120 A Husband's Gifts

I had expected to see a place somewhat like Silver Gate, with stone-paved roads meandering through houses and shops casually dotting the long alleys. But the sight turned out to be nothing similar. The town near Jade Temple was almost a city, with wide streets lined by meticulously maintained buildings, lavishly furnished storefronts, and performance stages set up just for the festival. Thousands of lanterns lit up the night like it was noon, and the busy crowd flowed forward like rolling waves in the sea, bustling in excitement.

"Those disciples sure know a good place to have fun," I observed, raising my voice so that Bai Ye could hear me over the loud music and laughter ringing all around us. Having grown up in a small village, I had never seen a scene as lively as this, and I gaped at almost everything we passed on our way.