Chapter 186: Fireworks Display and Late-Night Snacks
On the day of the fireworks display ticket sales, Jiang Xue anxiously waited from 6:30 PM.
At 7:00 PM, when the sales started, within two minutes, Cang Ling sent her a message.
【Mu Mu Loves Stargazing: [Screenshot of ticket QR codes]】
【Yu Xue: !!! We adore you!!】
Jiang Xue excitedly transferred the ticket money to Cang Ling. Considering that fireworks looked better from a distance, she had asked Cang Ling to get seats on the outer edges, closer to the exits, so they could leave midway without disturbing others if they wanted.
With the tickets secured, the next thing to consider was transportation.
The most convenient way to get to the fireworks display venue in the capital was by plane. There was even a direct shuttle bus from the airport to the theater.
This time, the round-trip plane tickets were booked by Xiao Luohan, in economy class. She no longer mentioned “repaying kindness,” simply expressing her gratitude towards the Jiang family in a different way.
Of course, this gratitude was also within her means. She would record any expenses or items she couldn’t currently afford and find opportunities to repay them later.
This year’s fireworks display in the capital was held before the New Year, so they could enjoy a few days of leisure after the show before returning for New Year’s Eve dinner.
Although it was a “two-person trip,” Jiang Xue still packed Cang Ling’s camera, and Xiao Luohan insisted on bringing the mechanical fox.
The fireworks in Beiliao were something Cang Ling and Princess Zhemei rarely saw, and even when they did, it was often accompanied by a sigh of “such a waste of resources,” so Jiang Xue, knowing their story, wanted to take them to the most prosperous city in the country to make up for their past regrets.
During the three-hour flight, both Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan chose to sleep.
Cang Ling, “emerging” from the camera, shrunk herself into the size of a hamster and, perched on the mechanical fox placed on the tray table, admired the seemingly static sea of clouds outside the window with Xiao Linghan.
They were lucky. It had been snowing a few days ago, but now the weather in both cities was clear.
Their accommodation after landing was chosen by Jiang Mei and Xiao Linghan, a resort hotel with a balcony overlooking the scenery, furnished with a comfortable wicker bed and a hanging chair shaped like a bird’s nest, perfect for stargazing at night.
Jiang Xue knew that her older sister often traveled for business, but she hadn’t expected her to have even been to the theater near the fireworks display venue in the capital.
And she felt that the view from this hotel balcony was amazing! It was a pity that in winter, there was only the frozen water surface and snow to see. When the sky was clear and there was no snow, there were only bare trees and the stars and moon at night. It would be more interesting to visit during other seasons.
Thinking of this, she didn’t make any promises to Xiao Luohan, but silently set a small goal: after she could earn money, she would invite Xiao Luo here to see the scenery in the other three seasons.
“If you need to do anything, please let us know in advance, so we can avoid it,” the mechanical female voice brought Jiang Xue back to her thoughts. As for the “things” Elder Sister Red Fox was referring to, Jiang Xue understood without further explanation.
Even though their relationship had progressed to the point of discussing marriage, hearing the older sister mention such private matters still made Jiang Xue blush and feel embarrassed.
But compared to doing such things in a hotel, she felt it was better to be in the comfort and privacy of their own bedroom. She wasn’t sure if this was a form of “being used to her own bed.”
Xiao Luohan, meanwhile, was exploring every detail of the room.
Since her interest had sprouted, whenever she encountered something new, she would carefully observe its structure and the designer’s ingenuity, casually gathering inspiration.
She carried her newly bought sketchbook and HB pencils everywhere, leaving traces of the places she visited, just like her favorite female traveler.
At 5:30 PM, they had dinner at the hotel buffet, then took a taxi to the theater for the fireworks display.
The young woman driving was a native of the capital, her speech not only full of the local accent, but also like a stand-up comedy routine.
“A few years ago, my first passengers were also from your city! I picked them up from the airport, took a few to that theater, then came back and picked up another group, all saying they were going to watch the fireworks. I thought, wait, that’s not right, the fireworks were yesterday, I haven’t heard of any ‘encore performances.’ So I couldn’t help but ask the elderly woman in the second group, and it turned out they had the wrong date! —The fireworks in your city were still going on then!”
Jiang Xue politely chatted and laughed with her, and after getting out of the car and watching the taxi drive away, she explained to Xiao Luohan and the two souls, “She was actually talking about the fireworks display in the neighboring province.”
But there was no need to correct her. After all, it was just a chance encounter, and the driver must have been bored while driving, so she was happy to chat with her.
Xiao Luohan simply treated it as a new piece of information. She liked the straightforward way of speaking of the girls from the capital, something she found difficult to learn.
She had recently been trying to “let go” under Professor Yan’s guidance. The etiquette lessons from the ancient world had constrained her since childhood, and although being polite was more likable, she also wanted to try different ways of behaving.
The open-air theater for the fireworks display was huge. As the sky darkened and the scheduled time approached, the colorful lights installed on the building lit up in sequence, illuminating the sky as bright as day.
“The lights will all be turned off when the fireworks start,” Jiang Xue explained. “Such a large theater, it’s easier to find your seats with the lights on.”
Despite saying this, she was very experienced in finding seats in such places. Having saved the seating chart beforehand, she skillfully navigated the theater after their tickets were checked, quickly finding their adjacent seats.
Cang Ling and the mechanical fox were “fare evading” again, one disguised as a high-tech toy on Xiao Luohan’s lap, the other standing behind their seats, filming with Jiang Xue’s camera, not obstructing anyone’s view.
Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan also planned to film a vlog for this event, but they would add the commentary later, to avoid disrupting their immersive experience.
At 6:59 PM, accompanied by a gentle female voice announcement, all the lights in the theater were turned off, and the world was plunged into darkness.
Jiang Xue suddenly felt her hand being held tightly. She paused and looked at Xiao Luohan with concern.
She knew Xiao Luo was still a little afraid of the dark.
Just like her fear of snow, these were “leftover problems” from the ancient world.
So she adjusted her hand, gently intertwining her fingers with Xiao Luo’s.
Xiao Luohan also tightened her grip, then felt a tickle on her wrist. Without even looking down, she knew it was Elder Sister’s fluffy fox tail.
She then heard Cang Ling chanting from behind her, a calming spell—the stars were bright on this clear night, and Cang Ling could use their power to soothe her potential fears.
It was so nice…
Just as this thought arose, Xiao Luohan heard a sharp whistle and looked up.
A golden-red beam of light shot up into the sky, exploding into a shower of sparkling “shooting stars.”
Then crimson beams of light shot up from the bottom of the theater, exploding into bursts of red, complemented by purple and white low-altitude fireworks below, like a peacock spreading its tail, then the two colors alternated, symbolizing “great prosperity.”
They were sitting far away, so the explosions weren’t deafening, but they could occasionally hear Cang Ling excitedly commenting on each firework she liked. Fortunately, she was just talking to herself and didn’t need anyone to respond.
Some people preferred watching fireworks in silence, but Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan preferred the lively atmosphere.
Cang Ling’s soft exclamations made them feel like they were enjoying the show with friends and family, and the half-hour fireworks display passed quickly, without anyone suggesting they leave.
When the lights in the theater came back on, all four were still a little dazed.
“Fortunately, I brought the camera, so we can watch it again anytime,” Cang Ling said, pressing the save button and watching as Jiang Xue carefully put away the camera.
Jiang Xue had originally wanted to take a walk along the riverbank near the theater and visit the night market, but they had underestimated the air pollution from the large-scale fireworks display. Xiao Luohan, who wasn’t wearing a mask, started coughing as soon as they approached the lake near the launch site.
“The morning market is also interesting,” Xiao Luohan suggested, having already researched the surrounding area with Jiang Mei. “If you want barbecue or street food, there’s a food street near the hotel that’s open until 3:00 or 4:00 AM.”
Jiang Xue had been craving the famous barbecue in the capital, but when they actually arrived at the food street, she was attracted by the stalls selling marinated drunken crabs and shrimp.
“I’m just looking, not eating! Just looking!” she said, knowing her own stomach’s limitations, and hurriedly raised her hands in assurance when she saw Xiao Luohan’s surprised look.
But before leaving, she still couldn’t resist buying some, planning to try them under Dr. Qi’s supervision after returning home. Since it was cold now, she wasn’t worried about them spoiling on the way.
Xiao Luohan didn’t say anything. While Jiang Xue was haggling and choosing, she had already decided on their next stop, pulling Jiang Xue to a roast duck restaurant as soon as she finished paying for the drunken crabs and shrimp.
The roast duck, its skin a reddish-brown color, was sliced and served with a plate of thin pancakes, shredded spring onions, and whole spring onions for them to tear themselves. There were also other side dishes that could be eaten separately or wrapped in the pancakes with the duck meat, a DIY experience according to individual preferences.
Asking Jiang Xue to wait, Xiao Luohan put on gloves and started making a wrap.
Her movements were casual. She had originally thought about making a proper one for Jiang Xue, but the main purpose of this trip was to have fun, and whether it was “authentic” was the chef’s concern. As long as there were no specific instructions for customers, any eating method was allowed.
Jiang Xue’s mouth was already watering just from the smell. Seeing Xiao Luo meticulously peeling and shredding the spring onions, she knew that Xiao Luo was trying to “punish” her for saying she was “just looking,” yet still buying the drunken shrimp and crabs, so she could only drink some duck soup to suppress her cravings.
Out of curiosity, she turned to look at Cang Ling, sitting beside her, and found that not only Cang Ling, but even Elder Sister Red Fox, had placed their “paws” on the edge of the plate, clearly also wanting to try the roast duck wraps.
After some thought, Jiang Xue looked at Xiao Luohan. “Should we take a roast duck home?”
