Ying Lili stopped in front of a stall that was of a future teller. "Let's go there," Ying Lili fervently told Sheng Li, who read the board on the stall.
"What? Does he do future-telling? What kind of joke is he playing with the people?" Sheng Li muttered.
"It's palmistry, and it is fun. I know no one can tell you your future but people still want to know because they hope for something best for them," Ying Lili explained to Sheng Li who counter-argued with Ying Lili. "That means people are fools," he pronounced.
Ying Lili grabbed Sheng Li's hand and took him towards the stall. "Brother, can you tell the future of my husband?" Ying Lili asked politely. The man who was seated on a wooden chair stood up and gave a nod.
Sheng Li wanted to refuse, but Ying Lili was holding his wrist, not letting him go. The future teller grabbed the palm of Sheng Li and read it. "You are born to be victorious," the palm reader stated. Sheng Li chuckled and pulled his hand back when the man grasped it.
"Let me read. I can see that you get annoyed easily and you have a short temper too." Ying Lili and Wang Hao giggled upon hearing the words of the palm reader when Sheng Li glared at them and the two suppressed their giggles.
"I can see you are quite adamant. You like to throw tantrums."
Sheng Li could not take that. "Beware! I do not know if I throw tantrums or not but I will surely throw you away," Sheng Li threatened the palm reader, but he did not pay heed to him, which infuriated him more.
"Today under the moonlight you will find something precious," the palm reader further stated when Sheng Li pulled his hand back. "Indeed, in this moonlight, I am going to k-" He stopped as Ying Lili cut his words in the middle.
"Brother, you are excellent in palmistry. How come do you know about my husband's traits? Whatever you told was absolutely true," Ying Lili asserted, keeping a smile on her lips.
The palm reader thanked Ying Lili. "Sister, I have been doing this since the age of twelve. Whatever I say is always true. Look, how your husband was getting angry at me! My predictions about a person are never wrong," the palm reader pronounced proudly.
"How much do you take for this reading?" Ying Lili then asked.
"Forty-five cents," the palm reader replied.
"The reading you gave me isn't even worth a penny! Asking for forty-five cents! Do you take us as a fool?" Sheng Li blurted out at him. The people around them looked at him when Wang Hao came forward and handed the money to the palm reader.
Sheng Li started walking in anger when he heard from the palm reader, "You are going to get something precious soon." Sheng Li halted at his place and tightened his fists when he felt Ying Lili's hand on his.
"Wasn't it fun?" Ying Lili asked.
"You like when your husband gets insulted," Sheng Li asked her.
Ying Lili was amused at how quickly Sheng Li got irritated with those words of the palm reader. "Why would I like it if someone would insult you? Your insult is my insult too! That palm reader is making an earning from it. Earlier when we were eating dumplings, I saw he was asked for money from his landlord. That's why I went there so that he can earn something from us," Ying Lili proclaimed.
"Huh?" "You started showing your kindness here as well! I hate it." Sheng Li's temper acted up. Ying Lili could not understand why Sheng Li was acting like that when Sheng Li walked ahead.
Ying Lili felt sad seeing Sheng Li angry even on the festival day. Wang Hao came towards Ying Lili and said in a low voice, "His highness is disturbed because he found out the truth of his mother's death. She was poisoned right after she got pregnant, thus, making it look like a prolonged illness."
Ying Lili was shocked to learn about the truth. "Don't you want to come?" Sheng Li said loudly and turned to look when General Wang quickly stepped back.
Ying Lili with slow steps moved forward and stood beside Sheng Li. The words of General Wang were revolving in her mind. "That means they wanted him to die even before his birth." Her heart sank just thinking about this. She glanced at Sheng Li who was looking straight ahead.
Soon they reached the lake where many people were gathered, especially couples, to light the lanterns. This was the first time Sheng Li saw something like that. 'Commoners celebrate this festival with more enthusiasm than us.' Sheng Li realized at that time.
"Your highness, you shall light a lantern with her highness," Sheng Li heard Wang Hao who was standing right to him.
Sheng Li looked at Ying Lili, who was looking around. There was a bright smile on her lips while watching the people. "Sister, please buy a lantern," said a young boy who came to Ying Lili. Nodding at him, Ying Lili told Sheng Li to buy a lantern for them, who asked the boy about the price.
"It is five cents," the young boy replied. Sheng Li handed him the money and took a lantern from him. The young boy happily went away to sell the lanterns to the other people.
They were standing over the wooden bridge, which was constructed over the lake. Wang Hao arranged a candle and handed that to Sheng Li.
Sheng Li lit the lantern along with Ying Lili and it flew high in the sky. The night breeze was blowing, which blew away the veil, and showed Ying Lili's face. Sheng Li smiled looking at her when Ying Lili looked into his eyes. "It was nice," she said and stepped back when she was hit by a woman who was coming along with her friends.
Ying Lili lost her balance, but Sheng Li caught her. His hand was around her waist, while his eyes were fixated on her. The two continued staring at each other when Sheng Li broke their eye lock and made Ying Lili stand straight. Wang Hao by then had left the place as he wanted them to be alone for a while but he was nearby them, as he could not risk their safety.
Ying Lili held the wooden railings made on the river bridge and looked at the moon. "It's a full moon. Isn't it beautiful?" Ying Lili said. Sheng Li peered at Ying Lili. "It is beautiful!" Sheng Li stated.
"I have decided my wish," Ying Lili stated and then looked at Sheng Li. "Hmm. Speak," Sheng Li asserted.
"Will you fulfill it?" Ying Lili asked him.
"Hmm. You completed the mission so I must reward you," Sheng Li affirmed.
'I know you will be loved by everyone' - the words of Sheng Li's mother came into Ying Lili's mind.
"I am waiting," Sheng Li said.
"It is crowded here. Let's go there," Ying Lili stated as she pointed her index finger to the right side of the lake. Sheng Li looked in the pointed direction. He saw there were no people, and the place was dark too because the region was near the forest.
"Okay, come with me," Sheng Li said and took Ying Lili to that side.
Sheng Li halted as he saw there was no one around. He looked at Ying Lili who had taken off her hat at that moment. The moonlight was making their faces visible.
"What is it that you did not ask there?" Sheng Li queried Ying Lili.
Ying Lili was moving her fingers one above the other, as she was not getting what to say now. "What happened? Tell me your wish," Sheng Li asked.
"Will he accept it?" Ying Lili thought. She was in a dilemma regarding the wish. "Why are you scared? It is not like you are doing something wrong! Just say it and he has to fulfill it," Ying Lili told herself.
Sheng Li was noticing how Ying Lili's facial expressions were changing. "Is it that tough to say?" Sheng Li asked Ying Lili.
"You will not get angry, right?" Ying Lili asked him.
"Why would I be angry? Wait! Are you asking me to end my life? Or are you asking to spare your uncle's family? You cannot ask for these two things," Sheng Li asserted.
Ying Lili took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Sheng Li was getting impatient. "Are you going to tell or not? We have little time. We have to leave for the Palace soon. You have to massage my back as well, so tell me your wish quickly." Sheng Li stressed his words.
Ying Lili opened her eyes. "Sheng Li, my wish is to love you," Ying Lili finally expressed her wish in front of Sheng Li.
Sheng Li drew his brows together. "What?" an unexpected reaction came from him.
"I want to love you. This is my wish," Ying Lili repeated her words and stepped closer to Sheng Li.