The night to the festival
When Bi Lai and Mu Rong arrived in Balo, the vibrant town was just moments away from midnight, and its streets were teeming with tourists. The lively atmosphere created a unique charm as people from various places flocked to partake in the festivities.
Meanwhile, Yin and Lu Zheng, prioritizing safety and privacy, chose to stay back at the hotel that night. Positioned at the top floor, they eagerly awaited the grand spectacle of fireworks that would soon light up the night sky.
Bi Lai, enjoying the company of Mu Rong, seized the opportunity to find out if she was enjoying the stroll. As they walked, he admired her more and had to ask how she was doing,
"Do you like it?" He asked looking at her eyes and giving her a smile.
vvery much." Mu Rong, being a newcomer to Balo, expressed her genuine delight . Their stroll continued without hand-holding, a silent yet profound understanding developing between them.
The couple meandered through a number of streets, indulging in purchases that caught their attention but kept returning to a comfortable silence that spoke volumes about their connection.
Amidst this serenity, a male voice called out to Bi Lai from behind, prompting him to turn around to see who was calling on him.
"Oh my God, You! Long time!" Bi Lai exclaimed, rushing over to embrace Rama, a long-time friend he had not seen in months.
Mu Rong, however, experienced a sudden surge of fear at the unexpected connection between Bi Lai and Rama. She quickly retreated into a nearby kiosk to avoid being noticed by Rama.
Bi Lai, assuming Mu Rong was following closely, intended to introduce her quickly to Rama but when he glanced at where he thought she was standing, she was nowhere to be seen.
Puzzled, Bi Lai glanced around the crowd and guessed that she had perhaps hid around the kiosk they had stood next to before Rama called on him.
Rama, sensing Bi Lai's search and a little concerned asked him if all was well,
"Are you with someone?"
"Yes but I guess they have hidden themselves since they are shy. Let me just get them and introduce both of you," Bi Lai explained before asking Rama to just give him a few minutes to fetch them (Mu Rong).
"Ok. You will find me here." Rama replied to him and took a seat on one of the free benches that were next to the kiosks but in his mind, he guessed that it was ultimately a girl Bi Lai was trying to introduce to him.
Unaware that Bi Lai was searching for Mu Rong, Rama waited with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. He couldn't help but wonder about the mystery girl Bi Lai was eager to bring into the festive celebration without worrying about his status.
Bi Lai, spotting Mu Rong behind that very kiosk they had stood next to before seeing Rama, called her out gently,
"Honey, what's up?" He reached for her hand and led her softly towards Rama, assuming she was just shy.
"Just come with me, he and I have been best friends since childhood and anyways you will have to get used to seeing both of us together in the future," Bi Lai explained to Mu Rong in an attempt to convince her to join the introduction.
Mu Rong, having previously lied to Bi Lai about working in a private shop with Yin, found herself in a predicament as Bi Lai gently pulled her towards Rama.
In those fleeting moments, words eluded her, forcing her to mask her fear and pretend she had no prior knowledge of Rama.
"Can't I atleast meet him some other time?" Yin proposed but Bi Lai objected to her idea.
"We will be getting married soon. No need to keep it a secret anymore."
Rama, slowly raising his eyes to check for Bi Lai's presence, was taken aback to see Bi Lai holding Mu Rong's hand.
"Where did they meet?" he wondered, grappling with the unexpected equation of their encounter. Suppressing his thoughts, he chose to maintain a lively look on his face.
Bi Lai, caught between his significant other and his childhood friend, remained oblivious to the concealed emotions on the faces of the two people he was eager to introduce to each other.
Wearing a pretentious smile, Mu Rong stood beside Bi Lai, while Rama put on a humble look.
"Is she the one?" Rama inquired, being receptive to Mu Rong. Similarly, Mu Rong reciprocated the receptiveness, both engaging in a silent battle to hide the underlying game between them.
"Yes, my fiancée," Bi Lai affirmed to Mu Rong, granting Rama permission to call her sister-in-law. Although this prospect disgusted Rama, he recognized the need to please Bi Lai, given his position as the other son of the regional commissioner.
"I might as well ascend to the three heavens because of you," Rama whispered in his heart refering to Bi Lai, offering congratulations to him on his journey toward matrimony.
They sat down after exchanging the formal greetings and introductions, together they spent some time at that kiosk, eventually joined by Rama's wife who had wandered off earlier. When the moment for the fireworks arrived, they all rose and headed towards the town center, where the midnight display painted the sky in vibrant colors.
Throughout the spectacle, Mu Rong and Rama consciously maintained minimal eye contact, each contemplating how to stay in Bi Lai's good graces without revealing the underlying truth.
As the night became more cold and romantic for some, Rama retired to his hotel room with his wife, while Bi Lai, attentive to his responsibilities, found Mu Rong a place to rest. This allowed him to conduct a final check on all his operations before the grand expo commenced.
When morning arrived, Yin and Lu Zheng began their day with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel restaurant before heading to the grand opening of the festival at the town center.
After the grand opening, Bi Lai found himself engulfed in work, and could not attend to Mu Rong anymore.
He bid her farewell with a promise ring,a poignant token of their connection and asked her to give him some weeks before he would return to Naerang.
With someone arranged to drive her back to the restaurant, Mu Rong would catch up with Shin and eventually make her way back home.