do not knot
Real years do not flower
This plant must be part of the grass family.
I indulge in a persistent thought. I imagine the shadowy lines of its trees, and catch, in sudden gleams. Stems are usually hollow, blended with vascular bundles.. It is a perennial plant..
Aha!
Could it be bamboo?
With its scientific name being Bambuseae, bamboos are indigenous to China from prehistoric times. It seldom and unpredictably flowers, and is the fastest-growing plant in the world due to its monstrous ability to regenerate after being cut.
The narrow leaves on the young culms arise directly from the stem rings; upon springtime, the small spikes form into evergreen leaflets.
"It must be bamboo!" I call out; Xiu Ying cheerfully nods and agrees with me.
The Scholar confesses that we are correct, so he snatches two paper lanterns: lily flower and fish. "Congratulations, Young Miss. You are the first to guess this riddle correctly; everyone else gave up earlier. Now, where is your significant other?"
I suddenly notice the sign of this booth, which reads Riddles for Couples to Win Lanterns.
Ah, such luck of a villain.
Xiu Ying rolls up her sleeve with discontent, "Why, you could've told our Elder Miss beforehand!"
I hold her back, laughing nervously, "Sorry, Scholar. I don't have a significant other with me."
Just when I was about to depart from the crowd, a body hovers over me. "We're together," declares..
..Xu Kai?!
I CHOKE—What is he doing here?
Soon we reach the lake, where everyone was releasing their lanterns. We, and we as in Xu Kai and I, linger in the more serene side of the lake with our lanterns. Xiu Ying decides to leave us alone, snickering to herself as she disappears. Don't abandon me, Xiu Ying!
I clap my hands together and make a wish, then proceed to release the lantern above the sky; Xu Kai does the same, without the mellow dramatic wish-making expressions. We sit on the boulders and watch as an abundance of lanterns float atop the sky.
See, Ancient people would call this beautiful. As a modern netizen, however, I call this littering.
"Miss Yuan," He says, capturing my full attention and terminating the awkward silence, "Have you ever feel like you're stuck somewhere in which you don't belong?"
Yes. Every day, every moment, in this world. No doubt.
I turn to meet his eyes, "Like you're present, but you're not? Like some people care, but they don't? As if you belong somewhere else, anywhere but here? Is that what you mean?"
He glances back at the lanterns, smiling.
His right hand reaches towards me, patting my head.
"Yes, precisely."