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Cricket could spot Xiao Run’s frown from a mile away. He shook his head and met his master halfway along the dirt path leading up to their home.
“Did you not have a good time with Lady Orchid?” he asked with sympathy.
“She did not have a good time with me.” Xiao Run replied despondently.
“I tried to be the perfect gentleman, keeping my distance yet being romantic simultaneously; getting her flowers, buying her sweets, and even just trying to converse with her all seemed futile. It was like her mind was preoccupied with something else the entire time. In the end, she said something vague about knowing me for a long time which I feel too but she looked more sad than happy about it?!”
He plopped down on the ground like a child, sporting a pathetic expression on his face.
Cricket pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, and let out a long sigh. Even when his master got everything he wanted he still managed to mess it up somehow. But clearly, he was the bigger idiot since despite everything he would still follow this dumb master to the ends of the earth and do anything to make him feel better.
Cricket sat down beside Xiao Run and patted him on the back. “Maybe you need to approach this differently. You keep making grand gestures and overwhelming Lady Orchid. Maybe she is just being shy.”
The servant tapped his chin thoughtfully. “She is very close with her brother. Perhaps you all should go on an outing together, that way you get to spend time with her and show Mr. Dongfang how serious you are about Lady Orchid.”
Xiao Run considered his idea for a moment, and then his face split into a wide grin and he perked up. “Cricket, you’re a genius, this is the solution! I will invite Lady Orchid, Brother Dongfang, and their two servants for an evening at the Annual Lucheng Fair Festival. I will win prizes for my lady and play games with Brother Dongfang to deepen our bond and we shall eat the best food the city has to offer. It will be a tremendous success!”
He jumped up and ran into the house, with Cricket following on his heels.
“Please tell me I don’t have to join in on these activities,” he said knowing fully that he would be dragged along either way.
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Dongfang Qingchang snatched the envelope from Xiao Lan Hua’s hands.
“Just because Changheng sent it doesn’t mean you have to stand in the courtyard holding it all day long.”
He quickly skimmed over the contents before she could protest and then he scoffed. “A mortal realm fair festival? What is he even trying to prove?”
Xiao Lan Hua sighed. “He’s not trying to ‘prove’ anything. This might be fake for us but it’s very real for him. He just wants to get to know the family he is marrying into better, and build a connection. You know, as humans do. Or you would know if you let yourself feel anything.”
Instead of being consumed by thoughts of war, lifelong enmity, and impending doom, she added silently.
Dongfang Qingchang narrowed his eyes. “Build a connection you say? Didn’t you two have enough time to do that during your day-long stroll through the entire city?” he tossed the words back at her unkindly.
He couldn’t be more wrong but Xiao Lan Hua didn’t have it in herself to be graceful either.
“Yes as a matter of fact we did. Just like I’m sure you enjoyed your late night boat ride with Chidi woman, your supposed former enemy but you seem to have no trouble playing nice with her.”
Dongfang Qingchang harrumphed and turned his face away. “Yes, it was very pleasant indeed to spend time with someone who doesn’t argue about every little thing.”
Jealousy made her stomach twist and Xiao Lan Hua put on a saccharine-sweet smile. “Well then, you go and bask in her beautiful, agreeable company while Jie Li and I will enjoy our day out with Xiao Run and Cricket!”
“As you wish Fairy in the Painting!”
“Goodbye Moon Lover in the Dream!”
Both of them turned around and headed in opposite directions, fuming with suppressed anger.
Shang Que and Jie Li watched it all unfold from the balcony and sighed deeply.
“The Lord will come, won’t he? No way he is leaving Xiao Lan Hua alone again with Xiao Run.” Jie Li said.
Shang Que muttered something under his breath.
“Black Dragon, what did you say? Speak up!”
“I said I’m not leaving you alone with Cricket either. So yes, my Lord and I will be joining.” And with that he walked away, leaving an annoyed Jie Li behind.
That Black Dragon has some nerve!
It seemed all the residents in the Dongfang Mansion were on edge that night.
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Xiao Lan Hua and Jie Li were practically buzzing as they ran through the wide-arched gateway at the entrance; Dongfang Qingchang and Shangque trailed behind them with much less enthusiasm. A large banner above welcomed them all to the “Annual Lucheng City Festival.”
The fairgrounds came alive with the sounds of exhilarated screams and cheerful shouts of friends greeting each other. Amidst the chaos, music flowed from nearby performers who played their instruments and hoped citizens would be inclined to leave generous tips during such a happy time. Likewise, the stall owners lined up one by one in straight rows, filling the air with the aroma of pan-fried meat buns, sugar figures, and caramelized apples. All around them different attractions tried to capture their attention, from horse rides to magic shows to a host of games promising enticing prizes for those skilled enough to win.
It was a kaleidoscope of bright colors and blaring sounds, and Dongfang Qingchang would have found it far too loud and annoying for his taste had he not been distracted by the look of pure joy on Xiao Lan Hua’s face. He had seen her like this a handful of times; when she spotted the cloud whale during their first sunrise together, when she thought he had brought her back to Arbiter Hall, when he made the petals fall for her as she danced with the woman from the moon tribe.
He had felt her emotions all those times, and he absentmindedly rubbed at the jade ring on his finger, slightly resentful that he couldn’t do that anymore.
When had that curse turned into something he actively sought out?
Oblivious to his inner turmoil, Xiao Lan Hua almost floated across to one of the candy stalls, as if the wafting smell of cookies itself carried and deposited her right in front of them. She rubbed her hands eagerly as she decided which sweet delicacy she would start with, but before she could make that choice she heard the familiar jolly voice of Xiao Run calling out to her.
“Lady Orchid!” He wore that same endearing smile he always sported whenever he saw her.
Cricket followed behind him, looking decidedly less cheerful than his master. Jie Li immediately went over to him and Shang Que tagged along, as the three of them split off to the side.
Dongfang Qingchang swerved and placed himself between Xiao Lan Hua and Xiao Run before he could greet her.
Xiao Run blinked in surprise at his sudden appearance seemingly out of nowhere for only a second before his face split into a wide grin once again. “Brother Dongfang, I’m so happy you all came!”
His sworn brother did not smile in return. But as always, Xiao Run remained unbothered and simply pulled him into a hug, not caring how stiff the recipient of his embrace was.
“We will have so much fun!” he exclaimed as he let go and sidestepped around Dongfang Qingchang to stand next to Xiao Lan Hua.
“My lady, you look beautiful tonight. Red is definitely your color,” he said earnestly as he presented her with the flower he had been holding inside his robe sleeves.
“An orchid for an orchid,” he said with a flourish, clearly proud of his flirting skills.
Xiao Lan Hua accepted it tentatively, trying her best to smile but failing when she saw the thunderous expression on Dongfang Qingchang’s face as he stood behind Xiao Run and witnessed this little exchange. If looks could kill he would be burnt to a crisp by now.
Xiao Run blithely went on. “Would you like some sweets, my lady? Tell me which one you prefer, or I can get them all for you!”
Smoke would start pouring out of the Moon Supreme’s ears any minute now if she didn’t do something soon.
“Actually, my brother and I have a tradition. At every festival, only he’s allowed to buy food for me.”
Xiao Run’s brows creased with confusion. “Aah okay.”
She shrugged her shoulders apologetically. “It’s a family matter.”
Xiao Lan Hua went over to Dongfang Qingchang and tugged at his billowing sleeve. “Come on, buy the sweet for me, you know which one I like best anyway.”
He smirked at her and she felt her heart jump a little at how incredibly handsome he looked when he did that. He should always look like this, she thought.
Dongfang Qingchang bought her a puff pastry shaped very similar to the flower cakes of hers that he was so fond of. She beamed at him cause that was the one she’d been eyeing in the first place.
She took a big bite and gave him a toothy smile, the flaky crumbs sticking to the corners of her mouth. “It’s delicious!”
“But surely not as good as the ones you make,” he said, as his thumb swiped across her lips, gently brushing the flakes away.
His hand lingered for a while, cupping her chin and slowly caressing the right side of her face. She leaned into his palm almost inadvertently, unable to resist when he was being so soft with her; all his hard edges and sharp features smoothed into a look of adoration.
Xiao Run cleared his throat awkwardly, and just like that the moment evaporated. Dongfang Qingchang dropped his hand and Xiao Lan Hua jumped a few steps back, suddenly all too aware of just how close they had been. If he bent down a little he could have-
She shook her head and turned to Xiao Run, who was eyeing them curiously. She gave him a small smile and he returned it, halfheartedly.
Oh, this was going to be a long day.
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Jie Li grabbed Shangque’s arm and pointed at a beautiful ornate doll. “Do you think you can win that for me?!”
The large doll was the first prize for the game of hoops in front of them. There were five circle hoops, layered so they were within each other. They were all suspended in the air with wooden beams to support them, and if the player managed to shoot the ball in the innermost ring then that would yield the highest points whereas the outer ring scored the lowest.
Shangque glanced at the grand prize dubiously. “It’s a doll for little children.”
Jie Li huffed. “Hmmph, as you are well aware I never had one growing up so forgive me for wanting one now.”
The dragon looked stricken. “Oh, I didn’t mean it that way Jie Li, of course, I will get it for you-”
“Forget it,” she said as she dropped his arm and seized Cricket instead. “You will get it for me won’t you?” Jie Li batted her eyes at him while he just frowned at her. After a few moments with a resigned sigh, he gave in and stood in line to play. He barely noticed Shangque glaring daggers at him.
Xiao Run who had been uncharacteristically quiet for some time finally perked up and said, “Lady Orchid would you like one too?”
Before she could answer Dongfang Qingchang spoke. “According to our family tradition only I can win prizes for her.”
He said it with such a straight face Xiao Lan Hua had to work hard not to laugh. She couldn’t believe he was actually expanding upon her ridiculous statement earlier. Apparently neither could Xiao Run.
“Ok-ay,” he said slowly, before adding, “but now that I’m going to marry Lady Orchid and enter your family, shouldn’t we change the rules a little bit? After all, there might come a time when you are not there and it’s just me and Lady Orchid strolling through the festival alone.”
“Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you?” Dongfang Qingchang muttered darkly.
Xiao Run gestured with his ear. “What, sorry did you say something, I couldn’t hear you over all the noise?”
“I said let’s make it a challenge, whoever scores highest wins.”
Xiao Run happily obliged and shoved Cricket out of the way just as he was about to begin playing. “Sorry Cricket, my lady is waiting and I have a prize to win for her.”
The stall owner flipped the hourglass, giving him exactly sixty seconds to shoot into as many hoops as he could. He wasted no time and began tossing the balls, one after another. Some landed inside the fifth ring, many landed in between the second, third or fourth, and a few managed to get inside the first layer, scoring the highest points. He missed rarely but it was also clear his aim wasn’t super sharp, as he kept missing the innermost hoop and catching the lower points instead.
Finally at the end, as time ran out, he had an impressive score of 300 points. However the doll was prized at 500 points, so he passed on the ball with less confidence than he initially had to Dongfang Qingchang.
The Moon Supreme’s shoulders were straight and he clasped the ball lightly in one hand, looking almost bored. As soon as the hourglass turned he began shooting with a precision that had them all gaping. Each ball landed within the innermost hoop, even when it seemed it might fall in another direction it managed to make its way to the center, time after time until finally, the sands in the hourglass ran out.
“2000 points!” the stall owner exclaimed, clearly having never seen such a result.
Dongfang Qingchang took the doll and presented it to Xiao Lan Hua, tossing a smug glance at Xiao Run as he did so. The other man had the grace to look abashed.
“And this is why only I am allowed to win prizes for her,” he said, addressing Xiao Run but not taking his eyes off his little fairy.
She thanked him profusely and accepted the gift, only to turn around and give it to Jie Li, whose face lit up like a little child.
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Xiao Run, like his immortal counterpart Changheng, wasn’t one to give up so easily, even after a rather humiliating defeat.
He continued to challenge Dongfang Qingchang to game after game, and every time the Moon Supreme beat him he just seemed to get even more eager for the next one.
“You’re cheating aren’t you, using magic?” Xiao Lan Hua whispered to him as he handed her yet another prize. Jie Li had both Shangque and Cricket carrying all the prizes they won for her.
She was glad she had the foresight to bring a bag with her for carrying snacks because now it was filled with all sorts of gift items. It was getting heavy and if Xiao Run and Dongfang Qingchang kept it up she would just hang it on one of their necks.
He didn’t answer her question, and merely gave her his classic, so what if I am, I do whatever I want look and continued to obliterate Xiao Run at every opportunity. Unfortunately, just like Changheng, he too didn’t know when to raise his hands, surrender, and give up.
Until they finally reached a game called Lover’s Aim. The stall owner explained it was usually played by lovers who trust each other’s aim enough to stand with an apple atop their head against a tree, posing as the target while their partner stood across the field with a bow and arrow. Then they would aim at their beloved, confident enough to shoot knowing it would only ever pierce through the apple. To make it more interesting they could go up to three apples and three arrows, but none had tried that so far.
Xiao Run didn’t even have the chance to open his mouth before Dongfang Qingchang shut up whatever he was about to say with his deadly glare.
He raised his hands up defensively. “I would never ask Lady Orchid to participate in such a game. Cricket, come here!”
The poor servant’s protests fell on deaf ears as Xiao Run positioned him against the tree with an apple on his head.
“You’ll be fine,” he said reassuringly while Cricket turned pale with panic.
“Run, you’ve always been horrible at archery, every master you had said your aim was worse than a blind man, I don’t think-”
He put a hand on his mouth and shushed him. “I’m trying to impress Lady Orchid you can’t say things like that or she’ll think I’m incompetent!” he whispered in a rush.
“Well you haven’t really done a good job of that this entire day because her brother beat you at everything, but you’ll really be done for once you kill me in front of everyone here!” Cricket fired back, barely able to keep from trembling as he saw Xiao Run adjust his bow and arrow.
“Cricket, I would never do that,” he said as he arched his bow.
The rest of the group watched in fascinated horror as Xiao Run - who one could tell was not a great marksman from his posture alone - took aim and released his arrow.
Time slowed down as they all collectively saw the arrow head straight for Cricket’s throat, way off the mark, until the last second when it miraculously swerved and went through the fruit instead.
Cricket collapsed on the ground with relief, while the others cheered and clapped, the tense atmosphere finally fading away. Only Xiao Lan Hua noticed the faint sparks of magic lingering on Jie Li’s fingers, as the purple threads of her spell dwindled away and then finally disappeared.
Xiao Run went over to pick Cricket up and scoffed about his earlier worries, to which Cricket just nodded feebly. He won two small dragon figurines as a result and after collecting them he walked over to Xiao Lan Hua to give them to her, but she was busy speaking with Brother Dongfang.
“I want you to try!”
“No,” he answered emphatically, his tone leaving no room for argument. And yet, as always, Xiao Lan Hua did.
“You were happy to try everything else why not this?” she grasped his sleeves with both hands and pulled him close. “I know you would never let anything hurt me.”
“I would never even let you get near to harm if I had my way and you weren’t such a troublesome little minx. Besides, it’s named Lover’s Aim, and we’re not lovers, are we?” he raised an eyebrow, challenging her to deny him. She knew just how deep that question ran.
Xiao Lan Hua flushed, as she tried not to let the heat emanating from him get to her. “It is also a game of trust. And there is no one I trust with my life more than you.”
Xiao Run and Cricket glanced at one another, not really sure what to make of the exchange happening in front of them, and the palpable tension between the siblings. Jie Li shook her head, wondering how long it would take for them to fully give it away while Shangque tried to ignore it all.
Dongfang Qingchang’s face softened when she said that, and even without removing the hairpin and ring, he could tell she meant it completely. No matter how many fights and arguments they have, Xiao Lan Hua knew she could always count on him to protect her even if he was angry with her. Your life is as precious to me as my own.
Somewhere along the way, the meaning had changed and now when he said it, he was referring to the Heart Curse no longer.
So when she stood across from him with three apples stacked on her head, carefully balancing them and looking at him with a big goofy smile, he couldn’t help but return it. He adjusted all three arrows into his bow and shot them in a straight line, each one landing perfectly on the target.
Xiao Lan Hua squealed as the stall owner handed her a big red dragon stuffed toy. She ran to Dongfang Qingchang and immediately began speaking in a gruff voice, pretending to be an ancient dragon. Xiao Run watched them together and slowly dropped the small dragon figurines in his hand. They lay on the ground side by side, looking rather pathetic but at least they weren’t alone. Cricket resisted the urge to pick them up and take them home, but he did pat his master on the back, offering the only comfort he could.
Meanwhile, the real black Dragon gazed imploringly at Jieli. She rolled her eyes and said, “Don’t even think about it. I’m not a lovestruck fool like Xiao Lan Hua, and between us two if anyone should have apples on their head it’s you!”
Shangque couldn’t argue with that.
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As night fell, the fairgrounds grew luminous against the black sky. Some of the displays were packed up while others were getting ready for after-hours entertainment.
They had watched the magic show (Xiao Lan Hua insisted despite Dongfang Qingchang’s protests), went horse riding (Xiao Run’s attempt to sit together with Lady Orchid did not go down well with Brother Dongfang), and ate as much fried fair food as their stomachs could handle.
Now they were all ready to go home. Xiao Lan Hua’s feet dragged, and Xiao Run finally perked up at the opportunity to do something for his lady.
“You are tired Lady Orchid, you have been walking all day without rest. Let me carry you the rest of the way.”
Xiao Lan Hua put her hands up. “No need, no need, I am not tired at all.”
“Lady Orchid I insist-”
Dongfang Qingchang’s voice cut through his plea. “You are right, she is indeed exhausted. But it wouldn’t be proper for you to carry the lady.”
He extended his hand, and after hesitating only for a second Xiao Lan Hua accepted. She squeaked as he pulled her up on his back, securing her arms around his neck and placing each leg on either side. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed in contentment as she let her little feet swing, finally allowing them to rest.
“You see Xiao Run, only I get to carry her.” Dongfang Qingchang stated matter of factly, as though he were telling him the water is wet or the grass is green. An undeniable truth.
He didn’t know what to respond with other than, “Of course, Brother Dongfang is right. It wouldn’t be proper.”
Though the way he kept glancing at them made it clear Xiao Run thought plenty of other things weren’t proper either.
Jie Li wondered how her preposterous lie was still holding up. Maybe Xiao Run really did have eye disease if he couldn’t see what was so plainly in front of him. But then again, delusion is an emotion stronger than magic even.
None of that was her problem, she was happy to be nestled between Cricket and the Black Dragon as they walked back to their carriage, bickering about which food tasted the best.
By the time they reached their carriage, Xiao Lan Hua had already fallen asleep, and Dongfang Qingchang gently lifted her up and carried her in, placing her head on his shoulder and wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her close.
He snapped the door shut before Xiao Run had finished waving goodbye. Jie Li and Shangque bid farewell to a dejected-looking Xiao Run and an equally perplexed Cricket.
“Maybe your master will have better luck in another lifetime,” she said sympathetically as she patted Cricket’s cheek, and Shangque quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her into the second carriage.
Xiao Run and Cricket watched them leave. He turned to his servant and said, “Well, this didn’t go at all how I imagined it would. Whose idea was it again?”
“Don’t look at me Run, I didn’t say we should go to the fair! I merely suggested-” and they continued arguing all the way home.
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Inside their carriage, Dongfang Qingchang smiled as Xiao Lan Hua leaned into him and softly whispered, “Da Motou, thank you for such a wonderful day.”
He decided he liked the fair after all.