American Perspectives: The Lantern Festival ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 17)

 

Dong Yue, Wen Xin, and Feng Xi are having fun at the Lantern Festival.  They are surrounded by beautiful and colorful decorations, and lanterns in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Wen Xin notices a few riddles hanging from the lanterns, and she asks Feng Xi to get them for her.  

Feng Xi wants to know if she can guess that many riddles since she's younger and not fully literate in all the Chinese characters.

She asks him, "How do you know that I can't?"

Dong Yue laughs, and Feng Xi grabs more riddles for Wen Xin at her request.  Because she's home alone a lot, she does copious amounts of reading to keep herself entertained.

Dong Yue is also looking over the riddles, and Feng Xi asks if she needs help.  "I'm very good at guessing lantern riddles," he adds.

Dong Yue gives him the side eye.  Both she and Wen Xin are meticulously studying the riddles.  Wen Xin tells him, "If you're so talented, come help me."

He takes the riddle from her and reads over it.  "You little fool, it's so easy! Sitting is sitting, standing is sitting.  Laying down is sitting, moving is sitting," he reads.

"If you're so smart, then you guess!" replies Wen Xin.

"Isn't it obviously a toad?" asks Feng Xi.

"Oh," says Wen Xin.  "So it's a toad, like the toad that wanted to get a kiss from the princess." (Her implication being that Feng Xi is acting like a toad to Dong Yue).  Wen Xin smiles wickedly, and then runs away laughing.

Feng Xi did not expect that response, and he is a bit speechless.  He's left by himself holding the riddle before slowly following after.

 

They enter a shop and take a look at some jewelry.  The shopkeeper just has to mention Yu Rou's hairpin, which was something Dong Yue had almost forgotten.  He talks about how it must have been for someone Feng Xi loves, and how it's really one of a kind.  Dong Yue is visibly uncomfortable, as any woman would be when her boyfriend or husband gives another woman an expensive gift.

Feng Xi asks the shopkeeper if there are any additional items they can try.  The shopkeeper has a new item brought out.

"I'm a fighter, so wearing jewelry doesn't suit me," says Dong Yue.  Like most women, there's still a bit of anger about him giving another woman an expensive gift, and then taking her to the same store to get a gift for her. So, she's going to understandably show disdain for his efforts.

Feng Xi moves closer to her. "I know you're jealous.  The hairpin was previously gifted to Yu Rou, unfortunately that was the signature piece of the store, and it was one of a kind.  Even if you killed the boss, you wouldn't be able to get another."

However, a point he misses is that most women don't want to have the exact same gift that was given to their rival.  Especially if they are the girlfriend, and they are given this gift after their rival. Ick!!

"Why would I kill the boss?" Asks Dong Yue.  "You think everyone's as domineering as you?"

Feng Xi looks at the shopkeeper and says, "You see? If you don't buy anything, it makes it difficult to boss." He looks back at Dong Yue.  "He'll think that you look down on his goods."

Wen Xin breaks the tension by approaching them with many hairpins sticking out of her hair, looking like a porcupine. "Older sister, do you think I'm pretty?" Dong Yue and Feng Xi laugh.

"Pretty, very pretty," says Feng Xi.  "We want all of these."

"Are you trying to bribe me?" Asks Wen Xin.

Feng Xi pinches her cheek.  "I'm just showing some kindness, that's all."

"However, my father still won't let me randomly accept things from people," Wen Xin responds.

Feng Xi and Dong Yue exchange glances.  Wen Xin takes out her pins and sadly puts them back on the tray.  She checks her hair to make sure she got all of them out.

Feng Xi puts one pin in her hair.  "You just say that older sister Dong Yue gave it to you.  Then your father won't blame you."

Wen Xin nods and laughs.  She is thrilled with the gift, though he had also gifted her a bunch of rabbit toys the day before, which stay at the manor, due to her father being a stickler about gifts.  Her father is rather austere and utilitarian, so she is exceedingly grateful for the gifts.

They leave the shop, and Wen Xin is getting tired.  Feng Xi gives her a piggy back ride.

 

"Your daughter dropped something!" says a man behind them, and he hands Dong Yue the hairpin.  "The Lantern Festival hasn't even ended yet.  Is your family already leaving?"

"Would you know of anything we have not seen yet?" asks Feng Xi.

"Look over that way," says the man.

The three look, and fireworks begin to burst in the sky in a rainbow of colors.

"Older sister Dong Yue, it's so pretty!  Thank you so much for taking me to see the pretty fireworks.  This has been my happiest birthday yet!"

"I also never thought fireworks at the Lantern Festival would be this beautiful," says Dong Yue.

"After my mother died, no one remembers my birthday anymore," says Wen Xin.

Feng Xi promises to always celebrate Wen Xin's birthday with her in the future.

Wen Xin realizes it is getting late, and she wants to find 3rd Prince, as he also promised to spend her birthday with her.  She runs off, and Feng Xi tells Dong Yue to let her go.  He asks Dong Yue to finish watching the fireworks with him.

They look up at the sky, admiriing the explosive beauty erupting before them.  Dong Yue remarks she didn't expect Feng Xi to enjoy entertaining a little girl for most of the evening.  She smiles.

Feng Xi smiles.

"Why does it seem you are afraid of her?" Dong Yue asks.

"You still don't know why?" says Feng Xi.

"Are you perhaps wanting to say it's because of me?" Dong Yue asks.

"Of course it's because of you," Feng Xi replies.

Dong Yue laughs.

"However, do you know why I was able to guess the riddle on the lantern today?" asks Feng Xi.

"Are you wanting to say that you're more clever than a mortal?"

"I'll tell you a secret," says Feng Xi.  "Almost all of the riddles on the lanterns were written by me."

Dong Yue laughs.

"In the past, when Feng Manor was in disarray, in order to survive, I've done pretty much everything.  The Lantern Festival that's celebrated everywhere, was the best time for me to make lots of money.  I've sold lanterns, planned social events, but of course, it still was most profitable to write lantern riddles."

"I'm sorry," says Dong Yue.

"Didn't you ask why I was unable to handle that little girl?  It's because she's just like me.  She also lost her mother long ago.  She said I was like a toad, and I admitted it."

Dong Yue lets Feng Xi know that today isn't just Wen Xin's birthday, it's also hers.  Feng Xi is surprised.  "Ever since my mother and father died, I haven't been this happy in a long time," she adds.

"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Feng Xi asks.  "Now it's so late.  Where am I supposed to get you a gift?"

Dong Yue smiles at him.  "I'm not a child anymore.  Why would I want a gift?"

Feng Xi looks sad, but then smiles. "How about this?  Looking at the sky full of fireworks, just treat it as my feelings for you.  Every year in the future, we'll spend the day together here to watch the fireworks and guess riddles."

Dong Yue talks about the last time she saw fireworks, how the circumstances were different, and how she didn't expect to be here now.  

Feng Xi asks if things are better now, and he puts his arm around her.