“Eat up.”

Mei Ying’s eyes grew so large that she failed to notice Jian Yu’s side-grin as he sat down across from her. He brought up his small bowl of steaming rice and a pair of wooden chopsticks with the other hand. Though their outdoor table was among dozens, the handsome person’s crimson robe made him stand out from the many commoners, all of whom were cheering, drinking, and eating around them as well. Above everyone’s heads, beaming gold lanterns strung across from one tiled rooftop to various others.

“Is there something not to your liking?” asked Jian Yu. His soft dark eyes were filled with concern. “If you would prefer something else, feel free to let me know.”

Aiya, her friend is always going to be like this, being too frivolous with his spirit stones and buying much more than everyone could possibly eat.

Waving a hand, Mei Ying smiled. “No, all the food here seems delicious and already plentiful.”

Unlike the senior hunters’ taste palette, the young woman noticed that the abundance of different meals on their table was intensely colorful. Each plate was brimming with glistening meat and a vast variety of sauces. By her right side was an ornate cup of hanju chrysanthemum tea, steaming with a faint floral scent.

Surprisingly, Jian Yu remembered Mei Ying’s favorite tea...

Since leaving Cheng Xiu Village, Mei Ying just ate whatever the other hunters picked, such as plain rice, fermented tofu, boiled greens, little bite sizes of beef or chicken, and fresh pieces of fruit. Both Xia Qi and Nian Zu always advised about eating ‘clean.’ If the poor huntress was lucky, the group would eat fish once per week. Even when dining, righteous cultivators feared and avoided food that were rumored to contain traces of yin.

Out in the nearby streets, people were pounding the drums, accompanied by singing, flutes, and the strings of pipa and erhu instruments. The trickling laughter of children swept by the trio’s table. Curious, Mei Ying watched the youngsters run past the dining area, holding onto their sticks of shiny tanghulu.

Up ahead, the maiden could also make out the long rows of street food stalls, showy toy stands, and other various novelties. Hundreds of people were continuously pouring throughout every inch of the streets and hanging around at any corner at sight, with friends, families, or loved ones. There were even many couples, strolling closely together and whispering into each other’s ears, with open fans.

Tonight was truly otherworldly. Aside from the now-ruined Tian Shan Feng tournament, it was unlike any of the recent past days.

“Your Highness…”

Next to the young man was Xiao Li. He motioned over a server, who carried out a large platter of plates with golden stir-fried noodles and bean sprouts.

“You really like coddling her, huh?” As soon as the dish was carefully set down before him, the black-cladded teenager grumbled, “You never treated me to a feast…”

“Of course.” Then, without looking up, Jian Yu snapped the chopsticks into his rice portion and ate the soft morsel. “Mei Ying is special.”

Hearing this, the huntress busied herself by filling up her rice bowl with the fried bean sprouts. She decided that it was better to not say anything. To stay away from further embarrassment, Mei Ying then picked at the plate of noodles between her and Jian Yu. Still, her ears only grew hotter.

It is unbelievable that I accidentally befriended the infamous Demon King… The huntress studied the good-looking person eating casually as though he had always lived among the mortals.

Unlike the rumors, Jian Jian clearly detests those demonic cultivators and has no interest in recruiting the undead for his armies… This thought greatly confused Mei Ying. All he did this whole time was follow me and the others, fight with people, and eat…

At this time, the young woman recalled that she had forced a God of War, the Demon King, and a demon servant to dig up bamboo shoots from the ground. In addition, Mei Ying ordered them to catch fish from a river and help her cook a meal in the woods. She also lectured both deities…

Mei Ying silently prayed for the ancestors’ forgiveness.

She was too lucky to be alive now.

Though the other groups of customers were talking too, a cultivator’s hearing can be too good, unfortunately.

“I can see that, ah!” Xiao Li glanced at the young woman and pointed his chopsticks at her. “Young Miss, since you are permitted to do whatever you want, if he is ever too sticky, feel free to leave him behind whenever you feel like it and run away!”

“Hahaha!” Teasing the younger one, Jian Yu laughed. He quickly snatched up a bundle of fried noodles from the plate that he shared with the huntress. “But, Mei Ying, will you actually do that?”

“Hmm…” Mei Ying chewed some noodles from what her utensils had grabbed. She swallowed. “About that…”

“Oh, she is taking her time to not hurt your feelings!”

The table quickly jolted up after Xiao Li’s remark. When the furniture landed back down, none of the dishes were miraculously out of place. Though heads turned, by the time people looked, everything appeared normal with the three cultivators.

Bringing his leg up to the bench seat, the adolescent rubbed a hand over his shin and mumbled, “Aiya, Your Highness, this lowly one was wrong…” He was swift in changing his tune.

There was a loud click of someone’s tongue, expressing their minor irritation.

“You’re being bold just because Mei Ying helped you once.” Without looking up, Jian Yu took another chunk of noodles from their shared plate and softened his voice, “You...don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”

Ah, is Jian Yu afraid of Mei Ying’s response? She did not even get to finish her sentence before her friend made up his mind and tried to retract his offer. The handsome cultivator was robbing her!

Yet, the young woman began, “A proverb states: Gold is easy to get, but a close friend is harder to get. Another says: Life without a friend is death.”

The huntress smiled at Xiao Li, then at Jian Yu. “Jian Jian is a good friend. Wherever he is at, this one has nothing to worry about. Though he is not completely honest at times, Jian Jian is kind-hearted, strong, and always thinks of this one before all else. He has a good heart.” She paused to eat a pinch of sprouts. “I’m afraid that this one will have to worry more about whether Jian Jian will leave her behind and run away than the other way around.”

Xiao Li stared at the white-robed woman. He then cast his eyes down to his rice portion and shook his head.

Mei Ying arched her brow. What is that supposed to mean?!

Next came the dishes of red braised chicken with chestnuts and scallions, along with qiaoguo pastries in lovely shapes of carps, ducks, cows, butterflies, and other animals. There too were small baskets of clear, steamed dumplings, all brimming with warmth and red chili oil. Following that were glutinous rice sticks and pork meatballs with a row of green bok choys, dripping with dark savory sauce.

“Me being dishonest?” Jian Yu smirked. He grabbed a butterfly-shaped qiaoguo and placed the small fried cake on a sheet of paper by Mei Ying’s rice bowl. “You never answered my question at the inn, so we brought you here to eat your fill at the Qixi Festival and play a bit before giving your reply.”

“Qixi Festival?”

Repeating these words, the wide-eyed maiden flicked her eyes toward the enchanting night skies overhead. Mei Ying scanned across the eternal stretch of scattered, winsome white stars and bright moon. Everything about the enchanting festivity tonight finally made sense.

Isn’t the Qixi Festival about...some star-crossed lovers?

Throughout Mei Ying’s childhood and even when growing up, the Song clan never celebrated any of the holidays from the main cultivation world.

“Of course…” Jian Yu went on, “...if Xiao Li had his way, he would’ve starved you until you gave in and told us everything.”

Mei Ying shot the servant a dirty look.

“I’ll have you know, Young Miss, that His Highness normally does not interrogate people so graciously like he is with you now.” Xiao Li rolled his eyes and took up his chopsticks, going for a communal plate of braised chicken and chestnuts. “For one, you are in one piece.”

What the adolescent had said rattled the huntress. What the sh*t?!

“So, I am not the only person who is being dishonest or withholding information.” Jian Yu added, grabbing a butterfly-shaped qiaoguo for himself as well. “Right?”

“Right.” At this, the huntress frowned. He is not entirely wrong either.

Soon, Mei Ying noticed how ridiculously massive their banquet had grown to be in total. The entirety of the numerous meals, all laid out on the small round table, filled the air with delicious clouds of aroma. It was enough for fifteen people. Too much for only three.

The huntress added a tad of spicy chili oil into her rice, murmuring, “We cannot possibly eat all of this though...”

Jian Yu smiled. “I was thinking that, perhaps, you can try a taste from every dish. A variety of food is better than eating the bland meals that you’d been having with those hunters.”

Mei Ying scrutinized her friend. “How would you know that they eat bland meals, ah?”

While Xiao Li coughed lightly, Jian Yu nonchalantly snatched up a few pieces of chicken with his utensils. He planted the portion into the huntress’ bowl. “Seeing how bright your eyes were when the staff were bringing out the meats, fish, and other dishes was proof.”

There was silence at the table for a moment as the maiden decided to let her curiosities rest and just enjoy her meal. Before, when she had gotten out of bed, Mei Ying was famished for food! Her empty stomach was aching, but now, it was feeling much better.

“Aren’t...you going to ask me any more questions?”

With his head bowed, Jian Yu had casted his gaze down against the plain wooden tabletop. It was as though he was waiting for a death sentence, unable to look into the young woman’s brilliant autumn-tinted eyes.

Hearing her friend’s inquiry, Mei Ying paused to look at Jian Yu. “There is nothing more that I need to know.” She lifted her chopsticks and dropped some chicken into the young man’s small bowl. “You need more meat.”

Jian Yu’s lashes trembled a bit.

It was then that the huntress sensed a magical thread of what seemed to be a compact but impenetrable shield above her head. Ah, Jian Yu had effortlessly kept a mobile barrier over them this entire time…

Well, it was safely presumed that he had the spell going since their stay at the inn.

“...Aren’t you disappointed?”

Despite the handsome cultivator’s strangely somber voice, Mei Ying glanced into the sincere, fiery-red eyes. She was unfazed.

“Jian Jian…” Since her friend was unwilling to let the subject die, the huntress sighed. “You are the Demon King and even dared to detach the entire Netherworld from the Heaven realm’s power-grip. You are incredibly fearsome, strong, and skilled…”

From corner to corner, a sheepish but warm smile glided across her red lips. “...but you have never once abused your power on a lowly person like me.”

A glow of relief flitted across the young man’s expression. This time, not once did his gaze shift away from Mei Ying’s face.

The huntress’ sincere smile grew bigger. “I am really happy to have someone like you here with me.”

❁❁❁

Curious, Mei Ying eyed the stick of syrup-glazed hawthorn fruits, each small round piece varying in different red shades. Tanghulu, a snack that she had only heard of but had never seen, looked inviting and even smelled delectable as well. It appeared mouth-watering as children passed her by, eating their own share of sweets.

Slowly, the white-robed cultivator reached over and took the tanghulu from Jian Yu’s white-jade hand. Beside him was Xiao Li, who was already halfway in eating his candies away.

“I can’t believe that the Young Miss never had tanghulu before!” remarked the servant while chewing. “You’re missing out so much!”

After one bite out of the top candied hawthorn fruit, the young woman immediately agreed that she had been wrongly deprived of this mortal blessing. Her shifu was far too stern with her upbringing! The taste was a bit sour but, also, satisfyingly sweet and juicy altogether. It was Heavenly!

“It’s so good!” Bits of tears sprung up in her eyes. “Tanghulu, is it?”

“Yes, it’s called tanghulu!” Xiao Li was smug, taking another bite into his snack. "Wait til you try osmanthus cake!"

"Are there any spicy and sour food that you can introduce me to later?"

"His Highness should treat you to Sichuan hotpot then!"

Life may be too short, but, with good food and the silver moonlight riding the dark canal water that weaves throughout the city, Mei Ying was glad to experience such a simple thing with her friends.

Down below, in the water, there were multiple boats of oarsmen and young couples holding each other under the outspread of dazzling stars and full moon. A few of the boats even had good-looking sounders performing delightful musical pieces on their exquisite instruments. Those performers were all dressed in shimmering jewelries and magnificent outer robes, embroidered with peacocks, dragons, or butterflies.

Walking past a stall of large beacons, Mei Ying caught Jian Yu soon picking a huge square-shaped lantern out from a hook of many dozens. The merchant, an old man, rattled on and on about how it was a floating lantern and that he had a great bargain going on at the moment. Not paying the elder any mind, Jian Yu was entranced by the gleaming object.

Xiao Li patted the maiden's long, white sleeve. “Ah, is His Highness writing something?”

“I’m writing a poem.” answered the young man, without turning around.

Peeking past his frame, Mei Ying read the neatly painted calligraphy that Jian Yu’s black-edged brush had left behind:

The autumn air is clear

The autumn moon is bright.

Fallen leaves gathered and scattered

Jackdaws roosts and starts anew.

Yearning for each other--when shall we meet again?

It is hard to love during this hour of night.

The young woman tilted her head. She had never read this literary piece in her life before; yet, the words were calling out to Mei Ying like a haunting melody to the soul.

“Autumn Air.” The merchant nodded his head. “Young Master, you have a great taste in poetry.”

Noticing Mei Ying, the man beamed and leaned over to the red-robed cultivator with a sparkle in his eye. The deep creases of his wrinkles gathered around his dark crescent orbs. “Your lover is quite beautiful. How about you buy two floating lanterns for half the original price, eh?”

For the time being, Xiao Li stood aside, with arms folded over his black outer robe and the long-braided ponytail hanging over one shoulder. He blinked and was unsure of how to include himself in the picture… What to do...

“Actually, he’s my fr--” Despite Mei Ying’s words, Jian Yu went ahead and handed the glittering blue spirit stones over to the elder. “Ah, Jian Jian! You didn’t have to do that…”

“This Young Master will take two, then.”

Shoving the money into his gray robe, the old man asked, “Ah, Young Miss, did you just call him ‘Jian Jian’?”

Mei Ying nodded while chewing on a tart piece of hawthorn fruit.

With a wide, bright smile, the merchant revealed all his crooked yellow teeth. “Did you know that ‘Jian Jian’ actually means...” He immediately stopped and took a step back, almost shrinking like a tortoise retreating into his shell.

For a second, the man’s mouth hung open, with wide, opened eyes. When he finally had the strength to speak, the merchant stuttered out, “I-I mean… H-Have a wonderful evening at the Qixi Festival, you two!”

Thanking the elder, Jian Yu motioned for Xiao Li to come over. The servant clutched up the two large, square-shaped lanterns, with his wide black sleeves, and darted back to Mei Ying’s side. As the three walked alongside the canal, the young woman listened to the lively festival music that traveled over long distances of the twinkling night and the amiable singing from the sounders in their boats below. The fireworks may start soon.

The merchant didn’t finish what he was going to tell me… Mei Ying raised a brow and turned to the young man, who looked over her shoulder. “Jian Jian, that man forgot his trail of thoughts... Do you think he is alright?"

Gradually, Jian Yu broke his gaze away from the stall and turned to the huntress, with tender, dark eyes. He greeted her with a gentle smile. “I am sure that he is fine. It must have been a long day for the elder.”

On the spur of a moment, a raucous explosion of sparks and gunpowder launched into the indigo heavens with their rivers of stars and celestial wonders. The blasts had startled Mei Ying, and she jumped, only to be steadied by Jian Yu’s hand on her shoulder. Shortly, her friend pulled her away from the ledge that overlooked the deep body of water.

Straight away, several blood-red, green, and gold clusters of embers spilled far and wide all over the night. The luminous flares arched across the skies for the city to witness and admire, crackling to the bittersweet nothingness.

From everywhere, the huntress heard the crowds of spectators applauding with pure elation. Not a moment had passed when another expansive detonation came through, booming with white and gold, then, red again and blue.

“Did you know…” Jian Yu began, “...that the Qixi Festival celebrates the annual meeting of a Heaven Immortal and a cow-herder?”