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It was as if time had frozen in that instant.

It felt like she was standing on a cloud, everything around her slightly surreal. When she turned her head slightly, she could still see the lights of thousands of homes glowing in the distance.

They were lit for her.

Le Ya didn’t know how Chen Yang had managed it, but achieving something like this surely wasn’t the result of just a few casual words.

In the distance, the ocean shimmered faintly, like fireflies dancing in the night.

The sound of the wind gradually faded from Le Ya’s ears, but Chen Yang’s earlier words grew clearer and clearer, followed by the sight of a ring held before her.

As someone who studied design, her first instinct was to evaluate it. The ring wasn’t flashy or extravagant—simple yet elegant. Still, the dazzling diamond reflected brilliantly against the night sky, impossible to ignore.

Chen Yang’s star-like eyes gazed deeply into hers.

Snapping out of her astonishment, Le Ya’s gaze returned to the ring. Unable to hold back her smile, she extended her hand.

Her voice soft and sweet as always, she murmured, “Aren’t you going to put it on for me?”

Le Ya’s heart was brimming with surprise, her anticipation of the future rushing forward. Just over a week ago, she had been talking with Xie Qingyu about weddings, never imagining it would happen so soon.

Chen Yang lowered his head and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, accentuating her slender, pale fingers with an elegant grace.

Her hand rested gently in his palm.

From this moment on, this hand would remain in his forever.

Holding her hand tightly without letting go, the initial shock wearing off, Le Ya couldn’t help but blush, her entire body feeling warm.

She said softly, “Aren’t you going to let go?”

Chen Yang replied, “Why would I let go?”

He leaned down, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. Behind them, the starry sky stretched endlessly as they kissed passionately mid-air, like a scene straight out of a movie.

After a long while, Chen Yang finally released her. Cupping her face, he pressed her tightly against him and whispered, “I’ve waited a long time for this day.”

Since childhood, until now, he had finally branded her with his name. He couldn’t help but narrow his eyes slightly.

Le Ya didn’t speak. She lightly licked her lips, drawing his attention once more.

Chen Yang’s gaze darkened.

Noticing the shift in his expression, Le Ya quickly said, “Aren’t you going to take me to eat? I’m hungry.”

Chen Yang chuckled, “Alright.”

Whenever she got emotional, she always wanted to eat. He didn’t know what to say, though tonight was indeed his fault for not feeding her before heading out.

Le Ya said, “I want to take some pictures of this.”

But her dress didn’t have pockets for her phone, and her bag was still in the car. For now, she could only use Chen Yang’s phone.

Chen Yang handed his phone to her, “Go ahead.”

Le Ya had intended to ask him to unlock it, but to her surprise, the phone unlocked the moment her finger touched it. His fingerprint settings already included hers.

She had no idea when that had happened.

Though it was a small detail, Le Ya’s heart swelled with happiness. She quickly snapped several photos of the view below, finishing with a panoramic shot.

Handing the phone back to him, she said, “Remember to send these to me later—originals only.”

Chen Yang agreed, “Alright.”

After floating in the air for a long while, the hot air balloon returned to its starting point. This time, Le Ya wasn’t wearing the blindfold and realized they were on a mountaintop.

The entire city lay spread out before them, including half of the ocean.

Chen Yang bent down and lifted her into his arms. “Let’s go eat.”

Le Ya nestled against him, listening to the sound of his voice. Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face in his chest and murmured, “Chen Yang, I love this so much.”

She loved tonight so much.

Whether it was the beginning or the surprise tied to her eighteenth birthday, she was overwhelmed with joy. She saw how much effort he had put into it, which made it even more meaningful.

Chen Yang curved his lips into a smile, “I love it too.”

Hearing his response, Le Ya’s ears reddened slightly. Only then did she realize this conversation mirrored one they’d had during her birthday.

That game—they both loved it.

The restaurant had already been reserved, and this time it was just the two of them.

No sooner had Le Ya sat down than she received a call from Le Yijian. Seeing his name on the screen, she instinctively glanced at Chen Yang.

Chen Yang remained calm, “It’s fine.”

Something this big—there was no way Le Yijian wouldn’t know about it. Though it was a bit of an after-the-fact situation, he hadn’t stopped them either.

While he often complained about Chen Yang outwardly, it was undeniable that Le Yijian had never made things difficult for their relationship.

In fact, he had even helped Chen Yang privately during the early days of his business.

If others hadn’t told him, he would never have checked—or known—it was Le Yijian.

Le Ya answered the call, “Dad?”

Le Yijian, who had been frantic, calmed down upon hearing her voice. Softly, he asked, “Le Ya, where are you right now?”

“I’m about to eat,” Le Ya replied. “What’s wrong?”

Le Yijian quickly said, “Nothing, nothing. Eating is more important. Don’t go hungry. I’ll hang up now. Eat well.”

Just before hanging up, he added, “Le Ya, be careful. If you can, come home afterward.”

Before Le Ya could process anything, the call ended.

Still holding her phone, she sighed helplessly. Le Yijian’s tone had shifted so abruptly, clearly wanting to ask something but deciding against it in the end.

His final words left her puzzled, but before she could figure out their meaning, she shook her head and said, “Send me the pictures soon, okay?”

Chen Yang didn’t keep her waiting.

When Le Ya received the photos, she scrolled through them and found that they didn’t need any editing. The ambiance alone was perfect.

She chose the panoramic shot, applying a blur effect until the names in the image were barely visible before posting it to her Weibo. Even blurred, the photo was breathtakingly beautiful.

The meal was Western-style, and Chen Yang handled everything before placing it in front of her. Throughout the dinner, Le Ya practically only had to open her mouth.

Even when she tried to protest, it was futile.

With the last bite, Chen Yang said, “If it weren’t so late, I’d take you to the civil affairs office right now.”

Le Ya nearly choked, “What’s worrying you so much?”

Chen Yang stared at her intensely, “I can’t wait any longer.”

Under his unabashed gaze, Le Ya’s cheeks flushed. Not knowing what to say, she simply lowered her head and continued eating.

As they left the restaurant, Le Ya asked, “Are you taking me home?”

Chen Yang replied, “No, there’s one more place.”

Le Ya didn’t know where else they could possibly go after the proposal, but she didn’t ask. Instead, she let him lead her onward.

It wasn’t until half an hour later that they arrived at their destination.

A villa slowly came into view before her, its warm yellow lights glowing softly in the night, outlining its exquisitely designed silhouette.

Le Ya exclaimed in admiration, “It’s beautiful.”

Chen Yang placed the keys in her palm, his cool fingers intertwining with hers. “Go ahead,” he said softly. “Open it yourself.”

Le Ya nodded, “Alright.”

Wearing her dress, she walked through the entrance like a curious elf who had wandered into a forest, marveling at everything around her—innocent and radiant.

Chen Yang followed behind her, his gaze never leaving her.

When Le Ya reached the door, she pushed it open.

Inside, the lights illuminated everything before her eyes—cozy yet simple, this style was her favorite.

Le Ya turned around and bumped into Chen Yang. She wrapped her arms around him, “It’s so beautiful. Did you prepare this long ago?”

Chen Yang nodded, “Yes.”

From a long time ago until now, it had finally been opened by its rightful owner.

The corners of Le Ya’s lips curved upward as she began to explore the house step by step. She climbed the stairs and pushed open a door.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sea was not far away. No wonder she had smelled the faint salty scent of the ocean breeze earlier.

The gauzy curtains fluttered in the wind.

Le Ya returned to the bed and sat down, shyly asking, “Chen Yang, is this where we’ll live after we get married?”

Chen Yang leaned against the doorway, “You can move in now.”

Le Ya lay back and suddenly recalled what Le Yijian had mentioned over the phone earlier about going home. It dawned on her.

She nearly jumped up but didn’t realize when Chen Yang had already approached and lain down beside her. He then rolled over and pinned her gently.

A flurry of kisses rained down on her.

After a while, Chen Yang pulled back, his voice slightly hoarse, his dark eyes fixed on her. “Anything you want to say?”

Le Ya’s mind was a jumble of thoughts. Some unmentionable ideas crossed her mind, but she wasn’t ready for any of it.

She opened her mouth hesitantly and whispered, “I… I want to eat Wang Ji’s xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).”

Chen Yang: “….”

He almost burst out laughing.

Chen Yang reached out and pinched her nose lightly, his voice low and amused. “Alright, wait here. I’ll get them for you right away.”

Le Ya felt a mix of embarrassment and guilt.

She assumed Chen Yang would send one of his subordinates to buy them, but to her surprise, he straightened his clothes, gave her a couple of instructions, and drove off himself.

He was going to buy them personally.

Watching the car disappear into the distance, Le Ya’s heart grew heavy with mixed emotions.

After much thought, she hurried back into the room, opened her phone, and quickly searched online for answers to her questions.

She didn’t dare ask Xie Qingyu or Su Hui—they were too close—but searching online yielded nothing useful.

All the links labeled “resources” turned out to be fake. Clicking on them led nowhere, and her phone nearly got infected with a virus.

Utterly frustrated, she popped into the group chat: “Um… do any of you have resources?”

The previously silent group chat exploded with activity. Xie Qingyu was the first to respond: “Teaching resources? I’ve got those. What do you need?”

Le Ya’s heart leapt with hope, but just as she was about to reply, Xie Qingyu added, “For midterms or finals?”

Le Ya: “….”

She certainly didn’t need middle school study materials.

Su Hui chimed in: “@Xie Qingyu Stop teasing Le Ya.”

Xie Qingyu laughed, “Hahahaha, I’m just shocked. I was only joking. So, Le Ya, why are you looking for resources?”

Before Le Ya could respond, another message popped up.

Su Hui: “Isn’t it obvious? It’s Chen’s doing. Let me see… the news said something about the entire city lighting up for one person.”

Xie Qingyu: “Tsk tsk tsk, rich people…”

Feeling teased beyond words, Le Ya tried again: “Come on, stop it. Do you guys have anything or not?”

Xie Qingyu, lounging on her bed, couldn’t help but laugh aloud at Le Ya’s question. “Yes, yes, yes.”

As a mischievous high schooler, how could she not have such resources? Even if she didn’t, she could always dig them out from Liang Qian’s computer.

Speaking of which, they’d even watched some films together.

Since she couldn’t find resources herself, she naturally turned to Liang Qian. Boys seemed to have an innate ability in this area.

Liang Qian was still in the shower, his singing audible even from where Xie Qingyu sat. She got out of bed and turned on her computer.

Her files were meticulously categorized into European-American, Japanese, Korean, and other international categories.

After browsing for a few minutes, Xie Qingyu selected a subtle and artistic film. She remembered it being watchable as a movie—it wouldn’t corrupt the little cutie.

Xie Qingyu typed, “Sent. Download it quickly.”

Su Hui: “Impressive, impressive. I’m still a pure maiden who hasn’t seen anything.”

Xie Qingyu: “Sure, sure. You’ve had firsthand experience, haven’t you? Our stunning/now-mature Hui.”

Su Hui: “….”

How did she suddenly become a “matron”?

Le Ya had no mood left to banter with them. Her eyes darted quickly as she downloaded the file, watching the progress bar steadily decrease. Her heart was pounding wildly.

So nervous, so nervous.

Xie Qingyu: “@Le Ya Did you buy protection?”

Realizing what she meant, Le Ya blushed and replied, “I don’t know… I didn’t ask anything.”

Xie Qingyu: “That’s not good. Give me your address, and I’ll order it for you. It’ll arrive in about ten minutes.”

Su Hui: “Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ll have Su Cheng send someone over right now. Guaranteed delivery in ten minutes.”

Le Ya hesitated, unsure whether to give her address, but ultimately declined their offers. “I can buy it myself.”

Xie Qingyu: “[Sure thing, my little baby.jpg]”

In the group chat, Xie Qingyu and Su Hui went on to discuss which resources were the best to watch, completely forgetting about Le Ya.

While Chen Yang was still out, Le Ya decided to take matters into her own hands. She checked online and found options for immediate delivery, but she had no idea which ones to choose.

She had never seen these things before and could only search one by one. The answers she found varied widely.

Finally, Le Ya impulsively selected all of them—each type came in packs of ten. With so many options, surely one would come in handy, right?

After placing the order, she buried herself under the covers.

So embarrassing.

Not knowing how much time had passed, her phone suddenly vibrated. Le Ya immediately popped her head out and opened it, discovering that the download was complete.

Just as she was about to open the file, she heard the sound of the door opening.

Le Ya quickly turned off her phone and got up from the bed. She saw Chen Yang walk in carrying a paper bag. He took off his coat, revealing his well-built physique.

Chen Yang didn’t notice her expression as he opened the box, and the rich aroma of xiaolongbao instantly filled the room.

He tilted his head toward her. “Aren’t you coming to eat?”

Chen Yang looked toward the bedside, his eyes catching the light from above, sparkling like stars, impossible to look away from.

Le Ya quickly nodded. “Coming.”

What had originally been just a casual excuse now made her realize she was actually craving the food. Despite having eaten Western cuisine not long ago, the smell was irresistible.

Wang Ji’s xiaolongbao was famous around here. She had practically grown up eating them, and the taste had remained consistent for ten years, earning them a loyal customer base.

Le Ya ate with immense satisfaction, her cheeks puffing out and sinking back in, resembling a squirrel preparing for winter.

Chen Yang couldn’t help but reach out to pinch her cheek.

The moment he pinched, Le Ya let out a muffled protest, “Don’t disturb me…”

Chen Yang chuckled softly.

He watched her take small bites, and surprisingly, even he started to feel curious. Was it really that delicious?

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Le Ya abruptly stopped eating, her eyes widening as she realized something. She scrambled to get up and open the door.

She wasn’t wearing shoes yet.

Chen Yang pressed her down gently and then strode confidently toward the door. From inside, they could see it was a stranger.

Le Ya panicked. “I need to go get it.”

She assumed it was the package she had ordered. But if Chen Yang went to retrieve it, wouldn’t he see everything?

Chen Yang glanced down and noticed her toes wriggling nervously—it was rather cute. “I’ll go.”

It was just a simple task.