Having gotten the answer he wanted, Lu Yan's features softened with pleasure. Out of habit, he reached for the cigarette case in the bedside drawer. Just as his hand touched the edge, the girl on his phone suddenly raised her voice.
"What are you feeling for?" she demanded.
Lu Yan's hand froze mid - air. Fortunately, he recovered quickly. He took out a roll of tissue from the drawer and waved it in front of the camera. "Tissue. To wipe my hands."
Ning Anmiao let out a sigh of relief. Then, she added menacingly, "You're not allowed to smoke secretly while I'm away."
Lu Yan couldn't help but laugh and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, I'll definitely follow my wife's instructions."
Ning Anmiao told Lu Yan about her day's travels and experiences. Lu Yan listened patiently, nodding from time to time, a faint smile always on his lips.
"That old grandpa was so kind. He even took nice pictures of me," Ning Anmiao said, almost dancing with excitement.
Then she added dejectedly, "But we have to wait for half a month to get the pictures. By then, Yan Yan and I will have to go back."
"The best things are always worth waiting for. Don't be sad," Lu Yan's voice was deep as he comforted the girl. "It's not a long time. I'll go with you to pick them up then."
"Really?" Ning Anmiao was overjoyed. Her voice was filled with excitement. "Can you come to Liang Town with me then?"
Lu Yan was always busy with work, so she never thought he would accompany her.
"Of course. I'll always be available."
When Lu Yan indulged her, his tone was gentle and patient, filling Ning Anmiao's heart with warmth. She felt an indescribable happiness.
The two stared at each other through the screen. Ning Anmiao blushed and her heart raced uncontrollably.
"Then we'll come together to pick up the pictures."
Lu Yan nodded with a smile.
After the call ended, the smile in Lu Yan's eyes gradually faded, replaced by his usual aloofness. He still had many things to handle.
Lu Yan's features were sharp and well - defined. Under the dim light in the room, he exuded an air of solitude.
He leaned lazily against the headboard, his fingers idly rubbing the edge of his phone. Clearly, he had something on his mind. He had to protect Miao Miao and ensure she had nothing to worry about.
---
Ning Anmiao and Yin Yiyan had a good rest. The next morning, they got up early with the rising sun.
According to their previous plan, they were going to visit the nearest cloth - making factory to Liang Town during the day. They wanted to observe how the traditional craftsmen wove cloth and gain some new inspiration.
The cloth - weaving here was still done manually in the most traditional way. Ning Anmiao watched in amazement as hundreds of female weavers sat at their positions, carefully and diligently weaving. They made sure each silk thread was dyed and then neatly arranged and interlaced.
The dyes were natural pigments from nature. Once dyed, the color was hard to fade. Even after years of washing, the colors would gradually fade into beautiful pastels.
Both of them were very interested in this traditional handicraft. Before they knew it, they had spent the whole morning there. They had a simple bowl of noodles in a nearby store for lunch and then rushed to watch the technique of washing the dyed cloth in the afternoon.
Baskets full of colored water were poured out. The water of various colors mixed together, looking quite special. The cloth dyed in the morning became even more colorful after washing.
The washed cloth was hung in large drying yards to be exposed to the sun, which fixed the color and increased the toughness of the cloth.
After watching the whole production process, Ning Anmiao's eyes became brighter. She had some new inspiration and ideas in her mind.
Previously, her use of colors was too one - dimensional. Maybe she could imitate the way the weavers worked and make the color blocks of the clothes more diverse. In this way, different styles of clothing could be created.
Thinking of this, she felt extremely happy. This trip was really worthwhile. Her smile became even brighter.
---
That night, it was the annual night celebration in Liang Town, a famous textile town. All healthy men, women, and children would dress in gorgeous clothes and dance and sing around the bonfire.
This was to drive away diseases and evil spirits, and also to ensure the better inheritance of the gorgeous clothes.
Following the local customs, Ning Anmiao and Yin Yiyan joined this grand local festival.
First, they each chose a suitable set of gorgeous clothes. Yin Yiyan chose a purple, waist - cinching, round - necked gown, looking very noble.
Ning Anmiao chose a dark - blue gown with wave patterns. She looked elegant and solemn. Her fair skin was set off beautifully, and she exuded a noble aura from within.
The two looked at each other in the dressing mirror and smiled. Obviously, they were both very satisfied.
Before it got dark, the two girls walked hand in hand around the celebration area. More and more people were gathering here. The whole street was bustling.
Ning Anmiao felt a bit uncomfortable with the dense crowd, but the festive atmosphere and the smiles on people's faces eased her uneasiness. She just tightened her grip on Yin Yiyan's hand.
"Yan Yan, let's stay closer. There are too many people here. Don't get separated," Ning Anmiao reminded her carefully.
Yin Yiyan nodded absent - mindedly. Her attention was completely attracted by a group of men not far away. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes and wearing fancy hats.
These men were handsome, tall, and full of enthusiasm. They would probably be the "cheerleaders" at the celebration.
"Miao Miao, look! There are so many handsome guys over there!"
Ning Anmiao turned her head and saw that there were indeed many good - looking men. Each of them had a strong jawline and a bright, enthusiastic smile.
They were dressed uniformly. Ning Anmiao guessed they were the hosts of the celebration.
"Don't look. You're a married woman. If Mr. Lu knew, he'd spank you. Let me enjoy this beautiful sight alone," Yin Yiyan said playfully as she tried to cover Ning Anmiao's eyes.
"I'm not interested in handsome guys," Ning Anmiao said, turning her head away. She gently pushed Yin Yiyan. "If you like someone, go and ask for their contact information boldly! I heard that it's easiest to find true love in a foreign land!"
Yin Yiyan looked skeptical. "Really? Who did you hear that from?"
"Some travel bloggers on the Internet," Ning Anmiao said casually. Then, noticing that the crowd was gathering in one direction, she quickly tugged at Yin Yiyan's hand. "The celebration is about to start. Let's go quickly."
Similarly, that group of men also seemed to receive some kind of signal and walked in one direction together. Seeing this, Yin Yiyan and Ning Anmiao quickly followed them.