I had expected to see a place somewhat like Silver Gate, with stone-paved roads meandering through houses and shops casually dotting the long alleys. But the sight turned out to be nothing similar. The town near Jade Temple was almost a city, with wide streets lined by meticulously maintained buildings, lavishly furnished storefronts, and performance stages set up just for the festival. Thousands of lanterns lit up the night like it was noon, and the busy crowd flowed forward like rolling waves in the sea, bustling in excitement.
"Those disciples sure know a good place to have fun," I observed, raising my voice so that Bai Ye could hear me over the loud music and laughter ringing all around us. Having grown up in a small village, I had never seen a scene as lively as this, and I gaped at almost everything we passed on our way.
He laughed. "We have all night to spare. What do you want to see?" He pointed at the stage closest to us. "Opera?" My eyes followed his gesture and were immediately glued to the insanely colorful costumes and face paints. "Or stunts?" He nodded in a different direction. There was a young man walking on a high rope, and a few others were showing sword moves in a circle beneath. Two girls stood at the center of the circle, bending and twisting their bodies into impossible shapes.
"I could do the sword part." I pointed at the group of men. "Maybe the high ropes too … but not what those girls are doing."
"It's called contortion. Not necessarily good for your spine in the long run." He squeezed my hand as if warning me not to try it.
I chuckled at his overprotectiveness and took my eyes off of the stage, turning back to look at him. "It's too loud here," I said. Festivities in the commoner's world were all about the bustle, but I wanted a quieter place where I could hear his voice. "What's on those side streets?" I tugged him towards the narrower roads crisscrossing the main avenue.
"More shops and peddlers. If there's anything you want to buy—"
As if on cue, a boy with a rolling cart full of lanterns came running towards us. "Mister!" He greeted Bai Ye with the brightest smile. "Your wife is the most beautiful woman in town tonight. Why don't you buy her a lantern? These pink ones match her so perfectly—" he held a lotus lantern up to my cheeks, "—she looks like a goddess with that glow!"
I stared at the boy with wide eyes. Pink was my least favorite color for a reason—it always made my drab skin look dead like a ghost in comparison. Then I remembered the figure-changing spell. How drastically had Bai Ye changed me?
"Which one do you like?" Bai Ye was already browsing through the lanterns as my thoughts wandered. He plucked something out of the bundle. "How about this?"
My eyes landed on what he was holding, and I knew I blushed. It was a lovely white bunny lantern, round and chubby with a pair of bright red eyes. I had always liked bunnies since I was young, but … "I'm not a little girl!" I gave him an embarrassed glare and mumbled. "These designs are for children!"
"She likes it, Mister!" The boy might be young, but he sure knew how to catch a sale. "I'll make it cheap for you. It's an honor to offer my lantern to such a beautiful lady!"
Under my persistent glare, Bai Ye smiled and paid for the bunny lantern. "The girl inside you hasn't changed, Qing-er, and I like every bit of it." He clasped my hands and placed the lantern in my grip, dropping a kiss on my forehead. "I wish I could've given this to you years ago."
The warmth from the lantern suffused me, and the tenderness in his voice soothed my slight embarrassment. I looked down at my hands, and I wondered idly how it would've felt if he did give this to me years ago. Would it have been a gift from a master, or …
"Mister!" Another peddler, this time a mid-aged woman, came up to us. Bai Ye's easy purchase must've caught her attention. "Would you take a look at my offerings for the lady?" She held up a basket of little boxes and jars. "These are the most popular powders and creams in town, in every color you can think of. Even the most beautiful women like your wife might enjoy a new look once in a while!"
Curiosity made me peek into the basket. It was a large collection of eyebrow pencils, blushes, lip stains … and the woman might not be exaggerating too much about the choice of colors. These were things that I usually had no interest in at all, but maybe being repeatedly called the most beautiful woman tonight had done something to me. I couldn't stop wondering how beautiful a face Bai Ye had given me. Did it mean that he wished I could look prettier after all?
My eyes must've lingered on the basket for too long, as the woman eagerly started to introduce her products, showing me which colors pair best and which were the most trendy. I darted a glance at Bai Ye. He was only smiling at me. "Don't be shy!" the woman nudged me and winked, noticing my act. "Trust me, men like a little fresh spice once in a while. Your husband will love anything you pick!"
Well, Bai Ye was no ordinary man though, and the woman hadn't seen my real face. I hesitated, but her many rounds of persuasion and coaxing won in the end. I picked a blush that I thought would match me. "What about this one?" I pointed to an intricately carved box in the corner of the basket that she hadn't yet shown to me. "Is it different from the rest?"
The woman's eyes glinted at my question. "It's a lotion. A little more expensive than the rest." She smiled somewhat mysteriously and gave Bai Ye a look that I didn't quite understand. "It has great benefits for your skin, and I'm sure your husband will approve of the results."
Her words puzzled me. Why did she say Bai Ye would approve of it? Did the spell only change my face, and she was suggesting that my skin needed improvement? I reached for the jar curiously and opened it. A faint, soothing aroma filled my nostrils, and the milky cream shone a lustrous glow under the bright lanterns above us. I couldn't quite tell the ingredients by sniffing, but it appeared to be good quality.
"Mister?" the woman asked with another strange smile. "Your wife seems to be interested."
Contrary to my puzzlement, Bai Ye looked unfazed. "We'll take both," he said to the woman, and the latter eagerly started wrapping up the items for us. "Though you look perfect without either of them." He gathered me closer and brushed his lips lightly over my cheek.
The woman didn't miss that little peck. "I envy young love," she smiled brightly.. "I'm certain you will enjoy your purchase, Mister and Mistress."
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