"It's festival time, it's festival time!"
"Let's open the champagne!"
Abby hugged seven or eight wine bottles with one arm, leaning on the scattered cigarette boxes everywhere, and couldn't help but smile.
"I know you're in a hurry, but don't be impatient."
Oedipus helplessly leaned against the stone steps beside Abby, his cheeks slightly red, glancing at the blue moon in the sky as if shy.
The girls' tea party hadn't even started yet, but she had already had quite a few drinks.
At this time, the young Oedipus neither had the pressure of the fireworks contest, nor was he involved in the tragic fate of the laboratory.
The childhood spent with Abby was the most beautiful time of Oedipus' youth.
"Don't you want to spend the holiday at your grandmother's house this year?"
"That old woman should have burst into gold coins a long time ago!"
Abby picked up the bottle opener and pried it open.
The sweet and pleasant fragrance of champagne wafted out of the bottle, hitting people's hearts.
"The boring days in our hometown, how can they compare to the fun with Miss Altria?"
Abby put the bottle opener in front of Oedipus and compared it, looking maliciously at the latter's chest and legs, making lewd sounds in his mouth.
"Moonlight wine and beautiful women..."
"The Emperor doesn't compare to me!"
"Box, box, box..."
Oedipus' cheeks turned even redder, like sorghum wine hidden in a deep cellar, becoming even more ruddy.
Sweet, spicy, refreshing, intoxicating.
"What did you say?"
With a tangled heart, Oedipus glanced to the side, not even noticing that Abby had already finished drinking one bottle and was planning to open another.
"That's enough."
"The sisters haven't arrived yet, and you're almost finished with the wine."
"They'll definitely complain about you later."
Abby seemed to be crazy with alcohol, muttering in his mouth.
"They'll complain about me? I haven't even said anything about them yet."
"Poor wine quality, foul mouth."
"Just a bunch of ordinary believers, nothing special."
Abby was a child of a fallen noble family. Although she had learned etiquette, she wasn't very proficient in it.
If it wasn't for Oedipus protecting her, she would probably be bullied even if she could participate in such a noble tea party.
Oedipus was about to speak up and teach Abby about the etiquette of the nobility, but thinking of Abby's wonderfully carefree personality and humorous nature, he couldn't help but laugh.
"You little scoundrel."
"Don't you know that funny girls can't find boyfriends?"
Oedipus smiled and tilted his head towards Abby.
"Oh...this..."
"Oh dear, what to do."
Abby wanted to say something witty to get past it, but suddenly found that she couldn't come up with anything.
As a hedonist, she actually wanted to be in a relationship.
"I still have you, don't I?"
"Miss Altria."
Oedipus made a heart sign with her fingers in front of Altria.
"Alright, everyone."
"It represents becoming rich, represents marrying a wealthy woman."
"Hmph, you..."
Oedipus combed through the waves of Altria's hair above her forehead, swaying softly, releasing her charm in the spring night.
"Altria... by this time next year, I won't be able to attend the tea party anymore."
"What happened? Did your family forbid you from coming?"
Altria felt a bit sad but pretended to be calm.
"Not really."
"But my family has sent me on a mission."
"It'll probably take a long time, maybe five or six years."
Altria suppressed the urge to ask further and pursed her lips.
"Oh..."
"But if you want to see me, you should still be able to find me at the annual competition."
"We'll play then."
Oedipus smiled sweetly.
Unlike Lucifer, Oedipus' current smile had a soft and golden inner meaning.
"..."
Altria fell silent for a moment; even drinking didn't seem appealing anymore.
But she still pretended to be composed and lit a cigarette from her cigarette box.
"What's wrong... don't you want to ask me how to see me again?"
Altria rolled her eyes and took a deep drag from her cigar.
"Why bother with that effort?"
"If love's passion were to last forever, what need would there be for constant meetings?"
"People from Acadia are all so serious."
Altria said, full of meaning.
"Why be so selfless? I don't understand."
"Just live comfortably; there's no point in overthinking."
"Competitions and such are too serious, not suitable for me."
"The true essence of life lies in freedom."
"If one's whole life were to be restricted by those illusory things..."
"Now, that would be a loss."
Oedipus nodded in understanding.
"I see."
"Then I can rest assured."
Raising her emerald champagne glass, Oedipus opened a bottle of champagne for herself.
"Why, are you starting to drink too?"
Altria understood and clinked glasses with Oedipus, then downed her drink.
"I think you're right, why bother caring about so much."
"I learned from you."
Oedipus smiled and tilted her head back, the golden liquid flowing down her throat.
But such an action seemed too elegant on Oedipus.
Altria happily patted Oedipus' shoulder and embraced her.
"You need to lower your standards!"
The two sat on the stone steps in front of the courtyard, leaning against each other, watching the fireworks slowly rising and bursting in the air, a joyous celebration overflowing in their hearts.
The light gauze dance that began at noon still hadn't extinguished.
In the hazy moonlight, the smoke and mist seemed unreal.
The loneliness that comes with changing times and the sadness of parting words melted away in this golden veil.
A line from the Tang Dynasty poem "The Bodhisattva's Lament" lingered in Oedipus' throat, ready to burst forth.
"Alone, a distant figure in the cold mountain waters..."
Oedipus glanced at the sleeping Ariadne in his arms, hoping to borrow some poetic inspiration.
But little did he know, she had already succumbed to the sweet intoxication of wine.
As Ariadne slumbered on his chest, she appeared much smaller in Oedipus' eyes.
Suddenly, as he tried to continue the poem, Oedipus found himself at a loss for words.
With a helpless shake of his head, Oedipus gently caressed Ariadne on his knee, his tender emotions flowing like water in his heart.
