After the dragon boat race, it was time for the "dragons to return to their nests".

The staff would collect and store the dragon boats. The spectators would also move on to watch other exciting activities. Besides the classic dragon boat race, the organizers had naturally arranged other entertainment performances by the river.

The dragon heads were returned to the temple, and the boat bodies were sent for storage, with some also going to the folk museum. After completing the closing ceremony, someone invited Tan Chunying to visit the folk museum together.

"Teacher Tan, aren't you coming to see your old antiques?" an old acquaintance joked. "You used to often volunteer as a guide after donating the ritual instruments. Are you afraid it'll be too heartbreaking to see them?"

After all, the Chu Shamans were in a much better situation now compared to before, so the value of those ritual instruments had greatly increased. Some couldn't help but wonder if Tan Chunying regretted donating them.

Tan Chunying laughed a few times. "I'm getting busier and busier, so of course I don't have time to go often anymore. We should look to the future and not dwell on the past." She paused. "But of course, regret is still regret..."

She looked back and saw her son still squatting by the river, wrapping the red cloth around the dragon boat circle by circle. Kong Xuan was still holding that bamboo pole with the prize red cloth attached, not putting it down. He seemed lost in thought, who knows what he was thinking about.

According to past customs, the prize red cloths would all be draped on the dragon boat, from head to tail, including the oars. As Tan Xiao wrapped, he could still hear the boat girl's cheerful voices: "Wrap it tighter, Shaman! It looks great!"

Tan Xiao couldn't help but smile. He had just finished wrapping the front section with this piece of red cloth when a voice sounded beside him: "Young man, this is for you guys too."

He turned to look and saw it was a white-haired old lady. She was holding her granddaughter's hand with one hand, and surprisingly, a piece of red cloth in the other.

In the past, the prize red cloths were not all hung on the pole. Very often, they were personally handed over by friends and relatives.

The little girl couldn't wait to say to the resting rowers: "That was incredible! I want to row a dragon boat too. When I go back to school, I'm going to tell my classmates what I saw today. I'm going to write a composition about it."

The rowers were no longer in a possessed state, but hearing the child's words, they thought, those dragon boat ghosts probably heard it too.

"No more worries about the composition topic now?" The old lady laughed and chided her granddaughter. Then she said softly to Tan Xiao: "Before coming, someone advised me not to bring any red cloth, saying no one wraps red on dragon boats anymore."

After all, even taking the prize red had been changed to snatching the flag. "But I still brought a piece, just in case."

The old lady didn't expect that today not only had a red snatching performance, but after the race, this young man was still wrapping the red when all the other performers were packing up and dispersing.

This was obviously not part of the performance. It must have been something his elders at home told him to do. So the old lady couldn't help but walk over and give the red cloth she thought she wouldn't have a chance to give.

"Thank you." Tan Xiao took the red cloth and continued wrapping it down, covering more of the dragon boat. He stroked the hull, as if he could feel the boat girl's excitement in his heart.

Some of the dispersing spectators noticed this scene.

"Little Tan!" Tan Xiao heard someone calling him. From the person sitting in the wheelchair beside him, he could tell it should be Teacher Zhu's father.

Old Man Zhu had actually requisitioned his wife's red silk scarf and was holding it up from the crowd on the steps: "Consider this my prize red, wrap it on for me!"

Tan Xiao stood up, wanting to catch it, but there was quite a distance between them. If thrown over, it might get blown away by the wind.

"Hey, fellow student, give a hand." Old Man Zhu said to Kong Xuan.

"Huh?" Kong Xuan was still lost in thought. Called out, he took a couple seconds to react. "You mean...?"

Old Man Zhu nodded.

"..." Kong Xuan pondered for a moment. This was the teacher's father, did it also count as respecting the teacher? He extended that long bamboo pole, hooked Old Man Zhu's high-held red silk scarf, and pulled it back.

"Hahahahaha!" Tan Xiao laughed loudly as he took the silk scarf to wrap as red.

This then got out of hand. Those in-the-know old spectators joined in the fun. Those who didn't know thought it was some kind of blessing ritual and tried to throw over their own red ties and even red hats. "Hey young man, hook one for me!"

Those far away were all yelling for Kong Xuan to extend the bamboo pole over so they could hang their items on it.

Disturbed from being able to focus on his own thoughts, Kong Xuan scowled. "...Stop yelling!!"

Tan Xiao received quite a few "prize reds" with mixed laughter and tears, all of which he draped on the dragon boat, as well as the wooden oars. The rowers raised the red-decorated wooden oars in another salute. These reds varied in material, shade, size, with some not even pure red.

Draped on the dragon boat, they almost covered the dragon boat's original color.

"It's really beautiful." The old lady stroked the dragon head before taking her child and leaving.

Under the scorching morning sun, the dragon boat raised its head, fluttering with red, the water surface reflecting dazzling diamond-like light, also seeming like a glorious drape just for it.

......

The city of Nanchu held the dragon boat race with the intention of attracting tourists, but even the organizers didn't expect the final effect to be so unexpectedly good. The live broadcast got popular during the race, and there was even a lot of positive discussion afterwards. It could be said to be a great success.

And what sparked it all turned out to be a segment they temporarily added.

Topic: Who watched the just-concluded Nanchu Dragon Boat Race?

Content: I saw their local promotion and accidentally clicked in, then couldn't leave. Nanchu City, you know what I want to see. [cat-headed dragon boat.jpg] [Tan Xiao drumming.jpg] [Tan Xiao snatching the red.jpg] [Kong Xuan fishing the dragon boat.jpg]

I opened it to a handsome guy drumming, how could I leave then? Nanchu, you hooked me with this. I even specifically watched the replay, turns out it had a huge program effect. Let me dig through it from the beginning. [Image] This is before the race, they found a shaman to perform a ritual. From here it can still be said to be relatively traditional. After that it starts to get magical.

Please enjoy: "Traditional Dragon Boat" [cat-headed dragon boat.jpg]

The whole audience chanted in unison. And the rowers were apparently all local government office staff...

But the twist came right after! [GIF] Finally managed to capture this, during the crossing! Flying boat!

1F: Front row seat, I was also in the live room today. Watched dumbfounded, no one told me dragon boats could be this fierce!

2F: ?? What's with the GIF, why is the dragon boat hurdling

3F: Nanchu people, who taught you to row dragon boats like this! Cat heads and flying boats, looks like you want to ascend to godhood!

4L: As a Nanchuan native, I have to say this is the first time I've seen the "Flying Boat" move. I was forced by my elders to join the festivities today. It was quite boring at first, but my jaw dropped when I saw that scene. My elders were especially excited, constantly talking about the past. They said they had heard of the "Flying Boat" move back then, but never witnessed it personally. They praised the organizers for their dedication this time, even though they were complaining about that cat head earlier.

OP: The other participating teams were elites from various districts and counties, with a mix of old, middle-aged, and young members. I saw their expressions were also shocked, caught off guard by the office team! Here's a picture [Image]

10L: Hahaha, they all have this look: "Luckily they're not competing." So how did this office clerical team train to this level? It's really a mystery. Are they really all administrative staff?

OP: Yes, they all work in religion and cultural research. The only exception is that particularly young drummer, who is said to be the son of the shaman who performed the opening ritual.

25L: !! Seeing the drummer's face and the keyword "Chu shaman", I recognize him now. Isn't he the guy whose stage performance I've been appreciating? Bro, how do you always manage to make a big splash?!

26L: Wow, a Nanchu native here. The formal competition later was also spectacular. Let me show you our time-honored, authentic dragon heads. These are usually kept in temples and only taken out for competitions.

27L: Yes, it was indeed impressive. This time I truly felt the impact of traditional performances. No wonder ancient people were so obsessed with dragon boat races. In the Chu region, there was even a saying that the Dragon Boat Festival was more important than the New Year. It's not simply because entertainment activities were scarcer back then compared to now, but because it's truly a great spectacle!

28L: More and more young people are returning to their hometowns now. I hope the dragon boat races in Nanchuan can continue. Keep it up!

OP: The commotion was indeed huge... Look at the final scramble for the red silk. First, the helmsman [Image], who knew he had practiced martial arts in the office for so many years, used the pole to leap and grab the red silk. [GIF] Then the guy who hooked the dragon boat deliberately teased the Chu shaman's brother, who stomped his feet, snatched the medal, all in one go... Who understands how I felt at that moment?

34L: Fe-Feels like it suddenly stabbed right into my heart.

35L: Anyone want to comment? If no one does, I'm going to start spreading rumors. What kind of youthful romance is this? The expression of the guy whose medal was snatched away, he's totally fallen, right? You were hooking the dragon boat here, but your own heart got hooked.

36L: Please, someone remind him not to look too lovestruck.

37L: Haha, can't blame passersby for gossiping. It really has a romantic vibe. There's even a prequel here [school celebration stage.jpg]

38L: Thanks, I'm hooked!

......

"Hooked, totally hooked!" It was another Monday. As soon as Yu Zhenzhen saw Tan Xiao and Kong Xuan coming to school together, she put on a fake crying tone.

"Hooked on what? Sunflower seeds, class rep?" Tan Xiao put down his schoolbag and asked.

"Of course it's you two." Yu Zhenzhen said with a playful smile, "Originally rabbits don't ship their neighbors, but your interaction at the dragon boat race was deliberately pushing my head, wasn't it? I was watching the video with my friend at the time, and she asked if you two were a couple. I said that would be puppy love then, which I like."

As Kong Xuan and Tan Xiao were putting down their bags, with their seating arrangement, bumping shoulders and hands was a common occurrence. Today when their elbows collided, Kong Xuan suddenly flinched away.

"Uh." Yu Zhenzhen was stunned for a moment, then said awkwardly, "So worried about me getting carried away? Even avoiding suspicion now."

"Just static electricity." Kong Xuan seemed to calmly and skillfully use physics knowledge as an excuse.

... Why did I dodge? Kong Xuan was also puzzled by his own abrupt action.

Before the dragon boat race, it was normal for Kong Xuan to hold Tan Xiao's hand to cast spells. He was used to and even liked Tan Xiao's little touches, although he never let Tan Xiao know he liked it.

It's just that after the dragon boat race, Kong Xuan's reactions became more pronounced. When squeezing together with Tan Xiao again, his heart would beat erratically, the places that were touched would go numb, and he even felt a bit embarrassed to hold Tan Xiao's hand. Even when riding a bicycle back, he was too shy to let his shadow keep overlapping with Tan Xiao's shadow...

After all, something had already become crystal clear in an instant with the flow of his thoughts.

He had accepted his own speculation in an extremely short time, even feeling a sense of sudden realization.