As agreed, I met up with Xia Xing Yue in Central the next day, late afternoon and just before evening. Even though it was still relatively early (the highlight of the lantern festival was at night, after all), the streets were already crowded. Not packed like it would have been at night where there would be a literal sea of people, but there was surprisingly a lot of people around.
"I'm glad to see you, Shu Cong."
"Well, I promised, so I couldn't not show."
I scratched my head sheepishly and bowed as a greeting. Xia Xing Yue smiled, her eyes bright and clear like crystals. There was a sense of tranquility within her pupils and an air of maturity that I wouldn't see in someone under twenty years of age. Her skin resembled snow, but it wasn't so pale as to have an unhealthy sheen, and her beauty was accentuated by the long azure and white dress she now wore. As usual, she allowed her long, black hair to flow unrestrainedly past her shoulders and toward her well-shaped waist.
