Chapter 261: Summer, Beach, Fireworks, and a Confession! (Flustered Yuanyuan)

Time seemed to stand still.

The sound of the waves, the wind, the faint murmur of voices in the distance—all of it became abnormally remote at this moment.

The only clear sounds were Huang Mao’s ragged breathing and the thunderous beat of her own heart.

Zhao Yuanyuan’s mind was in chaos.

’Yellow Hair? Likes me? Wants to be my boyfriend? This... how is this possible? Aren’t we best buds? Aren’t we the kind of inseparable friends who argue, trade jabs, and mess around all the time? Like? Romance? I... I’ve never even considered it! Dating Huang Mao?’ The thought detonated in her mind like a bomb, leaving her thoughts in total disarray.

She looked at Huang Mao’s face, so close to hers. That face, which usually wore a scamp-like grin, was now filled with an unprecedented seriousness and tension.

She suddenly realized—his silence and hesitation all day, his "profound" mood in the coconut grove earlier—was it all for this? This... confession?

The immense shock left her completely unable to think.

Romance? To her, it felt like something from another world.

She loved excitement, loved freedom, loved messing around carefreely with her friends, loved following her favorite stars and watching dramas... But romance? What did that even feel like?

She still saw herself as a child.

With Chen Mo, she liked him and treated him like a real older brother. Being around Chen Mo, she felt the happiness of a little sister being doted on by her big brother.

With Huang Mao, she liked him and treated him like a playmate. Being around Huang Mao, she felt the happiness of having a friend she could bicker and roughhouse with without a care in the world.

And now she was supposed to... date Huang Mao? Be his girlfriend? Oh my god!

An intense wave of panic and helplessness instantly washed over her.

She instinctively took a small step back, her gaze evasive. The color drained from her face, leaving only confusion and terror.

’I’m still just a kid. How am I supposed to be in a relationship? How can I give someone my heart?’

She was so lost.

’Am I ready for a relationship right now? Can I handle someone else’s feelings?’

She was utterly lost!

When it came to romance, she didn’t even have an intuitive feeling for it, let alone any desire.

She loved watching the sweet drama unfold between Chen Mo and Su Yuqing.

In her eyes, Su Yuqing and Chen Mo were mature enough to have reached that stage.

But she herself was still so childish, so clueless!

She was just a naive kid who knew nothing of the world.

Something like romance felt as distant to her as the far side of the sky.

"Y-Yellow Hair..." She opened her mouth, her voice hoarse and audibly panicked. "You... you can’t be serious!"

"I’m not joking! I’m serious!" Huang Mao grew anxious and took a step forward, his tone more urgent and firm. "Yuanyuan, I..."

"Wait!" Zhao Yuanyuan quickly cut him off as if she’d been burned. She unconsciously wrung her hands, her gaze flickering about, completely unable to look Huang Mao in the eye again. "I... I don’t know! Huang Mao, I... I’ve never thought about this! We’re good friends! I... my head’s a mess right now! Really... this is too sudden!"

Her reaction was like a basin of cold water poured straight over Huang Mao’s burning heart.

The light in his eyes dimmed instantly, hope turning to disappointment.

He looked at her panicked, helpless state and knew she wasn’t rejecting him on purpose. She was genuinely... floored.

"I..." Huang Mao opened his mouth, the passion and courage that filled his chest now replaced by an immense sense of powerlessness.

All the words he had prepared, all his beautiful visions for the future, were caught in his throat by her pure, unadulterated confusion.

"I’m sorry... Huang Mao..." Seeing the light fade from his eyes, Zhao Yuanyuan felt a strange pang in her heart, but it was overshadowed by confusion and helplessness. "I... I need... to think... Yes, I need to think! Give me some time..."

As if she had found a temporary escape, she finished her rambling sentence and turned, running toward the guesthouse with stumbling steps, as if something terrifying was chasing her.

"Yuanyuan!" Huang Mao called out instinctively, his outstretched hand frozen in mid-air.

Zhao Yuanyuan didn’t look back, only running faster. Her bright yellow figure soon disappeared into the shadows of the rocks and palm trees, leaving Huang Mao to stand alone under the cooling night sky, facing the still-murmuring waves.

In the distance, the embracing silhouettes on the giant rock looked exceptionally sweet under the starlight. But here, all that remained was a young man’s dejected heart, hanging in limbo, and a confession that received no reply, dissipating in the salty night breeze.

The magnificent finale of the fireworks display had only served to end his hasty, courageous charge with an ellipsis filled with confusion and uncertainty.

He stared dejectedly in the direction she had disappeared, his face for the first time wearing an expression that didn’t belong to him—one of bewilderment and bitterness.

He knew he had probably scared her, and what he feared most wasn’t rejection, but that even their relationship as "good friends" would become awkward because of this.

The night wind blew past, bringing a hint of a chill and scattering the last bit of heat from his heart.

Compared to the emotional turmoil on the giant rock and Huang Mao’s bewildered helplessness, Zhou Hao and Qu Danwan were sitting side-by-side on a thin blanket, which insulated them from the night’s chill on the reef.

When Niu Lang and Zhi Nv embraced in the center of the Magpie Bridge and a cascade of golden light poured across the sky, Qu Danwan subconsciously tightened her grip on Zhou Hao’s hand.

Zhou Hao didn’t turn his head, but gently squeezed back, his fingertips conveying a silent understanding and reassurance.

There were no excited cheers, no excessive words.

The thunderous roar of the massive fireworks seemed to be absorbed and filtered by the surrounding rocks, reaching them as just a low, distant background noise that, in contrast, made their little world feel exceptionally peaceful.

The light from the fireworks flickered across their faces, each shift of light and shadow outlining their tranquil profiles.

Zhou Hao tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on Qu Danwan’s eyes, which were illuminated by the fireworks. They were filled with pure appreciation and a serene contentment, as if she were enveloped by something beautiful and grand.

He didn’t need to ask to know that she felt the same as he did—awestruck by the magnificent sight, and even more so, warmed by the presence of the person beside her.

Qu Danwan felt his gaze and turned her head slightly as well, offering him a faint, warm smile.

That smile held admiration for the beautiful scene before them, and even more, a deep sense of security in his presence by her side.

She gently rested her head on Zhou Hao’s sturdy shoulder.

Zhou Hao’s body tensed for a moment, then slowly relaxed as an immense, solid sense of happiness filled his chest.

He adjusted his posture to let her lean more comfortably, his arm naturally wrapping around her shoulders and back to pull her closer.