AUBTN -Chapter 110 Lantern Festival Confessions

On the first day of the New Year, it seemed that Su Hewan and Yu Qing had been cooped up in Yuyuan for far too long.

Now, blending into the bustling crowd of the marketplace, their eyes shone even brighter than the lanterns lining the streets.

“Wanwan! Look at that! Sugar painting! I want that dragon!”

“Hey, hey, hey! Over there—someone’s swallowing a sword! They actually swallowed it!”

Yu Qing held a string of candied haws in her left hand and a dough figurine in her right, excited like a naïve girl visiting the city for the first time.

Su Hewan, though more restrained, didn’t have empty hands either—she clutched a rabbit-shaped lantern, her lips curving in a gentle smile as her gaze wandered over the myriad stalls on either side.

There was nothing left of the palace maid meant to be buried with the late emperor; they looked every bit like daughters of wealthy families.

The two men following them, however, were not so relaxed.

Lu Yan trailed behind Yu Qing, frowning slightly, seemingly irritated by her noisiness, though a hidden indulgence lingered in his eyes—so faint that even he himself might not have noticed.

Shen Jue walked with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding a lazy aristocratic air despite his casual manner.

Only when Su Hewan stumbled slightly in the crowd would he discreetly extend a hand to steady her.

“Slow down.” Shen Jue’s voice was neither loud nor soft, but it pierced through the noise just enough to reach Su Hewan’s ears.

Seeing this, Yu Qing shot Su Hewan a teasing look and whispered, “Your Eastern Depot master is acting as your bodyguard! Wow, Wanwan, only you get this kind of treatment.”

Su Hewan smiled wryly. “The Commanding Officer isn’t so bad either!”

Now it was Yu Qing’s turn to blush!

At that moment, a sudden clamor of drums and gongs erupted ahead.

“Dragon dance! Dragon dance!”

With a shout, the crowd erupted, surging toward the center like a tidal wave.

A gigantic golden dragon twisted and leaped, sparks flying with every motion.

“Ahh!” Yu Qing, engrossed in watching, was suddenly shoved forward by the crowd behind her, losing control of her movement.

“Careful!”

A large, iron-like hand firmly grasped her wrist, yanking her out of the throng.

At the same time, Su Hewan was held by Shen Jue around her waist; with a few light steps, he guided her away from the crowd to the riverbank on the other side.

The sea of people forcibly split the four into two pairs.

Down the long street, lanterns glimmered faintly.

Yu Qing patted her chest, still shaken, her string of candied haws nearly crushed in her grip.

When she lifted her head, she collided with Lu Yan’s deep, bottomless black eyes.

The two of them stood near a lantern stall, surrounded by colorful lanterns that cast dappled light across Lu Yan’s stern profile, softening it unexpectedly.

“Lu… Lu Yan…” Yu Qing shrank her neck, feeling guilty.

Walking together had been fine, but now alone with him, she couldn’t help but recall last night’s events!

She felt like she had been the instigator after drinking, and in the early morning, she had forced him to take responsibility.

Now sober, her cowardice took over.

【Help! Why is this atmosphere so awkward! Should I say something… ahhh! Yu Qing, you useless fool!】

Lu Yan, hearing the little groundhog screaming in her mind, allowed the tightness at the corner of his lips to ease slightly.

He didn’t speak, only turning his gaze to scan the stall, finally pointing at the topmost lantern—a delicately crafted revolving lantern.

“Boss, I’ll take this one.”

The stall owner immediately grinned broadly, teeth barely visible. “Good eye, young master! This one depicts the Magpie Bridge reunion—there’s no better gift for a loved one!”

Lu Yan nonchalantly took out a piece of silver, accepted the lantern, and handed it to Yu Qing.

Yu Qing stared dumbfounded at the shimmering, radiant lantern.

Then she looked at Lu Yan again and stammered, “F-for me?”

“Mm.” Lu Yan replied succinctly.

Yu Qing took the lantern. The heat on her cheeks rose rapidly, turning even redder than the lantern in her hands.

“Um… Lord Lu, actually I drank until I blacked out last night… Did I say anything strange?” she tried to play dumb, looking for a way to save herself.

Lu Yan watched her evasive gaze and suddenly stepped closer.

His deep voice sounded especially clear amid the noisy street, carrying a faint trace of amusement.

Yu Qing swallowed nervously. Instinctively she tried to step back, only to discover a wall behind her—there was nowhere to retreat.

“About last night,” Lu Yan leaned forward slightly, bringing his eyes level with hers.

But this time, they were filled with seriousness. “I wasn’t drunk.”

Seeing her standing there, completely stunned, Lu Yan raised his hand and gently brushed back the strands of hair the wind had scattered around her temples. The movement was somewhat awkward, yet tender.

“Yu Qing.”

“The Imperial Guards are the Emperor’s personal army. We live by the blade, licking blood from its edge—never certain we’ll see tomorrow. My hands are stained with blood, and I have enemies everywhere.”

He paused, his voice lowering, carrying a resolute determination—as if staking everything on this moment.

“But if you want these thousands of household lights… if you want peace year after year…”

He pointed at the lantern in her hands.

“Then every year from now on, I’ll give you a lantern. How about it? No matter where I am—so long as I’m alive—this lantern will stay with you.”

Yu Qing’s eyes instantly turned red.

【Waaah! Who taught him lines like that! That’s cheating!】

She sniffed, but the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably into a wide grin. She nodded vigorously.

“Okay! Lu Yan, you said it yourself! Pinky promise—one hundred years, no changing your mind! If you dare break your word, I’ll… I’ll go cry at the gates of your imperial prison!”

Seeing her ridiculous mix of tears and laughter, Lu Yan finally couldn’t hold back and let out a low chuckle.

Meanwhile, on the stone bridge by the Jinshui River.

Compared to the noisy marketplace, this place was much quieter.

The river flowed gently, reflecting the lights from both banks. The rippling glow shimmered like a dream.

Su Hewan leaned against the stone railing, playing with the rabbit lantern in her hands as she turned to look at Shen Jue beside her.

The wind after the snowfall carried a chill. Shen Jue removed his cloak and, without a word, draped it over her shoulders.

The cloak, still warm with his body heat and faintly scented with a cool fragrance, wrapped around her instantly, warmth spreading straight into her heart.

“Lord Supervisor,” Su Hewan said softly, tightening the cloak around herself.

“If people see the head of the Eastern Depot giving his cloak to a little palace maid, you’ll probably be trending on the Great Wei hot search list tomorrow.”

Shen Jue snorted, arrogance clear in his brows.

“I don’t know what sort of ‘ranking list’ you’re talking about, but must I look at other people’s faces before deciding whom I treat well?”

As he spoke, he took something out from his sleeve and gently placed it on the stone railing beside her.

“Take it.”

Su Hewan looked down—and froze.

It was a wooden hairpin.

The wood was fine and smooth, its warm color showing it had been handled for a long time.

At the tip was a half-blooming white magnolia carved in delicate detail. The lines were fluid and lifelike, even the texture of the petals clearly visible.

The craftsmanship was far beyond those common trinkets sold in the market.

【This… don’t tell me he carved it himself?】

Su Hewan picked up the hairpin, her fingertip lightly tracing the magnolia.

Shen Jue stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the river in the distance. His voice sounded slightly tense and unnatural—while the tips of his ears quietly turned red.