AWB Chapter 170 The Lantern After a Year (3)
Chapter 170 The Lantern After a Year (3)
"Look at that girl over there directing things, isn't that Miss Wangya they were talking about?" Paimon asked, pointing to a girl in a light purple dress who was checking the goods with a list in her hand.
"Let's go up and ask."
Kong walked up to the girl, and as soon as she put down what she was doing, he quickly asked, "Excuse me, are you in charge of the Lantern Festival?"
"Hmm? Judging from your appearance... you're probably not from Liyue, are you a traveler? Welcome to 'Twilight City'. However, as for being in charge... I wouldn't call myself that. The Lantern Festival is a festival for all of Liyue, it's not something any one person can be in charge of." Wangya replied with a smile, "I'm just responsible for managing some minor matters and trying my best to make the Lantern Festival more lively."
So, do you need help?
"Haha...actually, we wanted to ask..."
"I'd like to ask which stall in the 'Xiaoshi' sells the best food!"
Paimon answered first.
"The best-tasting? Each has its own unique characteristics, so I can't say for sure. However, I can tell you that the most popular food stall right now is Yinian's. If there are any more people over there, I'll have to apply for the Qianyan Army to maintain order. But..."
Wang Ya gave a fair evaluation. She did not explicitly say which one was the best, but instead used data to tell them which store had the highest sales.
"Is it that popular?! Sora, let's head over right now, before the road is completely blocked by people." Paimon said, about to fly away, but Sora grabbed him in time.
Kong: "Don't rush, Miss Wangya probably still has something to say."
"Thank you. If you're going to find Yi Nian, please take this document to him for me." Wang Ya handed them a document and explained her reasoning: "This is a business recommendation from our General Affairs Department for all merchants, based on the data from last year's Lantern Festival."
"Since you're going, why don't you do me a favor? I'll give you a small gift as a reward when you get back."
As a kind-hearted adventurer and a helpful traveler, Sora naturally didn't refuse the request. After all, it was just something he could do easily.
However, they didn't expect this snack shop to be so incredibly popular. There were so many people; the line was already very long.
So they waited in line from morning until afternoon before it was finally their turn.
"Oh, it's finally our turn..." Paimon's stomach had been rumbling several times, and he had finished all the snacks he brought. He was starving.
"Sorry, we're really short-staffed lately. Come over here and look at the menu; we can make anything listed. Just tell us what you'd like to eat, and I can make it!"
"Wow! I want to eat..." Paimon stared at the menu for a while and realized that it had almost everything. She couldn't choose.
"Of course, what dish can't I cook? Hurry up and order." The stall owner, Yi Nian, was particularly proud; his culinary skills were his greatest asset.
"This is the document Wangya gave you."
Upon seeing the documents in his empty hand, Yi Nian frowned and muttered, "Here we go again, every year. What business advice—besides the taste of the dishes, I don't need any other methods!"
"Never mind, give me this document. I'll put it in the stove later." After taking the document, Yi Nian reminded them again, "Hurry up and order your food. Didn't you come here to eat?"
“You have so many delicious things here. This looks good. I want to eat this too…” This stumped Paimon. When she glanced at a grilled fish not far away, she knew what to choose.
"Hmm, 'Grilled Tigerfish'? I remember that was one of the dishes that 'Bronze Sparrow' really liked. Since the Lantern Festival is a day to commemorate heroes, let's order this dish and remember him in this way too."
Sora: "That's just like you..."
"You little rascal, you have quite the taste! You ordered our most signature dish right away." Paimon's choice was also appreciated by the stall owner: "Then wait here for a bit, the food will be ready soon."
While waiting for their food, Kong and Paimon wandered around and, coincidentally, ran into Grandma Ping there.
"Grandma Ping, what are you doing here?" Paimon greeted her warmly, immediately attracting the old lady's attention.
"Oh, it's you guys! Haha, what a coincidence. I'm here watching the lanterns." Grandma Ping looked at the huge floating stone standing in the center of the platform, a look of reminiscence in her eyes.
"This year's 'Mingxiao Lantern' is designed to commemorate 'Yixiao Daotian Zhenjun,' that guy who likes to show off should be happy..."
"Hopefully they'll make the antlers bigger, after all, those antlers on his head are what that immortal is most proud of. It's said that his antlers absorbed the essence of the Geo power of the Geo Archon, and were once the hardest thing in all of Liyue."
"But during that decisive battle, the force of the attack caused mountains to collapse. To prevent the villages at the foot of the mountain from being affected, he asked his friend to cut off his antlers..."
"He used those blood-soaked antlers as a fulcrum to support the entire mountain. And he fought on until his last drop of blood was shed..."
Today, the "Tianheng Mountain" he once supported still stands majestically, and the blood he shed in his death battle has gathered to form the "Bishui River."
Kong: "Grandma, don't be sad. Seeing the prosperous state of Liyue today, I believe he must be very gratified."
He sensed sadness, longing, and self-reproach in his grandmother's few words. The past must have been very heavy... and all he could do was offer comfort.
"Hehe... Whether you believe what I'm saying or not, it's already a great comfort that someone is willing to listen to these old stories." Grandma Ping nodded with a smile. "The reason the Lantern Festival exists is because those 'old friends' can't stand being alone."
"Thank you for listening to this old woman's ramblings. It looks like your food is ready. Goodbye, and may the spirit of virtue be passed down and never die."
Goodbye, Grandma Ping.
After Kong and Paimon had walked away, Grandma Ping looked at the Floating Life Stone again and murmured, "Sacrifice is the greatest regret..."
"Haha, if that guy heard that, he'd probably scoff at it. After all, he never cares about his own life. Don't you think so, Sister Ping?"
A cheerful voice suddenly appeared beside her ear, and the blond, heterochromatic-eyed boy laughed freely and unrestrainedly.
"I'm back, Sister Ping'er. How have you been these past few months?"
"Have you been fooling around outside enough? Now you remember you want to go back to Liyue?" Grandma Ping teased him with a smile.
Xuan Yue scratched her head sheepishly, "How could that be?! I've been so busy these past few months that I completely forgot the Lantern Festival was coming up. Luckily, I made it back in time. I'm not late, am I?"
"No, no. These few days are only the eve of the Lantern Festival. The first day of the lunar month is in three days." As she spoke, Grandma Ping seemed to remember something: "I remember you haven't participated in the Lantern Festival for a long time, when was the last time?"
"...It's been at least a thousand years, haha, and now I'm back to play, aren't I? Wow, it's much more lively than before, and there are some new and interesting things..."
A fleeting sadness crossed Xuan Yue's eyes, but she quickly put on a smiling face as she faced Grandma Ping.
The old man saw through it but didn't say anything: "Isn't that perfect? After being so busy for so long, it's good to relax and have some fun."
"Sister Ping'er, aren't you going?"
"Haha, I've observed the days and nights of Liyue for thousands of years, one more year won't make a difference. Go ahead, you might still find some treasures now, this is the time that person likes the most."
"Then I need to hurry up and buy some good stuff for Aqing, I can't let him pick them all."
Xuan Yue quickly said goodbye to Grandma Ping and then rushed to the market, shouting that she wanted to buy something.
Grandma Ping was at a loss for words, staring at Xuan Yue's retreating figure, lost in thought.