Chapter 258: Summer, Beach, Fireworks, and a Confession

"Wow! They’re hugging! They’re hugging!" Zhao Yuanyuan cheered excitedly, pointing at the sky as she watched Niu Lang and Zhi Nv embrace. She was utterly captivated by the magnificent fireworks show.

Seeing how happy Zhao Yuanyuan was, a smile unconsciously spread across Huang Mao’s face as well.

A sudden surge of courage welled up inside him, and he abruptly grabbed the excited Zhao Yuanyuan by both arms.

The sudden movement startled Zhao Yuanyuan. She turned to Huang Mao, a look of confusion on her face...

"BOOM—!!!"

At that exact moment, the most magnificent and dazzling firework of the show—the grand finale—exploded in the sky.

Amid a billion points of golden starlight, two streams of golden light finally converged at the highest, centermost point of the night sky, resoundingly colliding and merging into one!

In an instant, a golden light more dazzling than the sun and more brilliant than the galaxy erupted from the point of convergence. It was like a torrent of liquid gold, gushing outward in all directions. It poured down upon the deep sea, upon the cape, and upon every single upturned face, washing over them in a mighty, endless cascade.

A rain of golden light enveloped the world, blanketing the two figures locked in a tight embrace on the massive rock.

The echo of Su Yuqing’s confession seemed to linger in the golden rain of light as Chen Mo stared at her, stunned.

His deep, ink-black eyes clearly reflected her blushing yet resolute face.

The golden glow of the fireworks landed on his thick eyelashes, casting a small shadow, yet it couldn’t hide the burning affection in his eyes, so intense it was about to burst forth.

Chen Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His gaze was locked on her, as if she were the only person left in the world.

It felt as if the world had truly fallen silent.

The sound of the waves, the wind, the fireworks, and the distant, enthusiastic cheers celebrating the festival’s conclusion all faded into a remote background hum.

Su Yuqing held her breath, waiting for the verdict of fate.

She could clearly see a brilliant light erupt in Chen Mo’s eyes, like a dormant volcano finally spewing forth molten lava. The light instantly illuminated his handsome features, dispelling all his usual restraint and reserve.

There was no surprise, no hesitation. There was only an immense joy, almost overflowing, and the profound relief of a moment he had long been waiting for.

The corners of Chen Mo’s mouth slowly turned up, the curve widening until it formed an incredibly gentle and brilliant smile. It was a smile that could melt glaciers, reaching the very depths of his eyes, pure and incandescent.

His deep voice, laced with a smile and a hint of long-suppressed hoarseness, answered clearly, "You said everything I wanted to say to you. You’ve left me speechless. I can only say that this is, without a doubt, the happiest moment of my life..."

Chen Mo chuckled, and she could feel the vibration in his chest.

"Even though you stole my lines," Chen Mo said gently, gazing into Su Yuqing’s reddened eyes, "it’s a good thing I came prepared with something else."

He said no more. Releasing one arm from their embrace, he reached into his pants pocket as Su Yuqing watched in confusion.

He finally pulled out the small velvet box—the one he had fidgeted with countless times, warming it with his own body heat.

Against the backdrop of the golden rain of light that still filled the sky, he opened the box, his movements solemn and marked by a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.

The sound of the box opening was lost in the roar of the fireworks. Amid the sky full of golden flames, a soft, subtle light glinted for a moment. It wasn’t the cold fire of a diamond. Lying quietly on the black velvet was an extremely delicate platinum necklace—simple in design but exquisitely crafted, shimmering with a soft, moon-like glow.

The pendant was a small, natural teardrop pearl, left mostly in its raw shape. It had a soft, gentle cherry-blossom pink hue. In the dramatic light of the fading fireworks, it shimmered with a subtle, warm iridescence, as if it had captured the very essence of her moving shyness and the blush on her cheeks.

Without another word, Chen Mo raised his hands. With movements as gentle as if he were handling a priceless treasure, and with an almost sacred reverence, he draped the platinum chain around Su Yuqing’s slender neck.

The cool chain and the smooth pink pearl pendant came to rest gently against the skin of her collarbone, which was rising and falling with her excited breaths.

A shiver ran through her at the cool touch. The small pink pearl then settled perfectly, nestled between the full, soft curves encased in her lace bra—the place closest to her heart.

This little pink pearl lacked the dazzling fire of a diamond, but it possessed a gentle warmth, nurtured by the sea.

It was like a star he had salvaged from the depths of his own heart, carrying the warmth of his silent devotion, gently branding itself upon the most important place in her life.

It was also like a single, solidified tear of love, silently speaking of an emotion just as deep and enduring as his.

As Chen Mo’s fingertips fastened the clasp, they inevitably brushed against the warm skin and soft, fine hairs on the nape of her neck.

The ticklish sensation sent another faint shiver through Su Yuqing’s entire body.

An immense, indescribable warmth exploded from the small pearl on her chest, surging through every inch of her body.

"I love you too, Yuqing." The moment he fastened the necklace, Chen Mo’s deep voice sounded by her ear. It was low and hoarse, yet it carried an unprecedented clarity and solemnity, piercing the din of the fireworks to reach her ears like a sacred vow.

"I don’t know when it started, either. Maybe it was that strange sense of familiarity when we met again in high school. Or maybe it was all the little moments we shared at school. Or maybe... maybe it was that rainy night you stood soaking wet at my door, the night I lo... the night I almost lost you..." His voice held a trace of pain from the past, but it was overwhelmed by a profound affection that was impossible to dilute.

"These past six months... watching you learn to smile again, bit by bit... watching you sleep soundly beside me... Every day has only made me more certain that opening that door for you was the best decision I’ve ever made."

"Please, be with me, and don’t worry about a thing. I want to keep you by my side. I hope that in the future, I’ll get to see you smile with genuine happiness more and more. That’s the most beautiful sight I could ever hope to see."

Hearing Chen Mo’s reply, Su Yuqing’s tears finally fell.

They weren’t tears of sadness, but a tremor of her very soul, overwhelmed by immense happiness and the fulfillment of everything finally falling into place.

She looked down at the pearl on her chest, shimmering in the afterglow of the fireworks, then looked back up at Chen Mo. Sobbing too hard to speak, all she could do was nod emphatically.

Su Yuqing couldn’t hold back any longer. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping them tightly around his lean waist and burying her hot, tear-streaked face deep into the familiar scent of his chest.