“A-Yu, are you alright?”
Shi Yu’s ink-colored eyes looked toward the youth before him, who had shielded him from the bustling crowd. A flicker of emotion seemed to stir within his gaze.
Mo Yuan, noticing that the person in his arms remained silent for a long moment, assumed he had been hurt by the collision. He gently rubbed Shi Yu’s shoulder with his hand.
“There, it will not hurt anymore now that I have rubbed it.”
Realizing what he was doing, Shi Yu gently pushed Mo Yuan away. “I am fine.”
“As long as you are okay. There are too many people here. Hold onto me tightly, and we will go over there to keep looking.”
Mo Yuan let out a sigh of relief, then took Shi Yu’s hand again and started walking toward the other side.
Shi Yu looked at the long, slender hand gripping his own, struggling to define the emotions he had just felt. This youth who kept protecting him and pushing forward—having someone like this by his side did not seem so bad.
Shi Yu raised his hand, gripped Mo Yuan back, and gave a gentle tug.
“A-Yu, what is wrong?” Mo Yuan stopped and turned to look at the little kitten who had pulled on him.
“If there is no kitten, a puppy will do just as well.”
Staring at the sincere and fervent youth before him, Shi Yu seemed to be influenced by his mood; he curled his lips into a faint smile.
Mo Yuan was momentarily stunned, looking at the face that was no longer cold under the surrounding candlelight, but now graced with a bright and radiant smile.
“Senior Brother? Mo Yuan?”
Only when Shi Yu began calling his name did Mo Yuan snap back to reality.
“Ah, right. A puppy; there is a puppy over there! Let us go take a look.”
Mo Yuan clumsily dashed toward the lantern stall, yet he never forgot to shield Shi Yu as he moved.
“A-Yu, take a look and see which one you like.”
Mo Yuan held up a row of lanterns, asking Shi Yu with a smile, his eyes sparkling.
“This one, I suppose. It looks like you.”
Shi Yu picked out a lantern painted with a small orange puppy chewing on a bone, teasing him casually.
“How on earth does this look like me? It is dazed and silly. This one looks much more like me!”
Mo Yuan, clearly unconvinced, held up a lantern painted with an ink-colored puppy resting beside a pool of water and began to debate with Shi Yu.
“Look, A-Yu, is this one not cool?”
Mo Yuan held the lantern up next to his face, urging Shi Yu to look carefully at which one was the better match.
The soft candlelight of the lantern shone onto his cheek, making his already enthusiastic expression appear even more ardent.
“Then we will buy both.”
Seeing this, Shi Yu agreed readily and purchased both lanterns.
Mo Yuan had never seen such compliant behavior from A-Yu. He stood there, holding the two lanterns and staring blankly at Shi Yu’s actions.
Shi Yu looked at the dazed big dog in front of him, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly as he reached out to take the orange puppy lantern.
Only when Mo Yuan felt the slight touch on his hand did he react; his peach-blossom eyes blinked, filled with surprise.
“A-Yu is the best! But, since today is your birthday, this Senior Brother must make a kitten lantern for you.”
As he spoke, Mo Yuan led Shi Yu toward a shop on the street, and Shi Yu, feeling helpless, had no choice but to follow him closely.
Upon entering the shop, Mo Yuan immediately began selecting materials, as if he had known exactly what he needed all along.
Watching Mo Yuan’s skillful handling, Shi Yu’s dark pupils curved slightly, though he did not expose him.
Mo Yuan took the materials and pulled Shi Yu over to a table. “A-Yu, sit here and wait for me for a moment; it will be done very quickly.”
Shi Yu was feeling a bit tired, so he lazily rested his chin on his hand while sitting across from Mo Yuan, watching his frantic and clumsy attempts.
When Mo Yuan finished the frame and looked up at Shi Yu, seeking praise, he saw the little kitten sitting elegantly across from him. He even imagined he saw a pair of fluffy, twitching ears behind the kitten.
“A-Yu, you really are the best-looking person in the world!”
Mo Yuan stared at Shi Yu, completely captivated, his eyes full of infatuation.
Shi Yu raised his eyelids and glanced calmly at him. “Quit the flattery. Is it done yet?”
“Almost, almost. Just wait a little longer, A-Yu.”
Hearing Shi Yu’s urging, Mo Yuan hurriedly grabbed a brush and began to paint.
After waiting for an hour, Shi Yu finally received the finished product, which was truly an eyesore.
“Did you not say that what you made would definitely be better than theirs? This is so ugly!”
Shi Yu held the lantern, where the pattern of a kitten was barely recognizable, his eyes overflowing with disdain.
“I made this with my own hands, even if it is a bit ugly.”
Mo Yuan looked at the lantern; it was indeed so ugly that even he could not find a way to make it look better.
“A-Yu, for the sake of how hard I worked, just accept it!”
Mo Yuan wilted, looking incredibly pitiful.
Shi Yu lowered his gaze, amused. “I did not say I did not want it, but you really should not do crafts in the future.”
Mo Yuan’s dejected expression instantly turned into a beaming smile. His peach-blossom eyes sparkled as he looked up at Shi Yu.
“Okay, I will not make gifts for anyone else besides A-Yu; I will only make them for A-Yu.”
Hearing that Mo Yuan had clearly misunderstood his meaning, Shi Yu raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.
“Let us go. It is getting late, time to head back.”
Mo Yuan nodded vigorously and followed closely behind Shi Yu, carrying the rest of their belongings.
The market outside was still bustling with noise. As Shi Yu brought Mo Yuan out, he noticed many people walking toward the river.
“A-Yu, look! They are releasing sky lanterns.”
Shi Yu followed the direction Mo Yuan was pointing. In the pitch-black night sky, sky lanterns floated one after another, weaving together into a grand and spectacular picture.
Mo Yuan looked at the candlelight across the sky, his peach-blossom eyes curving.
“A-Yu, today is your birthday. I will go buy a sky lantern for you too, and we will go back to the mountain to release it.”
Before Shi Yu could stop him, Mo Yuan had already run into the crowd, waving at him excitedly.
Shi Yu shook his head slightly, and with a helpless look, he followed after him.
By the time the two of them returned to the sect with their items, everything was quiet.
When Shi Yu returned to his quarters, he saw many gift boxes piled up in front of his door, large and small, likely sent by his Master and other fellow disciples.
He brought the items inside and was just about to open them when a puppy paw reached out from the side to stop him.
Mo Yuan stared at him longingly, a hint of sourness in his eyes, as he pushed the gift boxes in Shi Yu’s hands away.
“A-Yu, look at those later. Their gifts definitely are not as good as mine. Let us go release the sky lantern first, okay?”
Shi Yu looked at the youth who was older than him and really could not understand why he still had such a childish temperament.
However, Mo Yuan was already waiting at the door with the lantern. Shi Yu looked into his eyes and was infected by the anticipation within them.
“Fine, let us go!”
The night was deep. The two climbed all the way to the highest point of Lingxi Mountain, overlooking the brightly lit town in the distance. The cool early autumn breeze brushed gently across Shi Yu’s face.
Such peaceful days should not last much longer; he would be leaving here in a few days, and he felt a lingering sense of reluctance.
Thinking about the System’s tasks, Shi Yu’s brows grew heavy with worry.
Mo Yuan, standing to the side, suddenly sensed the low energy radiating from his little kitten and took the initiative to hold his hand.
“A-Yu, come on, let us release the sky lantern and make a wish.”
Mo Yuan’s sudden intrusion into Shi Yu’s thoughts, combined with the enthusiastic atmosphere, instantly surrounded Shi Yu again, dispelling the gloom from just a moment ago.
Shi Yu held the lantern, shielding Mo Yuan’s figure, and with a crisp snap of his fingers, the candle was lit.
The firelight flickered in the breeze, and Mo Yuan’s reflection on the lantern swayed along with it.
“A-Yu, you can let go now.”
Mo Yuan darted to Shi Yu’s side. Shi Yu released his hold, and the lantern gradually rose, becoming a star in the sky.
“A-Yu, hurry up and make a wish.”
As he spoke, Mo Yuan held his hands together in front of his chest, eyes closed, his expression pious and filled with expectation.
Shi Yu did not know what he should wish for. He did not move, just watched the sincere puppy make his wish in silence.
After a long while, Mo Yuan slowly opened his eyes and looked at Shi Yu.
“A-Yu, guess what wish I made!”
Shi Yu shook his head slightly, signaling that he could not guess.
“I hope that I can be with A-Yu, safe and sound, forever. And I also hope…”
Mo Yuan cautiously watched Shi Yu’s expression, and after confirming that he was in a good mood, he continued.
“I hope I can see A-Yu’s, cat ears every day.”