Shajin pressed the two small bags tightly together and flashed a confident smile.
"Watch closely—don't blink~"
With that, he gave a casual wave of his arm like a magician performing a trick.
Whoosh!
With a soft sound, the two tiny goldfish vanished without a trace.
Xiao Bai's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the scene before her.
She could hardly believe her own eyes. The two goldfish had just… disappeared?
Seeing her stunned expression, Shajin couldn't help but chuckle.
He winked and said with a grin,
"Don't worry. I promise to return two even more special goldfish to you."
Xiao Bai didn't understand what had just happened, but she was deeply astonished.
Meanwhile, in a place she couldn't see—
Shajin gave a gentle pat to the Serenitea Pot that had somehow appeared behind him.
"Baqiu, you know what to do, right?"
Baqiu: "..."
Sigh, life isn't easy, Baqiu sighed.
…
"Hello, anyone here? I'll take all the fireworks—how much Mora?"
Outside the Naganohara Fireworks Shop, Shajin pointed at the entire display of fireworks and called inside.
Before his voice even finished echoing, a spirited and bubbly girl burst out from within.
"Coming, coming! I'm Naganohara Yoimiya, welcome to Naganohara Fireworks!"
Her cheerful voice rang out, clear and bright.
With a graceful front flip, she landed steadily on the ground.
Her movements were fluid and effortless, clearly displaying her agility.
Shajin's eyelid twitched—this girl's energy was impossible to ignore.
She was a young woman with short, dark-gold hair and radiant golden eyes. She wore a striking red kimono, with white bandages wrapped around her chest.
A thick red sash tied around her waist held a small white fox mask.
A bright smile never left her face, like sunshine that warmed the soul.
"What kind of fireworks would the customer like?"
Shajin pointed.
"All of them."
"I see, just give me a momen—wait! All of them?!"
Shajin tilted his head.
Yoimiya studied him intently for a while.
"You don't look like a local, do you?"
Shajin raised an eyebrow.
"True, but what does that have to do with me buying fireworks?"
Yoimiya puffed out her chest and nodded solemnly.
"It does matter."
"I'm sure you don't even know my title."
Shajin chuckled.
"Heh… Then may I ask, what title does this young lady go by?"
Yoimiya raised her head high.
"Listen well! I'm the one and only Queen of the Summer Festival—Naganohara Yoimiya!"
Shajin pretended to suddenly understand, leaning back dramatically.
Then he tilted his head again.
"And what does that have to do with me not being able to buy all the fireworks?"
Yoimiya pointed to the bursts of fireworks lighting up the night sky overhead.
"See those? The ones with all the different designs? Most of them are from Naganohara Fireworks."
"Fireworks may be fleeting, but human warmth endures."
"If you buy them all, what will the kids or fireworks lovers coming later have left to enjoy?"
"I, the Queen of the Summer Festival, Naganohara Yoimiya, absolutely cannot let that happen!"
Shajin scratched his head.
"Then what's the maximum I can buy?"
Yoimiya lowered her head, thinking hard.
Eventually, she came to a conclusion.
"…No idea~"
Shajin's lips twitched.
"But!"
She quickly changed her tone.
"I suggest you buy one of each. That way, you can still enjoy all of them, and everyone else will still get their share."
Shajin rubbed his chin.
"Alright then. One of each it is~"
"Great! Please wait a moment, dear customer!"
After paying—
Shajin looked at the vibrant girl in front of him and nodded with a smile.
She responded with a bright, beaming grin of her own.
…
"Xiao Bai! Look at me, look at me!"
Shajin called out excitedly, holding a Skyrocket in each hand, eager to light the fuses.
With a sharp crack, the fireworks shot into the sky like arrows from a bow, exploding in dazzling showers of sparks.
Two more loud bangs followed, and even more skyrockets burst in the air, blooming like radiant flowers, breathtaking in their beauty.
Xiao Bai watched in wonder, a happy smile spreading beneath her mask.
She was infected by Shajin's enthusiasm, caught up in the splendor of the moment.
She stood quietly to the side, taking in the fleeting brilliance of the fireworks.
Shajin lit more of the assorted fireworks, filling the sky above with vibrant energy.
Colors and shapes danced across the heavens, transforming the night into a dreamlike wonderland.
Xiao Bai looked at the childlike excitement on Shajin's face and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.
In that moment, Shajin seemed just like an innocent kid—playful and pure, free from the commanding presence he sometimes carried. It was unexpectedly endearing.
This simple pursuit of happiness was impossible to resist.
Xiao Bai bent down, carefully picking through the scattered fireworks on the ground.
Her fingers glided over the colorful paper tubes.
Eventually, her gaze settled on a small "black stick."
It lay quietly among the rest, plain and unremarkable.
But perhaps it was precisely that modesty that made it stand out to her—like a faint star in the night sky, waiting to be awakened.
She gently picked up the "black stick" and cautiously lit the fuse.
In that instant, a soft light began to rise from the base, like the first rays of dawn creeping over the horizon.
It wasn't blinding—more like a gentle glow—but it caught everyone's attention all the same.
Rather than bursting instantly into brilliant color, it released its beauty slowly, steadily, like a quiet ember in the dark.
Xiao Bai stood silently by, watching as the "black stick" burned, tiny sparks dancing into the air like fluttering fairies.
At some point, Shajin had finished lighting his own fireworks and quietly walked over to her side.
He gazed at the gentle scene, a smile unconsciously forming at his lips.
"So you like this kind of firework?"
Shajin asked softly.
Xiao Bai gave a small nod.
"Yeah… something quiet but radiant. I really like it~"
"Quiet, but radiant? Sounds contradictory~"
Xiao Bai watched as the "black stick" burned out.
"It is… contradictory. Like the Raiden Shogun's eterni—no, never mind. Just pretend I didn't say anything~"
_
Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo
And get early access to my 50 advance chapters.