Two days had passed since then and the Spring Festival resumed operations.

  “...”

  In a pagoda on the fifth floor, a boy, dressed in similarly coloured clothes from the day before, sat alone on the fancy chair within the balcony. It overlooked the entire eastern and western banks with the ferocious Bai river intersecting between. His eyes gazed upwards to the cloudless night sky, full of shiny stars.

  “...”

  He then looked downwards. Across the skeletal wooden railings, his sights landed upon the central concourse. It was lively and joyous with the stage filled with entertainers. Dances, opera and instrumentation. The platform saw more performers throughout the days and the audiences grew. After that catastrophe, the news of the mayor had spread all across the villages, bringing a new influx of residents to celebrate the occasion.

  The cheers and claps filled his ears and he smiled in anticipation.

  That’s when the boy heard something. It was the sound of sliding doors.

  “...!”

  Turning behind his back, he was surprised, making direct contact with two snake-like eyes behind a frame of spectacles. It was his master, YaoMing.

  “Mr Xu…what are you doing here? Aren’t you busy?”

  Grunting a bit, YaoMing approached the boy and took a seat beside him.

  Sighing in relief, he replied lazily.

  “What a nice view this is, do you agree, ReZhui?”

  “Yes, yes, it is.”

  Silence.

  “...I managed to squeeze in a break from everything that’s going on, so ReZhui, I don’t intend to miss this one.”

  “I’m glad, Mr Xu.”

  “Anyhow, I’m surprised to see you here without those two around. I thought you four are gonna watch this together.”

  “We sure are. It’s just the timing when they left to buy some food before the main event coincided with your arrival. Though, Mrs He promised to return as soon as possible…”

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Ah-oh, it’s nothing, just…”

  “Alright, I trust you, ReZhui.”

  In actuality, the thought of TianXing recalled a conversation between the two of them right after the mayor’s retreat. An important one...

  ---

  “Mrs He?”

  “Yes, ReZhui?”

  “Were you always this offensive in your prime?”

  “...!”

  She never expected that analysis.

  “Again, it depends on numerous factors, including the skill of your opponent. Conclusion is to know your opposition well!” She smirked, hinting she knew his main topic.

  “Alright then, if knowing your enemy is vital, how did you get all that?”

  “What specifically?” She teased.

  “Those shady business deals and all!”

  “Hahaha, look at you, ReZhui!”

  “...”

  “Fine, I’ll stop. It is pretty easy to gather intel, you know. The only problem is the sources you gather them from.”

  “Sources?”

  She then whispered something in his ear.

  “With the right connections and the gold to spend, you could obtain wondrous things, ReZhui. Fortunately for me, I still have both to spare, and the informant guild I rely on has a branch in Luo ChengShi.”

  “...!”

  “You heard me right, it’s that expansive and they are the best at covering my tracks besides at home. They may even be hidden amongst the crowds here, I assure you that.”

  “H-how are you so sure?”

  “They can tell you anything that has happened in the Middle Kingdom. I can also request them to investigate someone in complete secrecy.”

  That’s when something clicked in him.

  “Throughout JiangHu…”

  “...! What?” Alarmed, TianXing brought ReZhui close to her face. Her hot breath and perfume tingled his nostrils.

  “...!”

  His eyes widened, stunned.

  “How did you discover that name?!”

  “Ah-ah…I read it from a diary I found in the second-hand section of the library. W-why?”

  From his response, her face showed obvious annoyance.

  “...Argh, never mind. I was the one who introduced the concept of these martial warriors into the three of you in the first place. So, how much more do you know?”

  “I-I was thinking, Mrs He. Did this informant guild of yours have connections to either the Beggars’ Union or the Hao Agency?”

  “...” And that’s when she deduced he probably knows all of them. TianXing was aware ReZhui was telling lies to her, but ultimately decided not to press forward. She had faith that the method he used to obtain this information was one that would not bite him back in the future. His situation reminded her of something similar in the past and TianXing related to him. She understood the sudden urge to keep her secrets from anyone for reasons only she understood. In the end, she relaxed herself.

  “ReZhui…that is a discussion for another time, and I can’t give the reveal without Eddisson and ShiYan present, can I?” She finished off with a joke.

  “If so, when will you tell us all?”

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “Hmmm…I suppose when the entire duration of the Spring Festival is over. This is part of my curriculum after all!”

  She winked at him.

  “...Understood.”

  ---

  That was the only answer he could give for that lackluster end, and the awaited answer still rings at the back of his mind ever since.

  “Thanks, Mr Xu.”

  Another silence filled the room. ReZhui was unusually quiet and inactive despite YaoMing expecting more. Eventually, he managed to find an opening. This tranquil atmosphere with his apprentice honestly creeped him out now.

  “Say ReZhui, did your parents comment on anything regarding this festival?”

  “Comment? Well, all I heard from them were showering praises, and that the energy was draining them so quickly, both Pa and Ma spent most of their time in the parks.”

  “Haha, I'm glad they thought of it as such, and I am very familiar with their reasons too.”

  “...by the way, Mr Xu, if you are worried about them, my entire family came untouched from the bastard’s shenanigans. They were all at the eastern back when I went looking for them afterwards.”

  “Prevention is the best medicine, ReZhui, and that truly gave me extra relief so thank you. I apologize for not inquiring sooner.”

  “No matter, master, you already have a lot of things to consider.”

  “How thoughtful, ReZhui.”

  “Enough with my praises, Mr Xu, because you are also one as well!”

  “Really?”

  “...Father told me everything.”

  “...! H-how much did he disclose?”

  “He said the summit meeting was a success. Everyone was on board to establish closer relationships and boasted in great lengths about how this will benefit our village.”

  “I expected much.” YaoMing sneered.

  “My father also expressed his gratitude for your actions. Out of all the leaders present, you were the only one besides him who rushed out towards the scene once the news of the killings reached there, despite everyone else also having personal hatred for that bastard.”

  “...”

  “When my father insisted on tagging along, you persuaded him to leave it aside and instead make sure Ma’s alright while you go ahead with that confrontation alone.”

  “...Ahem…Listen ReZhui, while I appreciated the sentiment, I must admit this was during the heat of the moment, and even then, I honestly never had high expectations that I could pull this off successfully. After all, this was all XiaoTian’s idea to begin with. She was the one who suggested this scenario, and I volunteered to complete the solution together.

  She was to hold him off for as long as she could until I could step in with the security escorts from the pavilion as instructed. ReZhui, what you saw back there was all genuine. I was absolutely furious and I was serious about killing him. But let me tell you sincerely, this was the first time in over several decades where I had gambled a decision this perilous against more potential losses of human life.”

  “...Mrs He said something similar. The mayor was just that unpredictable, wasn't he?”

  “His thought process bypasses all logic. Due to that, I was the most scared back then.”

  YaoMing’s shoulders slumped and his face soured.

  ReZhui could never imagine the thoughts that overwhelmed YaoMing’s consciousness as he faced off against that manchild. Knowing this, ReZhui simply smiled back with his bright onyx eyes meeting his own.

  “Regardless of what you felt, Mr Xu, what matters most are the results.”

  He then stood up in front of him and spread his arms wide. The tip of his fingers reached the ends of the furthest pagodas of the banks.

  “...!”

  “You still did it! My master has finally won! And when you forced that bastard mayor out of town for good, Mr Xu had never looked so cool before until that night!”

  “ReZhui…”

  Immediately, he got up from his seat and turned around, assuming a scholarly pose.

  “...?” ReZhui looked on in bewilderment, clueless to realise his master’s ears were a bright hot red.

  “What’s the problem, Mr Xu?”

  Still standing away from him, YaoMing replied snarkily.

  “D-don’t be a meddler into everything I do, boy! Ahh…what a naive brat, first my daughter, then my new friend GuoZhao, my stepsister, Eddisson, the reunification of the Bai river basin, and now myself…Why has the last several months have been so lively and momentous after this kid started barging into my life…Arghh, this really is taking a toll on my old age…”

  YaoMing grumbled with dwindling volume.

  Eyeing back at ReZhui, YaoMing remarked once more.

  “It’s all because of you…”

  ‘That everyone has changed for the better, even myself included’ YaoMing’s pride held back speaking out his honest thoughts.

  “Thank you.”

  “...? Ahm…you’re welcome?”

  ReZhui answered deep in speculation.

  “...”

  “...”

  “...!”

  “...!”

  However, their silence was short lived as noisy chatter and laughter soon grew louder; the sounds of footsteps towards the balcony sped closer.

  “Hurry, everyone! It’s about to begin!”

  “ShiYan, look forward or else you will trip!”

  “Son, floor it!”

  “R-right mother…”

  “Boys, behave, you hear Ma?!”

  They were familiar voices. But before ReZhui and YaoMing could react, the group came bursting through the sliding doors, slamming hard to the sides. Unfazed, the standing duo welcomed the returning bunch along with a few guests.

  “Pa, Ma, what are you doing here?”

  “Well, we met Mrs He along the way and they invited us over, so if you don’t mind-Argh”

  GuoZhao was pinched by MeiYue, signalling he maintained some modesty.

  “Ha, don’t worry, Pa, the balcony could use more company!”

  “Like the boy said, GuoZhao.”

  YaoMing then handed him a poured bowl of wine.

  “The Xu family would be glad to have you all around.”

  “...Alright then!”

  GuoZhao accepted his treat and chugged it whole.

  More bickering ensued before ShiYan called out to their feast.

  “Guys, it’s time!”

  And as soon as everyone looked up in unison, popping sounds were heard in the distance.

  Streaks of light, numbering the hundreds, shot up high into the dark blanket of darkness. No clouds covered their ascend and once the fuses ran out, the canisters exploded.

  “Whoa!”

  Both families awed in unison.

  In ReZhui’s clear onyx irises, blinding colors of the light spectrum shone brilliantly in the backdrop of pitch black. More explosive booms continued to deafen his ears as more fireworks rose from the ground. All eyes tonight were focused on the massive spectacle. Fireworks in a large variety of floral patterns blasted off in all shapes and sizes. Some were smaller than an airborne lantern while others span the width of the nearest mountain range. Where one had fallen, a newly different blossom flew in to replace it. Hence for the next several minutes of total silence throughout the river banks, only the crackling and booming of fireworks filled his ears. The entire sky never lost its light, like the sun had returned but split into millions of tiny pieces, covering the night sky.

  .

  .

  .

  “ReZhui, how was your first ever fireworks show?”

  “...!”

  YaoMing, with his eyes glued to the sky above, inquired nonetheless. The event was nearing its end and the last canisters were sent flying.

  “This…This is beautiful.”

  No more words were needed to express his joy.

  “...I see.”

  That’s when…

  “...?”

  YaoMing reached out for ReZhui’s palm and gave him something. It was thin and woody with a seal glueing the opening shut.

  “ReZhui, I also intend to give you this from the days prior, but stuff happened. Anyhow, remember to not open this immediately, I am not XiaoTian.”

  “...”

  The fuses met their end and the powder ignited.

  For the finale, four sole large characters of layered red and gold marked the end, bringing out the erupting roars of the applauding masses below. The two families of Xu and Zhang gave their heartfelt cheers with many deep in tears. As for ReZhui, he turned to Mr Xu and vice versa.

  “Thank you, Mr Xu.”

  “...”

  “And I also forgot to say this too, have a Happy Spring Festival!”

  ReZhui then grinned widely from ear to ear.

  “...!”

  Likewise, YaoMing softly beamed and patted the young boy’s tidied hair.

  Their eyes looked upwards for one last time as the words dimmed and turned to ash; finally fading away into the vast sky above.