In almost the blink of an eye, the thirtieth day of the twelfth month arrived.
When Victor Wang pushed open his door, Lumine and Paimon stepped out from the room opposite. They exchanged smiles and left Wangshu Inn together.
Though the sky was only beginning to dim, all the lanterns in Liyue Harbor had already been lit. Somewhere drums and gongs rang, somewhere firecrackers exploded—one family's louder than all the rest. But no one would complain of disturbance tonight, for all such sounds were drowned by the voices of the countless crowd.
The din of celebration flowed like a river, stretching from the South Wharf to the North Bridge, from the North Bridge to Tianheng Pass, from Tianheng Pass to the western bridge of Chihu Rock. It passed through Chihu Rock, Feiyun Slope, Yujing Terrace, slipped beneath the gates of the mighty, and entered the homes of the common folk, until it reached the lion dancers and opera stages. It wove itself into a tapestry like the red, blazing knot of good fortune hung on a streetlamp in Guili Plains by some unknown hand.
Back at Wangshu Inn's entrance, across the river at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao clung to Zhongli's shoulder with one hand and leapt up to wave over the crowd.
After everyone gathered, they pressed forward with the throng. At the fork near "Third-Round Knockout," Chongyun and Xingqiu joined them, once again returning from a failed exorcism.
What normally took minutes stretched into ten before they reached Wanmin Restaurant.
Before entering, Victor Wang noticed a small figure inside—a little girl. He'd heard Xiangling mention her before. Seeing the group's Vision bearers, the girl came forward with bright courtesy: "Hello, big brothers, big sisters, and uncle!"
"Whose child is this? She's adorable!"
Hu Tao and Lumine crouched to get a better look, while Paimon, flustered, pointed at herself. "Am I a big sister too?!"
"Hmm…" Yaoyao tilted her head at Paimon. "You're small, so maybe a little big sister? Or should I call you little sister?"
"Big sister! I'm a big sister!"
"Okay. Hello, big sister."
Unused to such respect from strangers, Paimon beamed and flew over to pat Yaoyao's head affectionately.
"Big brothers, big sisters, and uncle, you must be the guests Senior Sister Xiangling mentioned, right?"
"That's right!"
"Let me introduce myself. I'm Yaoyao, Xiangling's junior. Senior Sister and Uncle Mao are busy in the kitVictor, so I came to welcome you. Please, follow me."
"So well-mannered!"
The tiny figure led a band of grown-ups—and one floating creature—to their seats.
"Tell me, is Yaoyao's master Granny Ping as well?" Lumine asked kindly.
"Yes. But Master went off with Auntie Cloud Retainer, probably to drink on the mountain. She entrusted me to Senior Sister Xiangling for now. Golden-haired sister, black-haired brother, Master has spoken of you before."
Black-haired brother… Victor Wang glanced around. Two blue-haired brothers, one dark-brown-haired uncle… she must mean him?
"I'm Victor," he said, "and the golden-haired sister is Lumine."
"Ok, I'll remember you both Brother Victor, Sister Lumine."
"And me! I'm Hu Tao, Hu of 'walnut,' Tao of 'walnut'!"
"Hu Tao… Sister Hu Tao. I know you too. You used to scheme against Qiqi, who's my best friend."
Hu Tao scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Well, once I understood Qiqi's wish to live, I stopped. It's just… she still remembers me poorly."
"I know. Anyway, here we are. Enjoy your meal, I'll go help Senior Sister now."
Liyue resembled Shenzhou in many ways, but it wasn't identical. Its grandest festival, the Lantern Rite, fell on the first full moon of the year—the fifteenth of the first month. In fact, festivities lasted from New Year's Day until then.
New Year's Eve still mattered, with families eating reunion dinners. But the Lantern Rite was most important. So, Victor Wang, seizing a time when Xingqiu and Chongyun could escape family banquets, reserved a New Year's Eve table.
He had already tried dishes from Xinyue Kiosk and Liuli Pavilion. Why not return? Because as Rex Lapis had once said: "When Xiangling is cooking, you should head straight to Wanmin Restaurant—not Xinyue Kiosk or Liuli Pavilion."
And it was true. Neither restaurant could match Xiangling's food. They leaned too much—one toward mountain delicacies, one toward seafood. Zhongli disliked seafood, so only Liuli Pavilion was an option.
Better now: twelve mountain dishes, twelve seafood dishes, and twelve Wanmin specialties. More variety, all familiar, and a boon to Wanmin's income. Though compared to the gum and bubblegum patents, the Mora was negligible.
While they chatted and sipped tea, Shenhe arrived late, bringing with her Ganyu—whom Victor Wang hadn't been sure he could invite.
"H-hello, everyone."
"Ganyu was on holiday, alone at home. It was pitiful," Shenhe said.
"That's not true! And you only told me Victor Wang wanted to invite me for dinner. Why didn't you mention all these people would be here…"
"If I had, you wouldn't have come. Most of them are familiar anyway."
"Seems your worldly training is paying off." Ganyu sighed. "Then I'll accept."
Not long after Ganyu and Shenhe sat, Xiangling came out carrying two plates, starting the feast. "Everyone, dinner is served!"
"Sister Ganyu! Sister Shenhe!" Yaoyao followed behind with another plate. When her view cleared and she spotted the two, her eyes lit up.
"Yaoyao?!"
"Didn't expect to meet here. Now all the sisters are together—except Yanfei."
"Come join us too, Yaoyao."
The others encouraged her warmly. "It's just one more pair of chopsticks!"
"Then… thank you, Brother Victor, and everyone."
"What about Uncle Mao?"
The chef laughed and shook his head. "Hehe, I have other guests. Xiangling with you is enough."
After a wonderful reunion dinner, a kamera captured the moment, freezing everyone's 'Happy New Year'.
"The real Lantern Rite begins tonight," Hu Tao announced. "Liyue has the custom of staying up all night. Every household's lights will burn till dawn. Shops stay open, youngsters don't sleep—Liyue Harbor becomes a sleepless city. Let's go play!"
"Forgive me, I already have an engagement. I must part ways now." Ganyu excused herself.
Counting Paimon, ten remained—a mighty party charging from Wanmin into the endless stalls, snacks, and games.
Shadow puppets, glove puppets, sugar blowing, dough figurines, ring toss, pitch-pot, sand art, juggling, fireworks, lanterns, riddles, Genius Invokation TCG, candied hawthorns, rice cakes, pancakes… countless games, irresistible high-calorie treats, and trinkets.
By the time they reached the central avenue of Feiyun Slope, even Zhongli coughed gently. "Surely everyone is a bit tired. Why not rest upstairs at Heyu Tea House?"
"Yaoyao isn't tired! No need to worry." Her playfulness brimmed over. She'd roamed Liyue Harbor before, but never seen so much fun crammed into one night.
"Paimon isn't tired either! Don't worry about Paimon." She clutched a skewer, belly nearly bursting.
Victor Wang, Chongyun, and Xingqiu already looked worn out, while the girls still shone with energy. Zhongli reconsidered. "Since it is New Year's Eve, Heyu Tea House must have fine performances tonight."
"Wow, then let's go!"
The tea house was overflowing, but Zhongli's wide network secured stools from a nearby shop.
At last sitting, Victor Wang felt his nerves loosen. "It's been so long since I experienced a festival this grand…"
Since when?
Perhaps since he boarded at school. From then through working life, festivals no longer concerned him. Either no time, or no mood. And when both were there, no one to share it with. Friends rarely had the same chance.
"I almost want to recite a poem…"
His friends turned to him expectantly. He realized how much the rare joy had relaxed him.
"What poem?"
"Recite it!"
"I just meant… the scene stirs me, brings lines to mind. I was reminded of…"
"So, you're composing then?"
"We're all ears!"
"Go for it, Brother Victor!"
Even Zhongli folded his arms and settled in, awaiting.
"..."
Reciting wasn't composing. But poems unknown in this world, from his lips, became his own compositions.
"The east wind scatters blossoms through the night, as if stars fall like rain. Fragrant streets throng with jeweled carriages. Flutes and pipes resound, jade urns shimmer, a night of dragons and fish dancing."
The east wind from Guyun Stone Forest, fireworks, lanterns, carriages jammed tight, music ringing, a moon like jade, endless travelers—it fit the first stanza of "Green Jade Table: Lantern Festival" perfectly. The problem was the second…
He could give up, say he hadn't thought of it.
But his friends' eyes gleamed brighter with expectation.
Victor Wang steeled himself. "Moths, willows, golden threads. Laughter flows with hidden fragrance…"
What to do?
Turn around midway, save the final "turning glance" for the end. Yes!
His heart pounded as his body already turned. His lips murmured: "I searched a thousand times through the crowd for her…"
Heyu Tea House had three paths: down, across to the opposite pavilion, or upstairs. He'd worried no one would appear for his "turning glance." But on all three paths, familiar faces appeared—his heartbeat quickened further.
On one: Ye Caizhen in white, cool and aloof, hand in hand with Ning Zhen.
On another: Ganyu with Keqing, splendidly dressed, arms laden with shopping bags, still grumbling about tedious banquets.
On the last: Ningguang, dreamlike in elegant attire, followed by three attendants and Yelan, just returned from her duties.
"…And turning my head, there she stood, where the lanterns were dim."
Outside, a firework bloomed in perfect timing.
"Eh?"
All three groups turned their gaze on Victor Wang. Holders of Visions, their hearing was sharp.
Ye Caizhen gave no sign. Keqing opened her mouth but her complaint froze. Ningguang's smile was full of meaning. Even Yelan cast him a glance.
His friends also turned.
Xiangling repeated the lines: "'Moths, willows, golden threads. Laughter flows with hidden fragrance. I searched a thousand times through the crowd for her. And turning my head, there she stood, where the lanterns were dim.' You knew people would appear!"
She scratched her head. "So… who were you searching for?"
No, no no. That only made it worse. But as long as he didn't name anyone, it wouldn't be awkward!
"This 'her'… is general…"
"General? Really?"
"Sister Keqing!" Yaoyao leapt up before Ganyu and Keqing could react.
"Yaoyao! I didn't expect to meet you. I—I didn't bring a gift. These bags… they're not for you…"
"I don't need gifts. Just seeing Sister Keqing makes me happy!"
Thank goodness Yaoyao was so understanding. Otherwise, all would know Keqing had bought Archon figurines. She exhaled in relief.
On another path, Ye Caizhen nodded politely to Victor Wang before leading Ning Zhen away after a few words with Ningguang. Ningguang smiled at everyone, then ascended with poise.
"In rational terms, this poem is of high caliber." Zhongli's calm judgment broke the tension.
Xingqiu admired, "Truly impressive. I couldn't write such lines at all."
"A natural verse, born of the moment. But let's return to the play."
On Heyu's stage, the opera "Chasing the Moon Under Bright Skies" was being performed, starring Yun Jin.
Watching, Victor Wang realized it told the story Hu Tao had mentioned:
A pair of lovers, torn apart by misfortune and misunderstanding, unable to confess their feelings, forced apart. Yet during the Lantern Rite, with the aid of an immortal, they each found the other's lantern bearing words of longing. As the "Xiao Lantern" rose into the heavens, all was resolved, and they were reunited.
Too old, too familiar. Some audience members whispered: "Why not perform 'Butterfly Lovers'? Fontaine's Opera Epiclese is staging another play tonight, written by the same author as 'Butterfly Lovers'. They don't know how to seize opportunity."
"But 'Butterfly Lovers' is a tragedy. How could they stage that now?"
"Huh? I heard the author insisted it was a comedy!"
"If you've heard so much, didn't you also hear of the omens at its debut? Gentry Maocai reformed his life after seeing it. Gentry De'an nearly wept to death. And the two leads really turned into butterflies and flew away, never to return. People call them the 'Butterfly Immortals.' Think about the play's power."
Victor Wang pursed his lips. His friends struggled not to laugh, all eyes on him. He had to protest. "What nonsense! That's absurd."
"Well, Gentry De'an did faint from crying…"
"…Sigh."
After Ganyu and Keqing left, Yaoyao and Paimon—once full of excitement—fell asleep against Xiangling and Lumine. To care for them, the two women also departed early.
With the main shopping force gone, Xingqiu and Chongyun refused to budge, determined to stay with Zhongli to watch the play. The team dissolved before dawn.