Chapter 594 - 242: Going Home? Which Home?
Chapter 594: Chapter 242: Going Home? Which Home?
Shen Yuan held Li Zhi’s hand, its warmth chasing away the chill of the winter night.
Their steps were light as they made their way along the village paths.
Soon enough, Shen Yuan spotted Yang Yishui’s familiar car parked in the shadows outside a yard.
Shen Yuan pulled Li Zhi over, a smug, show-off expression on his face as he jerked his chin toward the trunk.
"Hey, sis! Pop the trunk!"
Yang Yishui and her younger cousin were in the car playing on their phones. When they saw the two of them arrive, a teasing look immediately spread across her face.
"Ohooo—"
She deliberately drew out her words. "So, what kind of ’strategic supplies’ are you picking up this late at night?"
With a BEEP, the trunk lid unlocked and began to rise slowly.
Li Zhi peered inside curiously, and her eyes instantly widened at the sight that greeted her.
The back seat, along with the entire trunk, was practically drowned in a sea of brightly colored firework boxes!
Fireworks of all shapes, sizes, and with all sorts of flashy names were piled high—a dazzling, almost ridiculous collection. It was like a small, festive arsenal.
Shen Yuan glanced at Li Zhi, his chin rising proudly as he saw her face light up with delight.
"Like it?"
Li Zhi looked from the jam-packed trunk to Shen Yuan and nodded immediately.
The beautiful girl hugged Shen Yuan’s arm, her voice dripping with sugar. "I love it. You’re the best~"
Yang Yishui, sitting in the driver’s seat, was caught off guard as the off-the-charts sweetness assaulted her eardrums, and her whole body shuddered.
"Ughhh—!"
She let out an exaggerated, drawn-out groan and rubbed her arms, which were suddenly covered in goosebumps.
"The cringe is killing me! Shen Yuan! Get your girl!"
In the back seat, Zhao Yueyang buried his head in his knees, wrapping his arms around himself as if he’d been gravely traumatized.
"Waaah... Bro! Every time a single guy suffers, a couple is to blame! I’m still in the car, you know!!"
The tips of Shen Yuan’s ears grew warm, but he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from turning up. He shot them a smug look, raising his eyebrows.
"Tch. Enough out of you! Just be jealous!"
Yang Yishui got out of the car, pointing a warning finger at Shen Yuan. "I’m reporting you to the Dean’s office!"
"That’s a personal vendetta!"
"I call this being a model citizen! As a teacher, I..."
Shen Yuan cut her off before she could finish.
"Hold it! I got a 665 on my finals while dating. Li Bao got a 701."
Yang Yishui looked at the young couple and said indignantly, "Damn it! So you think you’re hot stuff just because you get good grades?"
"Yep. Pretty much."
Yang Yishui rubbed her arms, gave an exaggerated shiver, and rolled her eyes dramatically at the night sky.
"Alright, alright! I guess I owe it to you. After all, I’m your teacher, right?"
Though she was complaining, she quickly moved to the trunk, bent down, and pulled out two "Gatling gun" fireworks, shoving them into Zhao Yueyang’s arms.
Zhao Yueyang eagerly lit the "Gatling gun." A tongue of orange-red flame shot toward the deep blue night sky with a sharp shriek.
It exploded with a series of BANGS, bursting into a splendid shower of silver sparks that lit up the young man’s excited face.
Yang Yishui leaned against the car door, watching her younger cousin’s wild cheering with a smile and a shake of her head.
A short distance away, Li Zhi was holding a pair of thin sparklers.
Tiny sparks SIZZLED to life at her fingertips, the golden points of light dancing like a string of flowing stars.
The warm glow illuminated her profile, softening her features. Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows in the dancing light.
An unconscious smile played on her lips, her bright eyes intently following the sparks that flared and vanished in an instant. She was completely lost in their tiny, brilliant light.
Her pure joy and ethereal quality, illuminated by the gentle glow of the sparkler, were especially captivating.
Shen Yuan stood a few steps away, an unconscious smile on his face, his gaze locked on her.
The dancing sparks outlined her focused, tranquil profile, creating a silhouette that was both vivid and warm.
His heart stirred. He silently drew his phone from his pocket, held his breath, and stealthily raised it.
The screen flared to life. The brief flash of light caught Yang Yishui’s eye. A smirk played on her lips, but she didn’t say a word to interrupt.
He carefully framed the smiling girl in the lens. She was still lost in her tiny world of fireworks, completely unaware.
Shen Yuan’s finger hovered over the capture button. His heart fluttered as if a stray spark had landed on it—a warm, tingling sensation.
He gently tapped the button.
"CLICK!"
The crisp sound of the shutter, surprisingly clear in a lull between the exploding fireworks, rang out suddenly.
"Aha! Caught you red-handed! Taking sneaky pictures of the little fairy, are we?"
Yang Yishui’s teasing voice rang out right after the click of the shutter. She was leaning against the car, an all-knowing grin on her face as she waggled her own phone at Shen Yuan.
"Hey, kid, are your photo skills any good? Need a professional to take over?"
Caught red-handed, Shen Yuan fumbled with his phone, trying to lower it as the back of his ears flushed red.
"Wh-who’s taking sneaky pictures! I was just taking a picture of the fireworks!"
He protested unconvincingly, his eyes drifting toward Li Zhi, whose cheeks were also bright red.
The sparkler in Li Zhi’s hand SIZZLED and sputtered out.
She turned to look at Shen Yuan’s busted expression, then glanced at the gloating Yang Yishui. She stomped her foot, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance on her face. "Sister Shui! Do something about him!"