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Jiang Suizhou was watching the children enthusiastically picking up the coins, when all of a sudden, a slender, sinewy hand with rough fingers touched his hand and stuffed something cold into his palm.
When he looked down, he saw a piece of silver.
He looked up and found that Huo Wujiu was gazing down at him. Noticing his puzzlement, he said, “Toss it over.”
So it was to let him toss a reward.
Jiang Suizhou was really fascinated with the performance earlier, but because he had no money in his hand, he couldn’t give any reward, so he immediately dismissed the idea. Now that he had a silver stuffed in his hand, his fingers itched right away.
He smiled at Huo Wujiu, then raised his hand. The next moment, the glittering silver fell at a child’s feet.
The child who picked up the coin was pleasantly surprised. He stepped forward without delay to pick up the silver and bowed toward Jiang Suizhou.
Jiang Suizhou’s attention was locked on the joyful kid and didn’t notice that when he smiled at Huo Wujiu moments ago, Huo Wujiu’s Adam’s apple rolled quietly.
Then, a chilly sensation struck his hand once more.
He glanced at Huo Wujiu in astonishment and found that he was still looking at him. He raised his chin in the direction of those wandering performers, motioning him to continue.
Jiang Suizhou paused for a mere second and cast the silver in his hand again.
Immediately after, another silver was stuffed into his hand.
One after another, glimmers of silver clattered around on the ground. When the few acrobats realized that there was a rich and generous lord in the crowd, they were pumped up. Delighted and grateful eyes fell on Jiang Suizhou, making him a little embarrassed.
This time, when Huo Wujiu stuffed another silver to him, he pushed it back.
“Enough is enough,” he whispered.
But the piece of silver was forcefully shoved into his hand.
“It’s okay, there’s more,” Huo Wujiu replied.
Jiang Suizhou felt a little hesitant: “But
”
Although he was also happy to see the few wandering performers smiling at him, it was a bit too flamboyant.
“Did you have fun watching just now?” Huo Wujiu asked.
Jiang Suizhou nodded.
“Then continue,” Huo Wujiu instructed.
Jiang Suizhou looked at him, and then shot a glance at the ecstatic wandering performers. The clothes they were wearing were quite rough and shabby, and they looked very thin. The facial paint on the kids was stained with sweat, but they clutched their silvers as they jumped non-stop.
The silver in Jiang Suizhou flew anew.
Huo Wujiu looked down at Jiang Suizhou, and immediately fished out another piece and put it in his hand.
Silver or not, they were nothing in his eyes.
All that filled his vision now was his beloved. All he felt was that Jiang Suizhou’s smile was beautiful.
——
It took a while for Jiang Suizhou to leave the spot.
He insisted Huo Wujiu show the coin bag to him, so Huo Wujiu openly raised the half-empty purse in front of his eyes and jiggled it.
“I told you. There’s still a lot,” Huo Wujiu remarked, totally unconcerned.
Jiang Suizhou could not help but grit his teeth and whispered, “But, we were too extravagant! What if someone noticed us? What are we going to do?”
Huo Wujiu asserted, “They won’t.”
Jiang Suizhou did not understand: “Why not?”
Huo Wujiu pointed to the south with his chin and said, “At this hour, all the bigwigs in Lin’an are watching the scenery on West Lake.”
Speaking of this, his lips hooked. He inched closer to Jiang Suizhou and said, “Flower lanterns, row boats, and dragon boat races; and later there will also be people on the lake to release sky lanterns. Want to see?”
Jiang Suizhou didn’t know where Huo Wujiu had heard about so many activities, but he knew that the lake in Lin’an was connected to Taihu Lake. There was a magnificent observation tower by the lake, so it was expected that many nobilities would be there for today’s festival.
Jiang Suizhou didn’t dare to wander in front of their eyes.
He instinctively stepped back, but Huo Wujiu captured his wrist.
“Let’s go if you want.” With a wicked smile, he glanced at Jiang Suizhou and forcibly pulled him along.
Jiang Suizhou expressly denied, “I don’t want to! There are many people there at this time. Many of them will most probably recognize us. We’d better not take this risk
”
But Huo Wujiu seemed to be a risk-taker.
“It’s all right,” he said. “With me, I won’t let them see us.”
Jiang Suizhou was still uneasy.
However, he couldn’t resist Huo Wujiu. He was all too powerful, and his martial arts were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Of course, no one could stop him from what he wanted to do.
Jiang Suizhou let him drag him straight along half the street until Taihu Lake was right before him.
From a distance, he could see the sparkling water on the lake, reflecting the spectacular bright lanterns that illuminated the place as bright as day. There were exquisite and chic gaily-painted pleasure-boats and dragon boats at the lake, accompanied by faint drum beats.
On the bank of the lake, a magnificent five storey pavilion stood there, with glazed roof tiles reflecting bright lights. It was the famous and awe-inspiring Mingfeng Tower in Lin’an.
Presently, the tower was ablaze with lights, and shadows of perfumed clothes and gorgeous hairdos could be vaguely seen.
Jiang Suizhou tensed up from head to toe.
However, Huo Wujiu continued forward and headed straight over there.
They would reach the place soon.
Jiang Suizhou quickly pulled him back: “Wait a minute!”
Huo Wujiu turned around: “What’s wrong?”
He was about to tell Jiang Suizhou not to worry, when Jiang Suizhou dragged him to the side. On the side was a stall selling colorful knick-knacks, all of which were to ward off evil spirits during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Jiang Suizhou fished out a piece of silver from Huo Wujiu’s coin bag. Next, he took something that was hanging from the stall and attached it to Huo Wujiu’s face.
“It’s okay now.” Jiang Suizhou breathed a sigh of relief.
Under the lanterns, a hideous-looking fierce beast mask securely hid Huo Wujiu’s face.