[Light and Night Event] QiXi with Charlie + Message || 光与夜之恋 活动03 与查理苏共渡・遥夕灯会

A garden lies at the end of the fun fair, and the noises of commotion has gradually weakened, with only the elongated shadows under the lantern lights.

Charlie and I held onto a large bunch of weirdly shaped plushies, walking as we stumble. The mountainlike stack of small plushies has blocked my vision to look forward, I can only pause my footsteps, and looked towards Charlie sadly.

You: How could anyone empty the claw machine...

Charlie: Of course it's to satisfy your anticipation.

You: My anticipation?

The car key beeped twice, and the rear compartment slowly opened, and I poured all of the plushies in my arms into it.

Charlie supported an arm on the car door, and looked at me with a serious expression.

Charlie: From my observation, I've noticed that you've been changing your capture target, and gave a try to every single machine.

You: And that leads to?

Charlie: It means you wanted to have all of the dolls to yourself. Very ambitious. Not bad. I like people with ambition.

You: I was just looking at which one would be easier to catch... Also, the amount of money you spent could have bought all of the machines back already...

I kneaded my sore shoulders a little. Charlie stood before me, and the moonlight gently pours on his shoulders. His shirt pocket is still containing a sheep plush that is drooping its head.

Charlie: You wanted the machine too? It isn't impossible either...

Charlie stared at the rear compartment of his car that is now fully stuffed with plushies, and actually started to consider seriously.

You: Charlie.

Charlie: Hmm?

Hearing my voice, he turned his body towards me. The sparse lights made the surroundings to look extra quiet, a faint scent wafted along with the breeze that brushed past us too.

You: There's something that I wanted to gift you.

I gently placed a fragrance pouch with an image of peacock embroidered onto Charlie's hand.

His palm is really big, making it a great contrast with the tiny pouch. He only needed to gently grab it to fully cover it in his hand.

Charlie: This is... A gift?

Charlie widened his eyes, and looked at the fragrance pouch in disbelief. 

It took him quite a while to return to his senses, and he smiled even more than before.

Charlie: I knew it, you really do care about me. Mint keeps your mind refreshed, magnolia flowers are wind-eliminating* and cold-relieving, and red atractylodes dry dampness and invigorates the spleen. Looks like you really care about my health.

You: Aren't you a doctor trained in western medicine? You even know about this...?

*T/N: The herbs are used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). 'Wind-eliminating' is a Chinese medicine concept, where 风 'wind' is one of the elements that causes sickness (风邪), and usually causes pain and discomfort and hurts even more when one is in the winds. For more details, please refer to a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. Red atractylodes are also pretty commonly used as essential oils.

I quietly muttered a little, but Charlie looks like he really likes this fragrance pouch, flipping it around as he looks at it for a few times.

Charlie: This must be something handmade by my fiancée. 

You (flustered): Ahem, no, I simply bought it from the streets!

It's not that I've never gifted him anything in the past, but since it's the end of Qixi, I can't help but to feel a little uneasy.

Charlie: Oh? Then could you be the seller of this pouch?

Charlie got closer to me, with the red string that ties the pouch hooked on his index finger. Opening his palm, the small pouch is now released, and leaped into my view.

Charlie: If it's simply bought from the streets, how could it have my fiancée's initials on it?

You (flustered): Why are you asking so many questions?!

I acted like I was about to snatch the fragrance pouch back, but Charlie unexpectedly raised his arm high above his head. I kept trying to tiptoe, but I can't even get a hold onto his sleeve, and fell into his embrace instead.

Charlie: You've already gifted it to me, why do you want to take it back? I know it all, each and every stitch here is full of love from my fiancée. Don't worry, I'll carry it with me at all times right now, so that the others will know I'm already "off the market".

Charlie half-circled me into his embrace, a faint herbal scent lingers around us.

Unsure of what is being performed at the event center from afar, but the hurried sounds of the drums brought a long wave of cheering sounds.

You: Then let's hurry up and get going, mister "off market".

I tugged Charlie back to the crowd, a familiar warmth has spread from our palms into the depths of the moonlight.