northernbook In Chapter 98, a red thread connects the soulmates, binding them together in a bond of affection.
In Chapter 98, a red thread connects the soulmates, binding them together in a bond of affection.
The combat culture in the Chinese martial arts world was too strong, with combat players being more active than casual players at times. Even the "Decorating with Lanterns and Wearing Red Attire" event, which wasn't very mission-oriented, failed to curb this trend.
Casual players are engrossed in dressing up, decorating, sightseeing, bird-walking, fish-raising, and flower-planting, and they don't have to compete with combat players. This has made the combat players even more frenzied, dominating the entire server and thriving.
The videos and materials currently circulating on Qingfengyi are all combat-related, attracting many combat players who watch them and quickly join the battles, further boosting the combat player trend.
Just as the combat players were about to get carried away and lose themselves in the battle, the eighth phase of the Qingfengyi event went live!
The combat players were suddenly enlightened, breaking out in a cold sweat, and quietly withdrew their claws that were reaching for the casual players.
Fighting players on Zhilan Mountain sounds pretty appealing...
While NPCs are a no-brainer, players are a breeze. Especially casual players, one hit is all it takes – it's incredibly satisfying. Even though you'll suffer the consequences and end up in jail later, it's still so much fun!
At midnight, a white light shone in the sky, illuminating the darkness, and the players' magpies flew into the sky.
A magnificent magpie bridge was built. A man carrying a basket with two children inside walked step by step up from one end of the bridge. At the other end, the Weaver Girl appeared, dressed in a rainbow-colored robe, running towards them, her face covered and weeping. The two met, their eyes filled with tears, and embraced each other. The children in the baskets climbed out, calling out "Mother, Mother!" incessantly.
After reuniting, the family sat on the Magpie Bridge and poured out their hearts to each other.
One after another, bluebirds reappeared, carrying envelopes to the player's hands. The player was a little confused about this special effect and couldn't guess the contents.
"Can any science popularizer step forward and explain?"
"Science popularizer: According to archaeological data, the only story currently associated with the Magpie Bridge is the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl."
"I know that. It's Valentine's Day in China on our home planet. My husband saw it and even gave me a chocolate sculpture. But why give chocolates on Valentine's Day?"
"Wait a minute, wasn't giving chocolates supposed to be for another Valentine's Day?"
"Huh? Aren't we supposed to go on a date for Qixi Festival?"
"I think both are true. It's Valentine's Day, so it's normal to do whatever you want."
"The culture on our home planet is a bit chaotic."
While players were guessing blindly, some players who opened the envelopes learned about the interpretation of "Qingfengyi".
Lin Shuying originally planned to announce it directly, but He Mengqiu asked out of curiosity while helping her organize the text. She was the one who thought Qixi Festival was Valentine's Day and that she needed to go out to eat and give chocolates.
Lin Shuying laughed after hearing this, "Qixi Festival includes Valentine's Day, but it is not Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is just a small part of the Chinese Qixi culture, and it is an addition made by some businesses and cultural integrations later on."
Lin Shuying wasn't very familiar with this point of knowledge before. At that time, businesses, the general environment, the internet, and games all promoted Qixi Festival as Valentine's Day.
In addition, giving chocolates on Qixi Festival was a common practice between couples at that time, along with flowers, chocolates, and cakes.
After the girl received it, the two took a picture together and posted it on social media. She was the one responsible for liking the post and being the one who got fed up with the PDA.
As a single woman, she wasn't interested in this, but she was a little curious.
In ancient times, there were no chocolates, let alone gifts with such exquisite packaging as modern ones. What did they give as Valentine's Day gifts?
Could it be a hairpin?
Also, chocolate is a must-have gift for Western Valentine's Day, so what is a suitable gift for China's Qixi Festival?
Wearing flowers in your hair is the perfect choice, hehe.
So I did some research, and what I found was quite surprising!
Qixi Festival is not Valentine's Day at all. The concept of Qixi Festival as Valentine's Day was given to it by modern people at that time, and it is also something created by merchants and advertisers.
However, the myth of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl on Qixi Festival does align with Valentine's Day. This story has been passed down since elementary school, so people have a good foundation for accepting the transformation of Qixi into Valentine's Day. No wonder it was able to be successfully changed to Valentine's Day; it's understandable.
Thinking of this, Lin Shuying said, "I'll revise the announcement and then I'll improve it for you later."
So she introduced the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, Qixi Festival and Valentine's Day in the announcement. She also wanted to use the Valentine's Day topic to include this event content.
The original story was set in the adventure and service area, but everyone actually decided to give chocolates on Qixi Festival?
This won't work!
He Mengqiu was bewildered. Qixi Festival includes Valentine's Day, but it is not Valentine's Day.
How did the boss know so much?
At this moment, the player opened the event envelope:
Dear Qingfengyi players, the eighth Qingfengyi event, "A Thousand Miles of Red Threads Connecting Soulmates," has officially begun! Before the start of this event, let me briefly recount a serendipitous encounter.
On our home planet, China, stargazing has been a tradition since ancient times, and the culture of stargazing has developed into a vast system, contributing to the core of our civilization.
Today we'll just touch on the tip of the iceberg – Qixi Festival. For more detailed stories, please visit the service center or learn more through adventures.
In the era of our home planet, the sky was filled with countless stars, one of which was called Altair (Cowherd Star) and the other Vega (Weaver Girl Star), separated by the Milky Way. However, they would meet again on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Based on this astronomical phenomenon, people created the touching story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, commemorating their reunion on this day. But the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl are only one part of the Qixi Festival.
The Qixi Festival also corresponds to the seven luminaries. At that time, people regarded the seven luminaries (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, the Sun, and the Moon) to indicate a week, a week, or seven days. This concept of time has been disseminated and modified by various parties, and has become the week that is still used in interstellar society today.
In Chinese astronomical culture, the number seven is considered auspicious. Furthermore, the first star of the Big Dipper is also associated with the number seven. Therefore, the ancients particularly favored the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, designating it as an auspicious day, corresponding to men's Book-Drying Festival and the Day of the First Scholar, and women's Qiqiao Festival and Daughters' Festival.
It begins by praising the woman's intelligence, dexterity, competence, and skill in handicrafts, and the man's talent and wisdom, as well as his hopes and blessings for passing the imperial examinations.
Later, it gradually evolved into an important festival in China. In fact, many Chinese festivals do not have a single purpose, but rather encompass all aspects and tend towards beauty and blessings. The core is to wish for things to come true, family reunion, good health, and happiness, expressing the yearning for a better life.
So, let's look forward to this "A Thousand Miles of Red Threads Connected" event! Qixi Festival is just a special occasion in this event!
1. This event update introduces a brand new permanent dungeon, the Temple of the Matchmaker. You might encounter the Matchmaker himself in the temple! If you max out his favorability, you'll receive a red thread to tie the knot of your destined partner. If you don't have a partner yet, you can exchange the red thread for incense pills to give to your friends.
2. This event includes several new adventure instances, such as the Cowherd and Weaver Girl, the Golden Flower of Helplessness, and the Three Lifetimes of Peach Blossom. Players can find the corresponding items to unlock these adventures, obtain costumes and accessories, and unlock story collections.
3. This update includes the Love Tree and Love Valley. Players can invite friends and partners to make wishes at the Love Tree and capture horses, white eagles, and lovebirds in the Love Valley.
4. This update adds exclusive skills for couples, such as the right to freely enter and exit their home and the right to modify it. Remember to restrict the permissions of your close friends and romantic partners when tying the red string!
Stay tuned for more updates.
Next, embark on your relentless journey to find kindred spirits and romance!
The players looked at it carefully again, and those with partners were overjoyed!
The Grand Marshal was particularly excited: "Wife, I can now freely come and go as I please in your house!"
The Marshal's wife smiled and said, "Yes, let's go get the red rope first."
When the two arrived at the Temple of the Matchmaker, they were immediately awestruck by its luxurious and dreamlike appearance!
The first thing that catches the eye is a huge peach tree, its branches laden with blossoms and adorned with numerous red prayer plaques. The front of each plaque bears the three characters "善喜缘" (meaning "Good Fortune and Auspicious Union"), while the back features a carving of the Old Man Under the Moon (the god of marriage). Both ends are decorated with auspicious cloud carvings, and a square floral design is attached to a red ribbon.
Players can focus on whichever area they like. If it hasn't been written on by a player, it will flash yellow; if it has, it will flash pink.
The signs that have been written on can also have replies written on them. The next time you come, the signs that flash green are the ones you replied to, and the ones that flash blue are the ones you wrote.
If someone replies to your message, you'll see it flash purple, and a message will appear asking whether you want to reply or view it.
The entire communication system is closed-loop, ensuring that players can choose according to their own preferences.
In China, the trees commonly associated with marriage are ginkgo, bodhi, red bean, and osmanthus. Different regions, customs, and legends have different types of trees associated with marriage.
The marriage tree itself does not have the ability to help people find love; it is just that the Old Man Under the Moon likes to appear under such trees, hence the name "marriage tree."
Lin Shuying didn't know why the Old Man Under the Moon liked to appear under the tree at night, but the existence of the Love Tree sounded wonderful. In the Romance Dungeon, you could lack anything else, but how could you be without the Love Tree?
Lin Shuying made a slight modification here. In the adventure, there is a story about three lifetimes of peach blossoms. She wanted to bind it to the marriage tree, so she set the peach tree as the marriage tree.
In addition, peach trees seem suitable as trees symbolizing marriage.
In Chinese fortune-telling, "peach blossom luck" is an important term.
Although this peach blossom represents the Xianchi star (peach blossom star) in Zi Ping Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny) and has nothing to do with peach trees, we can still make a fuss about its literal meaning and create something new.
Just add annotations later; culture is meant to be used and innovated upon.
Without this innovation, there wouldn't have been all those complicated and convoluted disputes about right and wrong that followed.
The peach tree was very large, with gnarled roots and a thin layer of petals covering its base, making it soft underfoot.
Countless little peach blossom labels floated out: Fallen petals have nowhere to go, buried in the mud, they linger. If the wind had feelings, it wouldn't let them stray far from their roots. Three days to dissolve their bones, will they be like you next year? I don't remember the whispered words, I only hope for your kindness in coming and going.
The Marshal's wife was a little stunned. Why pair such a beautiful scene with such words?
She couldn't bear to watch, so she stepped back. She even pulled the Grand Marshal back, who was a little confused, and followed his wife's steps.
After exiting, there were still petals on the ground, many of which fluttered in the breeze and drifted into the distance. Coupled with the occasional poetic effect, it was incredibly alluring: it beckoned players to gather the peach blossoms to the base of the tree.
The Marshal's wife took out a round fan and gently fanned the petals to the base of the tree. There was a flower bed surrounded by stones. When they came to the stones, the peach blossoms seemed eager to return. With just a gentle fan, the petals flipped over and fell into the flower bed, returning to the base of the tree.
Seeing this, many players took out their round fans and imitated it.
After the fan was returned, another line of poetry appeared: "Now I have a precious son, but his life is tragically short; though he fell into the mud, I helped him return home. I am endlessly grateful to the Goddess, and pray that when the tree blooms again, I will see you once more. Peach blossoms adorn the branches with red talismans; may the Old Man of the Moon deliver this message across the distance. I express my feelings on this green paper; may my dear friend and beloved not forget to return."
This phrase is part of a special effect frame depicting peach blossoms withering and tender leaves blooming. Combined with the previous verse that flew out, players instantly understood the designer's meaning.
"The designer is so clever! This subtle way of encouraging people to leave their lucky charms is so touching!"
"I've already taken down three pieces, and I've written my wish to add them as friends on all of them."
"Hey? Shall we add each other as friends?"
They exchanged a glance, silently sent each other friend requests, and then blushed slightly. They tried to find topics to talk about, but didn't know what to say.
Seeing the two poems floating up from the ground, I picked up the sign I had just taken down and it seemed I had a lot to say.
Sometimes it's not that we have nothing to say, it's just that we look at each other and don't know where to begin.
I'm also afraid that others might find it annoying, lack the patience to listen, or be uninterested, causing them distress. If you write this on a social media platform and find it helpful, or if you share similar thoughts, please leave a comment below.
This is the spiritual connection between book lovers and confidants, which is very appealing to interstellar enthusiasts who don't like face-to-face interactions. After chatting for a while, they can meet in person. Once they have a certain level of acquaintance, it doesn't feel abrupt.
Lin Shuying was somewhat moved when she designed this feature, recalling how the world moved at a rapid pace in her previous life. Fast food had evolved to the point where three dishes and a soup could be prepared in three minutes, not to mention other things.
The prevailing trend is to abandon ineffective social interactions and promote rapid or mutually beneficial social interactions.
But people, no matter what they do, ultimately pursue spiritual fulfillment. Whether it's happiness or joy, it all boils down to emotional satisfaction.
Ironically, social networking, which could benefit the most from these things, has been turned into a gray area, and it's hard to say whether this is good or bad.
Some players didn't speak to those around them, but instead wrote their thoughts on signs and hung them high on peach trees, hoping that someone with a similar understanding would take down their sign and they could have a conversation across time.
Interstellar people are more used to not talking face-to-face; they feel more comfortable that way.
There are also people who are very good at socializing and talking. In the lively atmosphere of Qingfengyi, they completely let loose. They sweep peach blossoms under the peach trees and chat with passersby.
Many players are amazed by these types of players, wondering where they find so many topics to talk about. Even if you only say "um," "ah," "okay," or "yes" when you're with them, they can keep the conversation lively for the whole time.
The Grand Marshal and his wife didn't come here to hang up a sign; they came here to find a match.
To obtain the Red Thread of Fate, you need to gain favor with the Old Man of the Moon (the Matchmaker God). This is relatively simple: burning incense, cleaning the Matchmaker God's temple, completing tasks, and offering sacrifices all work. Helping with cleaning in various parts of the temple can also yield some unexpected little items, like a treasure hunt.