Dong—
A deep, resonant bell echoed in the distance, its sound spreading through every corner of the park as the night cloaked the surroundings. Gradually, the festivities in every corner of the park began to wind down, though the smiles on people’s faces remained.
It was 11:45 PM, and the closing bell had rung.
That night, the grand ball had come to an end.
At this point, there weren’t many people left in the park. Most of the families with children had left after the float parade, and the remaining attendees of the ball were mostly young adults.
Graceful young women wore luxurious gowns, their faces concealed behind intricate masks.
Many were lamenting why the ball ended at 11:45, as Cinderella’s magic wasn’t supposed to fade until midnight. It left a lingering sense of melancholy.
Lin Ran shielded Sheng Qingxi by his side, guiding her away from the crowd as they walked deeper into the park.
Though it was early spring, the night still carried a chill. Lin Ran glanced at Sheng Qingxi, who was nestled against him. With one hand, he unzipped his school uniform jacket and pulled it over her head, wrapping her snugly inside.
Sheng Qingxi wriggled slightly within the confines of his jacket, her muffled voice coming from beneath the fabric: “Lin Ran, aren’t we heading back? I didn’t tell Mama Sheng I’d be back late.”
Without stopping, Lin Ran responded calmly, “I already called.”
Sheng Qingxi hesitated, “…Then where are we going?”
This time, Lin Ran didn’t answer.
Left with no choice, Sheng Qingxi struggled to poke her head out of his oversized jacket. By now, the crowds had dispersed, and the lights of various attractions were starting to dim. The once lively amusement park was gradually falling into quietness.
The music had faded into the night, the carousel had stopped turning, and the roller coaster tracks now stood alone, swallowed by the darkness. The costumed characters wearily headed toward the rest area, as everything slowly slipped into silence.
Only the Ferris wheel in the distance remained lit.
The beautiful Ferris wheel gleamed in the night like a giant clock face, its soft glow resembling the moon when seen from afar.
Leaning against Lin Ran, Sheng Qingxi glanced toward the Ferris wheel and pursed her lips. In a soft voice, she asked, “Lin Ran, are we walking the wrong way? The Ferris wheel is over there.”
Lin Ran smirked but didn’t respond.
Instead, his grip on her wrist tightened slightly.
The warmth of his long fingers wrapped around her wrist, the heat of his touch standing out against the cool air, making it the only sensation she could focus on. Unable to resist, Sheng Qingxi followed him obediently.
Just as they approached the Ferris wheel, Xie Zhen and He Mo, who had been missing for a while, suddenly reappeared out of nowhere. Both of them were holding snacks, bickering even as they ate.
Xie Zhen, cheeks puffed out, handed what he was eating over: “Brother Ran, Fairy, want some?”
He Mo rolled his eyes and yanked Xie Zhen’s hand back, lowering his voice: “Seriously, at a time like this? Shut your mouth already. If you mess up Brother Ran’s plans now, you’d better watch out or he’ll drag you to the boxing gym.”
Xie Zhen gulped, glancing down at his belly.
Xie Zhen silently shut his mouth. Those precious pounds of his were treasures; no way would he hand them over to Lin Ran for a beating!
Lin Ran paid no attention to their chatter. He stopped, bent down slightly, and untied the balloon from Sheng Qingxi’s wrist. With a quick gesture, the staff waiting under the Ferris wheel took the balloon from him.
Lowering his head, Lin Ran seriously helped Sheng Qingxi put on his school uniform properly, zipping it up snugly to keep her warm. Only then did he take her hand and guide her toward the Ferris wheel cabin.
Sheng Qingxi glanced back at the now-empty park and whispered, “Lin Ran, the park is closed.”
Lin Ran chuckled softly, “Yes, it’s closed for them.”
But not for us.
Sheng Qingxi turned her head to look at Lin Ran, who was sitting across from her. Most of his figure was hidden in the shadows. As the cabin door closed, the shifting light momentarily illuminated his profile before he was swallowed by the darkness again.
Sheng Qingxi froze for a moment.
The look in Lin Ran’s eyes just now—she had never seen it before.
It was intense, wild, and burning.
As if all the restraint and patience from before had vanished.
*Bang—*
The cabin door fully closed.
Sheng Qingxi’s heart unexpectedly skipped a beat.
The silence and darkness slowly expanded.
For no reason, Sheng Qingxi felt that the small, confined cabin had suddenly become dangerous. Although the person opposite her remained still, his gaze, with its faint possessiveness, enveloped her completely, following her like a shadow.
There was nowhere for her to go.
Feeling uneasy, Sheng Qingxi bit her lip, resisting the urge to call Lin Ran’s name.
Before long, the still Ferris wheel began to move, causing the cabin to sway slightly.
Sheng Qingxi, startled by the motion, belatedly gripped the handrail. Lin Ran seemed to want to reach out and steady her, but his hand paused mid-air before pulling back.
After a brief moment, he sank back into the shadows.
The Ferris wheel began to rise, and Sheng Qingxi, sensing something, turned her head to look outside.
Suddenly, the dimming lights of the amusement park came alive again. The carousel started spinning, the band hurriedly gathered below the Ferris wheel, and the costumed characters, hand in hand, skipped and waved enthusiastically in her direction.
The silence and chaos from earlier returned all at once.
Sheng Qingxi stared blankly out of the window.
Instinctively, she turned to the figure shrouded in darkness. “Lin Ran.”
The sound of lively music filled the air, fireworks burst into the sky, and the Ferris wheel was about to reach its highest point.
Then Lin Ran’s hoarse voice broke the moment, “Yuan Yuan, happy 18th birthday.”
As his words fell.
The Ferris wheel reached its peak.
In the pitch-black night, a grand display of fireworks suddenly bloomed, as if countless stars lit up the sky, cascading like falling meteors. After each fall, another bud blossomed, continuing the spectacle endlessly.
The deep tolling of the bell rang out again.
Once, twice, three times.
A new day had arrived, and Sheng Qingxi’s birthday had passed.
The Ferris wheel slowly turned, and their cabin began its descent.
Sheng Qingxi tilted her head back, gazing intently at the spectacular fireworks before her, her eyes reflecting the brilliant array of colors like scattered stars. She knew this was her personal night of shooting stars.
Lin Ran’s gaze, dim and intense, rested on Sheng Qingxi’s face. She was as gentle and quiet as the first time they met. From the moment she had stepped into his life, she had always been like this—unchanging.
His frozen heart had ignited because of her. She was like a tiny spark that had fallen into a barren wilderness. Just one look, one smile, or one embrace was enough to conquer him.
The day he met her was the day he was reborn.
As they neared the ground, the Ferris wheel came to a gentle stop.
But the cabin door remained shut. The band and costumed characters had dispersed, and the surrounding staff had vanished as well. It seemed as though the entire amusement park had emptied out, leaving only the two of them.
Oh no, not two—four.
He Mo and Xie Zhen had purposefully chosen the cabin furthest from Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi’s, positioned directly across from them at a 180-degree angle. So, when Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi’s cabin stopped, He Mo and Xie Zhen’s cabin was suspended at the highest point.
He Mo: “…”
If he were strong enough to beat Lin Ran, Lin Ran would already be a dead man by now.
The chubby Xie Zhen looked horrified: “Mozi, why did the Ferris wheel stop suddenly? Did Brother Ran forget we’re still on it? Or is he purposely taking revenge on us for following him? Waaaah!”
Chubby was scared.
Chubby was not happy.
He Mo rolled his eyes. “Brother Ran and Sheng Qingxi haven’t left either. It’s obvious he has something important to say.”
Xie Zhen grumbled indignantly, “Why didn’t you stop me back then?”
He Mo: “?”
Either way, to them, Lin Ran was clearly a savage.
…
The fireworks gradually died down.
Inside the Ferris wheel cabin below.
Sheng Qingxi, who had been focused on the sky, hadn’t noticed that the person across from her had silently moved to sit beside her. It wasn’t until the last streak of fireworks fell like a shooting star that she realized.
“Lin…,” she started.
But her words were cut short.
She stared in shock at Lin Ran, who had leaned in close, positioning himself between her and the cabin door. The small space was now filled with the scent of Lin Ran, and the temperature around them seemed to rise noticeably.
Lin Ran’s warm gaze roamed over her face, finally settling on her lips.
Sheng Qingxi panicked and leaned back, but the more she retreated, the closer Lin Ran came. She backed away until she was pressed entirely against the cabin door, unable to retreat any further. Summoning her courage, she pushed him lightly. “Lin Ran, you’re too close.”
Lin Ran, looking at the flustered rabbit trying to escape, chuckled softly. “Yuan Yuan, you’re an adult now, you know that, right?”
Sheng Qingxi avoided his gaze and didn’t respond.
Lin Ran wasn’t in a hurry. After waiting for so long, he wasn’t about to rush things now. After all, there was no point in being impatient when it came to catching a skittish rabbit.
Unlike the heat in his gaze, his voice was calm and deliberate. “Sheng Qingxi, didn’t you say you liked me? And not just liked me, but liked me very, very much.”
Sheng Qingxi: “…”
Hearing the words she had once said now narrated by Lin Ran, the tone sounded more ambiguous and, frankly, a little embarrassing.
Feeling the sting of embarrassment, Sheng Qingxi mustered the courage to glare at him. “What are you doing?”
Lin Ran met her round, wide eyes for a moment before speaking again. His tone was as casual as always, but a closer listen revealed an undercurrent of tension. “Sheng Qingxi, what do you say we start dating?”
The heat in the air seemed to spread slowly to Sheng Qingxi’s face, and she couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
Dim light filtered through the glass, illuminating half of Lin Ran’s figure. Sheng Qingxi could clearly see the way his dark eyes were fixed on her, emotions swirling in their depths.
Tentatively, Sheng Qingxi whispered, “Can I think about it?”
Lin Ran: “?”
His response was immediate and ruthless. “No.”
Sheng Qingxi bit her lip.
How could he be so domineering? He wouldn’t even give her time to think. If she refused, she probably wouldn’t make it out of the cabin tonight.
In all her lives, Sheng Qingxi had never dated anyone before, and she couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to date Lin Ran. To her, they were already very close these days, and she had gotten used to their current relationship.
Dating… would that really change anything?
Especially dating Lin Ran.
Sheng Qingxi’s prolonged silence made Lin Ran more and more anxious. When he looked more closely at her, he realized that the little rabbit was actually spacing out?
Grinding his teeth, Lin Ran reminded her, “I’ll give you one more minute.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the distracted Sheng Qingxi looked up at him and asked seriously, “Lin Ran, how do we date?”
How do we date? Dating is just…
Lin Ran fell silent.
For a moment, the question threw him off. His voice, now slightly harsh, came out almost angrily. “Once we’re dating, you’ll find out. Just tell me if you want to or not.”
This wasn’t how Lin Ran had imagined his confession would go at all.
In his mind, when he asked her that question, this silly little rabbit would obediently throw herself into his arms, give him a soft “yes,” or maybe even come up and kiss him. That would’ve been perfect.
But reality had shattered that fantasy.
Sheng Qingxi thought for a moment. She recalled a conversation she’d had with Old Qu. Back then, Old Qu had assumed they were already in a relationship and had subtly hinted that Lin Ran’s academic performance had stabilized, and he hoped their relationship could stay stable as well.
After all, both love and heartbreak can greatly affect a person.
So, with a sense of responsibility toward Lin Ran, Sheng Qingxi mustered up the courage and quietly said, “Lin Ran, I agree to date you. But… but we have to wait until after the college entrance exams.”
Lin Ran gritted his teeth. This little thing was driving him crazy.
And yet, he couldn’t really do anything to her. What was he supposed to do, tie her up and force her to agree?
Lin Ran huffed softly and proposed a counteroffer, “Fine, but I need to exercise my rights in advance, just in case you back out later.”
Sheng Qingxi blinked. “I won’t back out.”
Lin Ran, being unreasonable, pushed further, “Just tell me if you agree or not.”
After a moment of contemplation, Sheng Qingxi nodded slightly. “Then you—”
Her words were cut off by Lin Ran’s sudden movement.
His long fingers gently but firmly grasped the back of her neck.
With a little force, he pulled the slender Sheng Qingxi into his arms, her head tilted back due to the angle. Without hesitation, he lowered his head and kissed her.
This kiss was unlike any before.
Lin Ran didn’t hold back, swiftly reaching his goal with ease.
The warmth of his fingertips against the back of her neck matched the heat between their lips.
Sheng Qingxi’s eyes widened in surprise, her fingers instinctively tightening around the fabric of Lin Ran’s shirt. It was a strange, subtle sensation, as though every inch of her skin was trembling in response to his touch.
Her breath grew unsteady, and she couldn’t help but try to push him away.
She felt like she was suffocating.
But of course, that kitten-like push wasn’t enough to move Lin Ran. He only withdrew after giving her soft cheek a playful tug, releasing her slowly and deliberately.
Sheng Qingxi couldn’t help but let out a soft whimper.
The sound sent a shiver down Lin Ran’s spine. He pinched her burning earlobe before finally letting go.
Looking down at the breathless Sheng Qingxi, Lin Ran chuckled, his husky voice filled with a lazy yet satisfied amusement. “Sheng Qingxi, am I your boyfriend now?”
“…”
She didn’t want to answer him.