Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

The melodious music began to play.

At the same time, the viewing platform was suddenly illuminated by a myriad of tiny lights, like fireflies.

Those points of light rose from the ground, hovering and dancing in the air, transforming the entire platform into a dreamlike kingdom.

Yan Xi was completely stunned.

She stared at the incredible scene before her, then looked down at the music box in her hand that was still spinning and playing.

She thought it was just a simple, handmade gift.

Little did I know that such a grand and magnificent surprise was hidden behind this.

"This is……"

Her voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Seeing her shocked expression, Li Chen's smile deepened.

Do you like it?

"What...are these?"

"These miniature drones are equipped with LED lights," Li Chen explained. "I wrote a swarm control algorithm for them that can automatically choreograph different flight paths and lighting effects based on the rhythm and melody of the music."

He pointed to the music box.

"The real controller is it."

"I have a signal transmitter built into the bottom of the music box."

"When you open it, it activates these little guys."

Li Chen's tone was very calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

But Yan Xi knew how complex the programming and how many days and nights of debugging were required behind this.

She recalled Li Chen's mysterious behavior over the past few days.

I remembered his messages that he never replied to instantly.

I remembered his missed morning runs.

It turns out he was preparing this for himself.

"I also added a little Easter egg to it," Li Chen's voice rang out again.

He gestured for Yan Xi to look at the dancing specks of light.

The points of light rearranged and combined in the air, eventually converging into a huge and clear... human face.

That was Yan Xi's face.

It was the moment she smiled at the grassland music festival.

Vivid, bright, and as radiant as the starlight at this moment.

"I used the photos you sent me before to train an AI model."

"It can recognize your facial expressions and adjust the color of the lights and the flight mode according to your mood."

"Therefore, in theory, every time you open it, the starry sky you see is unique."

Li Chen looked into her eyes and spoke earnestly, word by word.

"Xixi, I want you to know."

"You shine like this in my heart."

The moment the words fell.

Yan Xi's body was trembling slightly.

She looked at her own smiling face in the sky, and at the boy in front of her who had created a starry sky for her.

She has always been accustomed to wrapping herself in a hard shell.

She thought she was strong enough and didn't need anyone's protection or comfort.

But at this moment, that hard shell was completely shattered by the boy in the gentlest way.

Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Warm liquid slid down uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

She dropped the music box and threw herself into Li Chen's arms.

"You..."

She choked up, unable to utter the rest of her words.

In the end, it all boiled down to just two words.

"Fool."

Li Chen felt the girl trembling in his arms and her hot tears, and he held her even tighter with heartache.

He didn't say anything, he just gently patted her back.

for a long time.

Yan Xi's emotions gradually calmed down.

She lifted her head from his embrace, her beautiful eyes red and swollen from crying, like a wronged little rabbit.

Li Chen looked at her, his heart melting completely.

He raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears on her face with his fingertips.

"You don't look good when you cry," he joked with a smile.

Yan Xi sniffed and glared at him.

But this glance had no harmful power whatsoever; instead, it carried a hint of naivety.

She looked at him, at the tenderness and doting in his eyes, and her heart began to pound uncontrollably.

A thought began to frantically grow in my mind.

next second.

She stood on tiptoe, hooked her arms around Li Chen's neck, and pulled him down.

Then, he kissed her.

A soft touch came, carrying the salty taste of her tears and their unique fragrance.

Li Chen's mind went completely blank for a moment.

All he could sense was her clumsy yet passionate response.

This kiss was completely different from the one he had stolen before.

This time, with the courage to go all in and the determination to give everything.

After a brief moment of distraction, Li Chen immediately came to his senses.

He took the initiative, wrapping one arm around her slender waist and the other around the back of her head, deepening the kiss.

My breath became scalding hot.

The air around us seemed to be heating up.

The countless sparkling lights became their most romantic backdrop at that moment.

The kiss was long.

It felt like an eternity.

Yan Xi only let go when both of them were almost out of breath.

She leaned against Li Chen's chest, panting heavily, her face flushed red as if it could bleed.

She looked at Li Chen with tender, watery eyes.

The atmosphere at the scene was extremely ambiguous.

Looking at her emotional expression, Li Chen's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

The two sat side by side on the platform at the top of the mountain, neither of them speaking.

Yan Xi gently rested her head on his shoulder, looking at the city lights in the distance and the countless points of light dancing around her.

I felt an unprecedented peace and tranquility in my heart.

So this is what it feels like to be cherished.

It turns out that having someone willing to create a starry sky for you is such a blissful thing.

"Li Chen," she said softly.

"Um?"

"Thank you."

"Silly girl." Li Chen smiled and pulled her into his arms. "Why are you thanking me?"

Yan Xi didn't say anything more, but snuggled closer to him, finding a more comfortable position.

The evening breeze was slightly cool, but his embrace was very warm.

……

It was almost 11 o'clock when I took Yan Xi back to her dormitory.

Li Chen carefully put away the drones and music boxes and placed them in the trunk.

"Go back and get some rest." Li Chen helped her tidy her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind.

"Mm." Yan Xi nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on him, showing no intention of leaving.

Li Chen laughed.

He lowered his head and gently kissed her smooth forehead.

Goodnight, Xixi.

Yan Xi's cheeks flushed uncontrollably again.

She glared at him, then turned and ran quickly into the dormitory building.

As Li Chen watched her retreating figure, he couldn't hide the smile on his lips.

Go back to dorms.

Yan Xi's face was still a little red.