Chapter Forty-Six: I Have No Wishes

The night in Lijiang carried a hint of chill, and at last she understood why he had insisted she bring warmer clothes. The bar street was just coming alive, bright lights and bustling crowds, flamboyant singers pounding on goatskin drums and singing in wild abandon. The great waterwheel churned up splashes, and along the wooden corridor nearby, people gathered in clusters. The racks were crowded with bells meant for wishes, and little wooden plaques held the secrets of many hearts.

“Sir, Miss, would you like to write a love wish plaque?” the shopkeeper eagerly encouraged. Lin Shuo remained silent, while Xiaoxiao was quick to shake her head, declining. Although they seemed a perfect pair, it did not mean they were truly together. The shopkeeper was persistent: “You can make a wish for anything, not just love.” Xiaoxiao still shook her head. “I have no wishes.” She was never keen on wishing—otherwise, she would have clasped her hands in prayer when she saw the river dotted with lotus lanterns.

“Do you really have no wishes?” Lin Shuo struggled to express his emotions. Where had that dreamy Ni Xiaoxiao gone?

She merely pointed at the racks of wish plaques and smiled, asking, “Do you believe any of these wishes have really come true?”

He neither affirmed nor denied; it was, after all, just a comfort. Anyone who relied on the magic of these plaques was truly foolish.

“Let’s go back. I’m tired.” She didn’t wait for him and left on her own.

The lanterns under the eaves of the inn cast their crimson glow inside, an exhilarating color reminiscent of some night long past.

As Lin Shuo’s girlfriend, she often felt a surge of pride. On his birthday, she had carefully prepared a gift, knowing his love for basketball. She begged the cake shop to craft a cake in the shape of a basketball. When she appeared before him, holding the cake bristling with candles, it seemed a tiny flame flickered quietly in his heart.

She asked, “Do you love me?” Her anticipation soared.

He replied: gentle as a breeze.

He kissed her tenderly—it was her first kiss. That gentle touch stirred her heart like a stormy sea. If she had to describe her excitement in color, it could only be red.

While he closed his eyes to make a wish, she secretly hoped in her heart for a lifetime together, then joined him to blow out the candles. Since childhood, her mother taught her not to be too greedy, lest she invite misfortune. She remembered that well, but in more than twenty years, she had been greedy only once—and in the end, she lost everything, suffering the consequences of that greed.

Han and Ying waited at the inn early in the morning. Han had exaggeratedly brought butter tea from his own home, insisting it would go well with their breakfast. When Ying learned Xiaoxiao could speak Vietnamese, she grew even warmer toward her. While touring the ancient town, Han naturally assumed the role of guide, leading them to Sifang Street and encouraging them to join the Naxi people dancing in circles. Xiaoxiao even donned the starry attire of a Naxi girl, indulging herself for a moment.

Outside the gates of the Mu Residence stood a majestic stone archway. Han pointed proudly at the Naxi-transcribed words “Heaven’s Rain Brings Glory.” “The lord of the Mu Residence, Mu Zeng, admired Han culture and personally wrote those words, meaning ‘Go study,’ hoping to revitalize Lijiang through culture,” he explained. When it came to Lijiang’s glorious past, Han was always eloquent.

As they walked, they happened upon the Asha Li Camel Bell Shop from “A Meter of Sunshine.” Xiaoxiao could hardly contain her delight. She remembered being very young when the TV series aired, not truly understanding it, but deeply longing for Lijiang’s beauty. Later, she read the original novel, and the little camel bell shop seemed shrouded in mystery. Now, finally stepping inside, she felt an indescribable excitement.

Lonely Moments, Don’t Speak of Love 46_Chapter Forty-six: I Have No Wishes—Update Complete!