Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

When the plane landed at Macau International Airport, the back of Lu Yong's shirt was still stained with the scent of osmanthus from the ancient town of Nanchuan.

Hannah stood on tiptoe and poked his shoulder: "Look out the window! Those colorful little houses look like Lego blocks." Her newly dyed chestnut curly hair swept across Lu Yong's chin, mixed with the sweet scent of Portuguese egg tarts in the airport's air-conditioning.

As the taxi crossed the Friendship Bridge, Hannah held up her phone to take pictures of the sea in the rearview mirror.

"Ayong, move a little to the left," she framed Lu Yong's face in the camera, "to capture your dimples and the curve of the cross-sea bridge behind you."

A low-battery warning suddenly popped up on his phone, and Lu Yong pulled out a power bank from his backpack like a magician—the outer shell of the power bank was printed with a Polaroid photo of the two of them kissing under a banyan tree in Nanchuan.
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The Changhong Observation Deck in Jinghai was crowded with tourists holding selfie sticks.

Hannah was spinning in place holding the floral dress she had just bought: "Should we take a picture of her back or her profile first? Should I lift up my sun hat?" Lu Yong knelt on one knee to find the angle, and the camera was suddenly blocked by the newlyweds in wedding dresses.

"Handsome, please take a group photo for us." The bride handed the camera to Lu Yong, and the groom's arm just blocked the "Mirror Sea and Long Rainbow" stone carving. Hannah suddenly got into the picture, tiptoed to push the groom's arm down: "You have to show the reflection of the sea!" The lychee-scented nail polish on her fingertips shone pearly in the sun.

The old man on the bench waved a palm-leaf fan and laughed: "Young man, go to the third lamppost on the right, you can take a picture of the entire cross-sea bridge." When Lu Yong wanted to thank him, the old man's radio suddenly played "Sweet Honey". Hannah sang along and turned around, and the hem of her skirt swept the cotton wool, which happened to stick to Lu Yong's camera lens.

"This one is called 'Flowers in the Mist.'" Lu Yong deliberately set the blurred photo as his phone wallpaper. Hannah chased him to delete it, her high heels got stuck in the cracks of the stone slabs, and she fell into Lu Yong's arms. A passing grandmother joked in Cantonese: "Young men should hold tight!"

Under the parasol of the seaside cafe, Hanna squeezed three packets of sugar into her iced Americano. "Are Macau sugar free?" Lu Yong secretly licked the milk foam at the corner of her lips. The child at the next table suddenly pointed at the sea and screamed: "Rainbow! Rainbow!"

As they rushed out, Hannah's straw bag got caught on the waiter's apron. Colorful silk scarves, sunscreen spray, and embroidered sachets bought in Nanchuan were scattered all over the floor. Lu Yong squatted to clean up and found a note stuffed in the sachet - it was written by Hannah at the Nanchuan Wishing Pavilion: "I want to see rainbows all over the world with Ayong."

The railings of the sea-viewing promenade were hot from the sun. Hannah was leaning on the railings to take pictures of the waves, and Lu Yong suddenly hugged her from behind: "This is the couple photo pose I saw on TikTok." The heat from his palms penetrated through the cotton and linen shirt, and evaporated the sunscreen on the back of Hannah's neck.

An old man selling egg waffles passed by with his cart: "Smile sweeter, pretty girl! Your boyfriend's ears are as red as shrimp dumplings!"

Lu Yong's hands were shaking as he pressed the burst mode button. Seventeen of the twenty photos were blurred into abstract paintings. In the clearest photo, Hannah's pearl earrings reflected a half rainbow.

"Help me apply the sunscreen on the back of my neck!" Hannah lifted her hair and turned around, revealing her sunburned skin. Lu Yong squeezed the sunscreen too hard, and the milky white liquid splashed onto Hannah's new straw hat. "This is Chanel's latest island style!" She chased him with a wet wipe, and Lu Yong hid behind a palm tree and knocked the sanitation worker's cleaning vehicle off balance.

The lady in the sun hat laughed until tears came out of her eyes: "Young man, please apologize. Eat the pork chop buns!" In the end, the two of them squatted on the curb and ate bread. Hannah stuffed lettuce leaves into Lu Yong's collar: "This is your punishment for wasting sunscreen."

At dusk, when the tide was high, the couple's seat at the end of the pier was crowded with people. Lu Yong led the way with two mango cones, and Hannah suddenly pulled him down and said, "Look at that silver-haired couple!" The old man was adjusting the height of the selfie stick for his wife, and the old lady's silk scarf fluttered in the salty and wet sea breeze.

When Lu Yong secretly pressed the shutter, the cone melted on his fingers. Hannah grabbed his hand and licked off the sugar stains. The tingling sensation of her tongue sweeping over the palm lines almost made Lu Yong drop the camera. When the sunset dyed the cross-sea bridge orange and pink, they found that the elderly couple were taking wedding photos.

The moment the neon lights of the night market came on, one of Hannah's pearl earrings was missing. "It must have fallen on the observation deck!" She was about to run back with her skirt lifted up, and Lu Yong pulled out an earring like a magic trick - it was a beer bottle cap he had just picked up. "Wear this first, I'll buy you a real pearl tomorrow."

Hannah really pinned the bottle cap on her earlobe, the metal piece flashing an absurd light under the neon lights. The grandma selling beef offal laughed so hard that she coughed: "Your daughter is so pretty! I'll give you a skewer of curry fish balls!" When Lu Yong held up the skewer to feed her, the sauce rubbed against Hannah's collarbone, like a cinnabar mole.

On the bus back to the hotel, Hannah leaned on Lu Yong's shoulder and flipped through the photos. "This one needs to be adjusted to film style, and this one needs rainbow special effects." Every photo her fingertips touched had the scent of sea salt. The child in the back seat suddenly pointed out the window: "Mommy! My brother and sister are glowing!"

The two turned around and found that the bus advertising screen was playing the kissing shot of them under the rainbow in the afternoon - it turned out that it was captured by the photographer who followed the newlyweds in wedding dresses. Hannah buried her red face in Lu Yong's neck: "It's over, we are really going to be an Internet celebrity couple now."

The hotel terrace was filled with the lemon scent of laundry detergent. Hannah placed her sunburned feet on Lu Yong's legs and applied aloe vera gel: "We have to go to A-Ma Temple to fulfill our vows tomorrow." Two shell chains on her ankles were missing, probably because they fell into the sea while chasing pigeons.

Lu Yong suddenly pulled out a velvet box from his suitcase, inside which lay a pair of pearl earrings. "Bought in Nanchuan?" Hannah leaned in to look at the traditional Chinese characters on the bottom of the box. "A time-honored gold shop in Macau?" It turned out that he had sneaked out to buy them while Hannah was tasting the almond cookies.

As the moonlight turned the cross-sea bridge into a silver chain, Hannah danced on the terrace wearing her new earrings.

The pearl halo sprinkled on Lu Yong's shirt as it spun, like a handful of shiny white sugar.

Suddenly someone set off fireworks in the swimming pool downstairs. The flames reflected the kiss frozen in time on the advertising screen, and the whole of Macau became their backdrop.

……

The morning mist at the A-Ma Temple had not yet dissipated, and Hannah grabbed Lu Yong's plaid shirt and rushed to the steps: "The first incense stick! You have to grab the first incense stick to fulfill your wish!"

Her newly bought embroidered shoes stepped on the wet moss in front of the merit box, and she fell backwards. When Lu Yong hugged her around the waist, the ends of her hair swept the lychees on the altar.

The temple keeper in a cassock handed over three incense sticks with a smile: "Beautiful girl, if you are sincere, your wish will come true. The first incense stick will come at five o'clock in the morning." Hannah pursed her lips and blew out the sparks from the incense sticks. The smoke floated across the lens of Lu Yong's camera, just framing her puffy cheeks.

Spiral columns of smoke rose from the copper incense burner in the main hall. Hannah closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, mumbling something. Lu Yong stole a glance at the incense ash on her eyelashes and said, "You have to make a wish out loud to make it work." Before he finished speaking, the aunt from the tour group next door suddenly shouted, "Please bless my son to marry a local girl!"

Hannah laughed and fell on Lu Yong's shoulder, and the jasmine flowers in her hair fell into the donation box. The volunteer lady in a Tang suit trembled and fished out the flowers: "Young man, take your girlfriend to the back mountain to touch the marriage stone." The smell of incense for thirty years was embedded in her palm lines, and the mooncake crumbs from last year's Mid-Autumn Festival were still stuck between her fingernails.

The stone steps on the back mountain were shining with morning dew. Hannah held up her skirt to find an angle to take a photo of Zi Yan, and Lu Yong suddenly squatted down: "Come up, your heels will get stuck in the cracks of the stone slabs." When she leaned on his broad back, he smelled the cedar scent of the hotel shower gel last night mixed with the lingering scent of this morning's incense sticks. A couple holding selfie sticks ran towards them: "Please make way! We want to take the same corner shot as in In the Mood for Love!" Hannah's jasmine string hooked the girl's lace headband, and the two scents entangled and fell into the mountain stream. Lu Yong took out a spare gardenia string: "The knotting method that Nanchuan's grandmother taught me, I guarantee it won't fall off."

The Marriage Stone was crowded with tourists who wanted to touch the coins. Hannah had just taken out a wet towel to wipe her hands when her younger sister in Hanfu handed her a red ribbon: "Sister, please write your wish in traditional Chinese characters, because Yue Lao can't read pinyin." Lu Yong sneaked a peek at what she wrote, "I want to raise a Shiba Inu with Ayong," and added "And a cat" on the back.

When tying the ribbon, the mountain wind suddenly blew, and the red silk that had just been written floated toward the cliff. Lu Yong rushed over to grab it, and his elbow rubbed against the moss on the stone wall, leaving an emerald scratch. Hannah held up a cotton swab to disinfect him, and the iodine mixed with jasmine fragrance made both of them sneeze at the same time.

The old man at the tea stall waved a palm-leaf fan and smiled: "Young man, drink some herbal tea. The twenty-four flavors can clear liver fire." Hannah stared at the dark medicine and frowned. After Lu Yong finished drinking it, he suddenly kissed the corner of her mouth: "It's sweet." She took a sip half-believingly, and the bitterness pulled the collar of Lu Yong's plaid shirt crooked.

The grandma selling the bowl cake took the opportunity to promote her product: "Please try the red bean flavor and help post on Little Red Book!" Hannah took a selfie while holding up the cake, and Lu Yong secretly bit the half piece in her hand. The camera froze on the embarrassing sight of the two of them with the same red bean on their noses.

The wishing well in the side hall was gleaming with silver light. Hannah searched her purse but couldn't find any coins. Lu Yong produced an ancient copper coin that Nanchuan had brought with him: "I stole it from the wishing pavilion last time. It's time to return it to its original owner." The copper coin made a ding-dong sound when it entered the water, startling the koi at the bottom of the well. The water droplets from its tail splashed on Hannah's collarbone.

The monk in a sweatshirt suddenly said, "It will be more effective if you face southeast." When Hannah turned around, she stepped on the moss and fell into Lu Yong's arms. The monk put his hands together and smiled, "Good, southeast is here."

The hand-painted postcards in the creative store were piled up like a mountain. Hannah was choosing the seals of the Eight Scenic Spots of Macau, and Lu Yong secretly took a picture of her tangled profile. The lady boss suddenly handed over a yellowed old photo: "I'll take a Polaroid for you. Do you want the background of A-Ma Pavilion Purple Smoke or the Marriage Stone?"

The moment the flash went on, the draft lifted Hannah's chiffon skirt. Lu Yong reached out to press it, but the photo that came out was of him hugging her waist in panic. The lady boss winked: "This one is free, remember to tag our store on Facebook."

The smell of egg tarts wafted from the pavilion on the hillside. Hannah counted the steps and ran up, the jasmine petals in her hair falling on Lu Yong's shoulders. The man selling egg tarts opened the wicker basket and asked, "For the last two, do you want honey or cinnamon?"

The two of them had different opinions, and finally used the mobile phone's turntable to randomly select. The moment the honey jar was opened, Hannah suddenly licked the honey beads on Lu Yong's fingertips: "What a waste!" The white-headed bird on the treetops chirped and pecked at the biscuit crumbs on the stone bench.

When they were going down the mountain, they met a parade carrying a statue of the deity. Hannah held up her phone to take pictures of the embroidered banners, and Lu Yong was suddenly given a handful of peace rice. "Throw it to your girlfriend!" the aunt in the yellow hat enthusiastically instructed. Hannah, with white rice grains in her hair, laughed and scolded: "You don't need to buy rice to cook seafood porridge tonight!"

When the dragon dance team passed by, the drum beats were deafening, and Hannah's pearl earrings were shaken off. When Lu Yong pushed through the crowd to look for them, he found that the earrings were stuck in the pattern of the dragon dancer's sneakers, and a golden and red dragon whisker was hooked on the silver needle.

In the evening, gold foil ashes floated in front of the incinerator. Hannah folded the wrong red wish paper into a paper crane: "Let it fly away our bad luck." Lu Yong took out a lighter, and when the flame jumped up, the paper crane was suddenly lifted by the mountain wind and floated towards the sunset.

The old man selling windmills smiled with gapped teeth: "Good luck to the young man, I'm giving you a small windmill!" Hannah held the colorful windmill and spun around. The reflection of the glass was reflected in Lu Yong's pupils, as if there were kaleidoscope diamonds hidden in them.

The bus on the way back was packed with pilgrims. Hannah rested her head on Lu Yong's shoulder and flipped through the Polaroid photos. She found the same calico cat in the corner of every photo. "It's the temple's lucky cat!" The old lady in the back seat pointed out the window. The cat was squatting on the glazed tiles and licking its paws.

Lu Yong took out the fish food left over from the koi, but the calico cat jumped off the eaves, sweeping down a few redbud petals with its tail. Hannah reached out to catch them, but the petals stuck to Lu Yong's plaid shirt pocket, just covering the moss green that had been rubbed off this morning.

.........

The next day, just as the morning light gilded the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Hannah dragged Lu Yong towards the Church of St. Dominic, “Hurry! We can take a panoramic photo without anyone around before nine o’clock!”

Her newly bought Bohemian shawl swept across the road sign, startling the gray pigeons pecking at food on the steps, and its feathers stuck to Lu Yong's lemon tea straw.

The sweeping uncle in overalls smiled and stopped the way: "Pretty girl, please help Wenchuang ice cream first."

The ice cream in the shape of the chocolate stele of "Sam Ba Holy Relics" on his cart was sweating.

When Hannah was holding the ice cream and taking a photo with the archway, the melted chocolate dripped onto Lu Yong's white sneakers, like a black and gold border for Nike.

The best camera position facing the archway was full of tripods. Hannah stood on tiptoe to draw the composition, and Lu Yong suddenly squatted down: "Sit on it!" She rode on his shoulders to adjust the angle of the selfie stick, and the orange blossom scent on the ends of her hair mixed with the sweet scent of egg waffles from the tourists behind her.

"Look here, pretty girl!" The photographer in a flowered shirt suddenly snapped a photo. On the camera screen was Hannah hugging Lu Yong's head in panic. "Buy five photos and get a free photo frame!" He opened his bag to reveal the couple's photos secretly taken at various scenic spots. The bottom photo was of them competing for the first incense stick at A-Ma Temple yesterday.

Dewdrops hung from the weeds in the cracks of the stone steps. Hannah took off her sandals and stepped on the green bricks. The bells on her ankle startled the orange cat that was napping in the shadow of the relief of the holy image. "Is it the calico cat from the last time at A-Ma Temple?" She leaned in to take a closer look, but the cat arched its back and rubbed against Lu Yong's trouser leg, leaving a plum blossom mark on the khaki fabric.

The old lady selling fridge magnets took the opportunity to sell her a piece of cake: "Feed it dried fish and it will follow you." When Hannah took out her wallet, Lu Yong had already produced a small bag of cat food - originally intended to feed the seagulls at Coloane Black Beach. The orange cat jumped onto the broken wall with the dried fish in its mouth, and the dust under its claws scared away the pigeons taking wedding photos in front of the archway.

The iron gate behind the ruins was ajar.

Hannah peeked through the crack in the door and saw the archaeological site, where workers wearing straw hats were cleaning blue and white porcelain pieces with a brush.

"Can we come in here?" She was stopped by the security guard just as she touched her phone. Lu Yong quickly hugged her and turned her around, and the back of her head hit the parasol of the grandfather selling Portuguese egg tarts.

"Young man, eat an egg tart to calm your nerves." Grandpa opened the incubator, and the aroma of the crispy crust made Hannah forget about being scolded.

When she bit into the tart core, she burned her tongue. Lu Yong fumbled for his lip balm, and the cool mint and milky scent filled their intertwined breaths. (End of this chapter)