Fortune Across the World

Chapter 94: A Serendipitous Encounter on the Immortal's Bridge

Feeling much better than when she first left home, Ding Qiyu rubbed her full belly and noticed He Ankang and the others packing up their stall across the river. They had already sold out? She smiled, thinking to join them on the other side.

As Qiyu ascended the stone steps of the bridge, she saw a group descending toward her. Two female guards with swords and a maid carrying a bamboo basket surrounded a young woman at the front. The leading woman wore a simple white cross-collared dress, her long hair tied with a white ribbon, with strands falling softly across her forehead. Her elegant eyebrows were like delicate ink paintings, and her eyes, deep and clear like obsidian, carried an air of tranquility. Though her face was partially covered by a white veil, her striking features hinted at a beauty beneath.

Qiyu paused, entranced by the woman’s ethereal presence, her white attire fluttering in the breeze, casting an almost celestial glow under the moonlit sky. It was as if a divine being had descended from the clouds, embodying the poetic essence of a "startling glimpse of grace." Qiyu couldn’t help but murmur, "A vision of grace appears..."

As the woman approached, Qiyu realized her rudeness and quickly lowered her gaze.

"Hey! Look, the Moon Goddess’s carriage is coming!" someone exclaimed, signaling the start of the "Moon Welcoming" event. The bridge was already crowded, and now even more people rushed to the other side. Caught off guard, Qiyu was jostled by the crowd, dropping her lantern, which clattered to the ground, causing her to stumble toward the woman descending the bridge.

Thankfully, one of the guards quickly stepped in, catching Qiyu by the shoulder to prevent her fall, assuming her a threat. Reacting instinctively, the guard aimed an elbow at Qiyu’s chest to push her away.

However, Qiyu's training in martial arts wasn't for nothing. She stabilized herself with the guard’s momentum, sidestepping to deflect the blow and instinctively grasping the guard’s wrist, ready to counter. The other guard moved to assist, but the woman in white calmly said, "Stop." Her voice was clear and detached, devoid of emotion, echoing the serenity of a celestial maiden.

The guard facing Qiyu relaxed her grip at the command.

Realizing the misunderstanding, Qiyu released the guard’s wrist, embarrassed by her reflexive actions. She stepped back, bowing apologetically, "I’m sorry, miss. I was pushed and lost my balance." She looked up, waiting for a response with some embarrassment.

The woman in white nodded, "No harm done."

Relieved, Qiyu picked up her dropped lantern, stepping aside to let the woman and her entourage pass. The lantern had been lit but not activated; now, after the fall, the mechanism had been triggered. Unlike the lanterns sold by He Ankang, this one was a special "Matchmaker's Thread" lantern, a unique piece Qiyu crafted for herself.

As the mechanism worked, two shadow figures on the lantern’s surface met, grew closer, and finally intertwined under the watchful gaze of the wooden Matchmaker.

The woman in white, captivated by the scene, paused and asked, "Might I buy that lantern from you?"

Unaware of her interest, Qiyu raised the lantern with a slight nod, "This one?" She smiled, "If you like it, please take it as an apology for my earlier clumsiness."

The woman’s gaze shifted from the lantern to Qiyu, then she instructed her maid, "Yinsuo."

The maid, understanding her mistress’s intention, retrieved a silver ingot from the basket and offered it to Qiyu.