One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.6 Festival

"A China Doll," Mia thought, when looking at the the little girl with full cheeks that exuded natural slight blush. The little girl's jet black hair that was tied up in two buns on her head, and her slightly slanted eyes formed a thin line as she grinned.

Ji LanBai was on her mother's lap, munching a green bean pastry happily while her little legs swayed lightly back and fro. Wu JianRui chuckled in amusement,

"Look at you. Even a bird eat in a more civilized manner." She lovingly rubbed off some green bean paste from her still-munching lips.

"These servants greet Young Miss," Mia and her new little friends from the orphanage spoke humbly upon a slight wave from Meng-momo, greeting Ji LanBai.

The little girl did not pay attention to them and blinked her eyes at her mother. She clearly knew she was cute and was using it in full power, "Mother, you promised LanBai that I can go to the festival today."

The town of Ming was having a week-long winter festival. The days were noticeably getting shorter, nights came much earlier than during the warmer months before. The townspeople set up various stalls, selling various wares and street food. Some travelling performers also took turns to provide different kind of street performance every night during the week's festivities. Ji LanBai was very eager to go out, it was going to be her first outing to a festival after all. The first day of the festival was always the merriest; the streets would brighten up with colorful lanterns and everywhere would be buzzing with people. The cold weather did not deter the townsfolk to go out and celebrate the start of winter in this fashion.

Wu JianRui had indeed promised her daughter that she would be able to go out. It was Ji LanBai's birthday present, although her birthday was still three days away. However, with the crowded environment Wu JianRui knew the town would have and looking at her obviously-very-excited little girl, she was suddenly very wary to let her go.

She was about to find some excuses to deter her daughter from going, when two figures walked into the courtyard they were sitting at. They were an adult man and a pre-adolescent boy. Wu JianRui and Hai FenChu stood up and curtsied slightly to greet the taller figure, the mighty General Ji ChanFang.

The young boy, Young Master Ji SongLi(1), was drenched with sweat despite the cold crisp morning, his expression visibly upset.

Hai FenChu quickly took out her handkerchief and wiped her son's face.

"Don't be too hard on Li'er," Wu JianRui softly smiled at her husband, "He is still a child."

"He is a man!" General Ji harrumphed, "I was seven years old when I mastered the nine moves of Ji clan's primary sword art. He is not even close to mastering the eighth! What an embarrassment to his name!"

"Li'er is more interested in the four arts(2)," Hai FenChu added, taking General Ji's hand and coaxed him to sit on one of the stone stools in the courtyard, "In fact, isn't Li'er the most talented youth of his generation in qin and calligraphy?"

Mia rolled her eyes inwardly. A ten-year-old kid interested in the chinese zither and calligraphy, and was bullied by his own father to train martial arts. Hell, it was already a very amazing achievement for her nephew to only finish building the mast part of the battleship lego set she gave him as his last birthday present... .

General Ji slowly sipped the tea Hai FenChu just handed to him, his eyes still darkly focused at his son who was docilely standing by his mother. Ji LanBai, noting her father's gloomy atmosphere, let go of Wu JianRui's robe and climbed onto her father's lap,

"Father, the town festival has started today." She circled her chubby arms around Ji ChanFang's neck, "Let LanBai go, please? Please? Mother promised already. Li-ge can go with LanBai as guardian."