Walk in the mists of time

After dinner, we headed to the Nanhua Bridge to await the moment when the ancient town's night lights would illuminate. Perched at a higher vantage point, it offers the best view of the entire town. Nearby, at the Snow Bridge, many others were also gathered, anticipating the lights.

My colleague mentioned that rain was imminent, but I insisted it wouldn't bother me. Just minutes after she left, the skies opened up. Holding an umbrella proved futile against the downpour. Suddenly, everyone scattered around the bridge converged under the pavilion in its center.

To my left, a man was livestreaming the night view of the ancient town. "Wait, the No 7 light is about to come on. No, it's not sleeting; it's the raindrops battering my umbrella," he narrated to his online audience.

As waves of cool rain poured down, drenching my clothes and hammering my umbrella, I couldn't help but let out screams. At 7:10 pm, when the lights finally flickered on, the ancient town, shrouded in heavy rain, appeared especially serene. Concerned about the possibility of flooding, I decided to wade through the shallow water back to my room.

I was spending the night at a guesthouse overlooking the river. In the evening, the bars across the water came alive with singers performing loudly. Most of the songs were popular hits from the early 2000s.