The revelry of the Oulei Festival knew no bounds, day or night.
Beer was the hottest-selling commodity during these days—so much so that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you’d find a vendor every three steps you took on the street.
Unfortunately, they were all underage and couldn’t drink.
Following their guide’s recommendations, they settled for some of the most famous local snacks, nibbling as they strolled, pausing now and then to watch street performers.
Ji Nian took plenty of photos, planning to show them to Ji Tingzhou and the others when they returned.
Eventually, the guide led them to a rather shabby-looking stage.
Gu Xiuyuan eyed the antiquated structure skeptically before casting a doubtful glance at the guide.
The guide, no stranger to such skepticism, smiled and reassured them in flawless Mandarin, “Don’t worry, you won’t be disappointed.”
Their timing was impeccable—any later, and they wouldn’t have gotten front-row seats.
Surprisingly, the place was packed.
Soon, they understood why.
Though the stage was crude, the actors’ costumes and makeup were unexpectedly exquisite and ornate.
The performance began, and the actors delivered their lines with such clarity and emotion that even Shen Qingtang, Gu Xiuyuan, and He Xiang, who didn’t understand the local language, could roughly follow the plot through their expressive movements.
It was a story about a goddess-queen leading her army into battle.
Even without understanding the dialogue, Shen Qingtang was deeply moved. She whispered to Ji Nian that she’d love to organize a high-quality stage play like this at a future comic convention.
Ji Nian nodded, offering her help if needed.
As the crowd dispersed, the surge of people made it hard to avoid jostling, even with bodyguards around.
He Xiang shielded Ji Nian, only to realize no one could actually knock her over—if anything, they’d bounce off her. He sighed in relief.
Right. Ji Nian was a sturdy girl.
Just as he thought this, an unexpected hand tugged at Ji Nian’s sleeve.
Startled, Ji Nian thought some small animal had pawed at her before turning to see a slender figure, face veiled in gauze, leaving only a pair of eyes visible.
Silver-gray lashes blinked, and his golden eyebrows shimmered conspicuously under the light.
Ji Nian nearly blurted out “Little Crown Prince” but swallowed the words, remembering the public’s fervent adoration of him.
She quietly followed his lead, slipping away from the crowd.
He Xiang, who witnessed the whole thing: “……”
“What are you doing here?”
The two of them sneaked through the throng, ducking behind a motorcycle parked in an alley.
Ji Nian even reached out to playfully tug at his veil.
Lu Jinghuai had also changed into traditional attire—while they looked like tourists trying out local fashion, he could’ve passed for a native.
System: Obviously, he is a local.
Like her, he wore plain white, but upon closer inspection, the fabric shimmered like rippling water.
His only accessory was a golden armband clasped around his left bicep.
“I finished my duties and came to find you.”
Lu Jinghuai lifted one side of his veil, revealing his face.
Earlier on stage, his face had been adorned with golden markings, divine and ethereal—now, not a trace remained.
“I didn’t warn you beforehand. Did I scare you?”
Come to think of it, their eyes had met during the performance. So he had seen her.
She’d thought the pause in his movements was just her imagination.
Lu Jinghuai nodded. “I was startled.”
Then he smiled. “But pleasantly surprised.”
Still, he seemed a little embarrassed.
“Earlier, I noticed you had tissue stuffed in your nose. Was it bleeding from the dry weather?”
Ji Nian: “……It’s nothing. Just a sudden nosebleed. It stopped quickly.”
Lu Jinghuai made a mental note to send a doctor to check on her later, along with some nourishing supplements. But before he could say so, Ji Nian suddenly spoke up:
“You danced beautifully. Have you trained before?”
Ji Nian switched to praise mode.
Lu Jinghuai explained that he’d only practiced after being selected for the role—before that, he’d had no experience.
“No wonder you seemed so busy lately.”
His replies to her messages had often come late at night.
Hearing this, Lu Jinghuai’s eyes brightened slightly. “Mhm.”
“But honestly, I slacked off a lot too.”
“If I’d known you’d be watching, I would’ve practiced harder.”
As he spoke, he tucked a few stray strands of hair behind his ear, revealing a silver-gray crystal earring nestled among his golden locks.
Ji Nian wanted to say he’d already been perfect.
“Oh, and thank you for your blessing earlier. But what did that ancient phrase you said mean?”
Lu Jinghuai opened his mouth to answer—
Suddenly, footsteps approached. A drunk man staggered into the alley, about to relieve himself, when he froze at the sight of them.
His eyes locked onto Lu Jinghuai’s face, and he pointed, stammering, “L-Little—Little Crown Prince!!!!!!”
His voice carried the same intensity as a battle cry.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause.
Then—chaos erupted.
“Little Crown Prince?! Where?!”
“Out of my way! Little Crown Prince, come try our shop’s new beer!!”
“You idiot bear, the prince isn’t even of legal drinking age!!”
“Damn you, you scrawny rat! Who are you calling a bear?!”
“AHHHHH Little Crown Prince, take a photo with me!!!”
Ji Nian had never seen anything like it. Luckily, Lu Jinghuai reacted quickly, grabbing her hand and bolting.
As they ran, Ji Nian couldn’t help but think—no wonder Lu Jinghuai was so sensitive to people’s stares when he was in China.
With this kind of attention, who wouldn’t be?
Thankfully, he was no stranger to such situations, and the patrolling police soon noticed the commotion and restored order.
They ran for what felt like forever, Lu Jinghuai’s grip never loosening even after they’d left the crowd behind.
“I… can’t… anymore…”
Even Ji Nian couldn’t keep up with such intense sprinting.
They finally stopped by the moat.
The moat of Naville City was a famous landmark, but during the Oulei Festival, both locals and tourists were too busy celebrating in the city center, leaving the scenic riverside unusually deserted.
Ji Nian collapsed unceremoniously onto the sloping grass, gasping for air.
“Here, drink some water.”
Feeling a little guilty for tiring her out, Lu Jinghuai bought water from a nearby vending machine.
Ji Nian gulped it down.
“By the way, I saw your mom earlier. She’s so beautiful and majestic.”
She’d almost said “the queen,” but considering Oulei’s customs, she held back.
“Is your mom married, Little Crown Prince?”
Ji Nian teased.
Lu Jinghuai: “……”
Seemingly not expecting an answer, Ji Nian continued.
“But she’s different from how she appears in the news. In person, she smiles so warmly, and she smells amazing—just surrounded by this aura of femininity. You’re so lucky, Little Crown Prince.”
Ji Nian reminisced about the brief exchange she’d had with Princess Feia, recalling her demeanor, gestures, and voice.
He didn’t even mind her little impertinence.
A super gentle and stunning beauty.
Listening to her chatter endlessly about her mother, he waited until she grew tired before finally speaking.
Lu Jinghuai tilted his head slightly, turning to face her, and asked in a soft voice, "What about me?"
"How do you see me?"
His silver-gray eyes seemed to hold a magical allure, his gaze almost hypnotic.
As if briefly enchanted, Ji Nian met his eyes without hesitation and blurted out—
"Someone whose pee doesn’t even stink."
