I'm competing with the male lead for a woman[GL]

Chapter 131: I want to go find her

In another tent at the hunting ground, the Fifth prince's consort was delicately using a fine brush to draw with vermilion ink on a paper-covered carp-shaped lantern. She was drawing with great precision, creating petals that resembled vibrant peach blossoms.

Chu Shao sat beside her, observing with a smile, and asked, "This clearly looks like a koi fish, not branches. Why did you draw peach blossoms on it?"

The Fifth prince's consort gently set down the brush and turned the carp lantern in her hand, explaining in a warm voice, "Third Sister-in-law, it's because peach blossoms are inherently emotionless, but when I decorate the fish scales with their colors, I find it exceptionally beautiful."

"I see." Chu Shao nodded.

Noticing Chu Shao's interest in making lanterns, the Fifth prince's consort picked up an unfinished paper lantern and smiled as she handed it to her. "Third Sister-in-law, you've been watching for so long. Would you like to make one yourself?"

Chu Shao accepted the lantern but furrowed her brow and asked, "What's the use of making lanterns?"

The Fifth prince's consort hadn't expected Chu Shao to ask such a question. She hesitated for a moment and smiled helplessly. "Well... I don't really know the purpose of making these lanterns either. I've only heard people at home say that if you hang the completed lanterns at the eaves, it can bring good fortune to the entire mansion. And if you make a sky lantern, when it flies high, it seems to carry wishes."

"Wishes?"

"Yes." The Fifth prince's consort explained curiously to Chu Shao, "It's said that you write your wish on a piece of paper and put it inside the sky lantern. When the lantern floats up to the sky, the wish can come true."

Chu Shao didn't seem to fully believe it. "Countless people make wishes. How can you guarantee that every wish will come true?"

"I'm not entirely sure either, but I heard that the higher the sky lantern flies, the more likely the wish will come true." After explaining, the Fifth prince's consort smiled at Chu Shao and resumed working on the carp-shaped lantern in her hand.

Her focused expression as she delicately sketched resembled an artisan sculpting a piece of artwork.

Chu Shao leaned on her chin, watching the Fifth prince's consort, still not understanding why she was putting so much effort into something that seemed like a waste of time. She couldn't comprehend why people always placed their hopes on something more illusory than the wishes themselves.

When Chu Shao felt bored, she thought about meeting Xiao Jin. However, she remembered what the Fifth prince's consort had said to her outside the tent, so she decided not to seek out Xiao Jin for the time being and find other ways to pass the time.

There were many ways to pass the time, such as practicing swordplay or killing people.

But it seemed that Xiao Jin didn't want to witness her killing someone. So she could do something else, like... She realized she was holding a paper lantern in her hand.

Chu Shao looked down at the paper lantern and suddenly remembered the Lantern Festival when she entered Qingzhou  Manor with Xiao Jin. She was recalling the lively event, but deep down, she found it dull.

While pushing the wheelchair and slowly opening the door to the outer courtyard, she raised her head and saw a shelf filled with swaying and fluttering colorful lanterns.

She stood frozen in place, not because the lanterns were particularly beautiful or dazzling.

It was because she never expected someone to remember a promise about a lantern. After all, it was just an offhand remark, not even a wish.