Chapter 18: The Ideal Person (4), Section 66

  Suddenly, in the midst of the bustling city, amidst a hundred lanterns, a small sedan chair with a green canopy came into view. Accompanying it were four bearers and a maid walking alongside, clearly indicating that it was a young lady from a wealthy family out for a stroll. The maid bowed her head and whispered something to the occupant behind the curtain, whereupon the sedan chair stopped in front of a large lantern shop.

  Unexpectedly, a lovely young girl emerged from the sedan chair. She was tall and slender, in her late teens. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows were like willow leaves, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with life. A strand of hair fell across her forehead, while the rest of her black locks were coiled into a butterfly-shaped bun at the back of her head. She wore a pale yellow silk dress that fluttered gently in the breeze, as if she were an immortal descending to earth.

  Everyone was stunned at that moment, involuntarily looking towards the girl. For a while, there were gasps of amazement, adoration, and jealousy. Liu Xie didn't care about Xiao Er's dropped jaw, humming softly as he carried the fish lantern straight towards the girl.

  Everyone's eyes were on Liu Xie, especially Xiao Er, whose two eyes shone like copper bells. Liu Xie walked up to the girl and slightly bowed his head, smiling lightly: "Miss, are you here to watch the lanterns?"

  That girl seemed unaware, still choosing lanterns by herself. However, the maid saw someone coming up to flirt and was very displeased. She had seen this kind of person many times before! So she gave Liu Xie a cold look and ignored him.

  Liu Xie saw her being so rude, but he didn't get angry. He raised the lamp in his hand and smiled as usual: "I don't know what you think of this lamp, miss?"

  The woman didn't bring her attention back until she heard those words, and after picking for half a day, she still couldn't find one that she was completely satisfied with. Turning around, she saw a young man holding a lantern and chatting with her, and she couldn't help but look at the flower lantern.

  This is a carp lantern, with the fish body in a leaping posture, made to be lifelike, and the golden scales on its body shining brightly under the candlelight inside, making it look even more vivid. The two whisker-like protrusions are curved upwards, adding to its liveliness. It's indeed a fine flower lantern. Looking at the person holding the lantern, he is a fifteen or sixteen-year-old young man with a handsome face, although he has a scholarly air about him, but somehow he seems different from the scholars he usually sees, as if there is a hint of masculinity emanating from his bones, making him look refined yet strong. At this moment, he is smiling to himself.

  As their eyes met, the young girl's heart skipped a beat, and her face immediately flushed with a red glow. She hastily curtsied slightly and asked Liu Xie in a soft voice: "Where did you buy this lamp?" Her voice was melodious, like the song of an oriole, and it left Liu Xie dazed for a moment. Just as he was about to respond, the maid interrupted him, asking the shopkeeper: "Do you have lamps like this one for sale here?"

  Without waiting for the shopkeeper to speak, Liu Xie interjected: "This lamp of mine is one-of-a-kind in this store. The shopkeeper's lamps are all unique, there aren't two alike!" After finishing speaking, he turned to the young woman and said: "If you like it, miss, and don't think it's too crude, I'd be willing to give you this lamp!"

  There is an old Chinese saying, "The intention of the drunkard is not in the wine." In fact, lanterns are also like this. Whether they look good or ugly, it's all the same thing. What's important is the person who gives the lantern. If you don't feel comfortable looking at them, even if they're holding a beautiful flower lantern, it's still pointless. But if the person holding the lantern makes you feel comfortable and even inspires love, then even if they're holding a pig's head, it won't seem ugly. This is what's called "loving the house and also loving the crow."

  The young girl saw Liu Xie send the lantern, and her face turned even redder. She hastily made another bow: "Then I thank you, sir!" After finishing speaking, she took the flower lantern from Liu Xie's hand and turned to enter the sedan chair.

  Liu Xie saw the beauty wanting to leave and hastily asked: "Hasn't the young lady's name been asked yet?"

  The woman turned back and smiled, saying: "My name is Dong Ling!" After finishing speaking, she entered the sedan chair. The four sedan bearers immediately lifted the sedan and disappeared into the crowd in a short while.