Fire Trees and Silver Flowers Illuminate the Newlyweds

"What's the matter?" Ji Qingyi asked with a hint of confusion in her voice, seemingly unaware of any issue. She continued, "Since she already checked the room, we can rest assured."

"That may be so, but..."

Su Cheng's face twisted with unease. He had heard plenty of stories about hidden cameras in hotels, and if they were to switch rooms, he couldn't guarantee absolute privacy.

"Is there something wrong?"

Ji Qingyi pressed again.

After a long silence, Su Cheng finally decided to tell her the truth. "I suspect our senior might have ulterior motives."

"If that's the case, I'll deal with her." Ji Qingyi waved her hand dismissively, motioning for Su Cheng to open the door.

Seeing her reaction, Su Cheng had no choice but to brace himself and insert the keycard.

Instantly, a pink glow enveloped them.

"Grow lights? Are there succulents in here?" As a plant enthusiast, Ji Qingyi immediately voiced her assumption—that the lighting was meant for nurturing plants.

"You really know everything, President." Su Cheng chuckled awkwardly, inwardly relieved. Given the suggestive nature of the lighting, he was glad his pristine and dignified president remained blissfully ignorant of such unsavory knowledge.

Su Cheng carefully scanned the room. Aside from the pink lighting, everything else seemed perfectly normal. Still, he remained on guard—who knew what else might suddenly pop up?

"President, let me adjust the lights." Su Cheng moved to the bedside controls and turned the dial. In an instant, the once-sultry glow softened into something far more subdued.

Click. Ji Qingyi closed the door behind them, removed her mask, and gracefully walked to the window. She drew back the curtains and silently gazed at the view below.

Su Cheng continued his inspection, only relaxing once he confirmed nothing else was amiss. He sat down on the bed—

And immediately regretted it.

Something felt off beneath the covers. He bolted upright and yanked the sheets aside, revealing handcuffs, a ball gag, a collar, and even ankle cuffs.

"What are these? Toys?" Su Cheng froze, his mind blanking out in shock. Only when Ji Qingyi spoke did he snap back to reality.

"Why are these things on the bed?" Ji Qingyi frowned, her sharp eyes now fixed on the items.

She turned to Su Cheng, clearly expecting an explanation.

"Probably... toys left behind by the previous guest's kid?" Beads of sweat formed on Su Cheng's forehead as he swallowed hard. Despite his panic, he quickly gathered everything and stuffed them into the bedside drawer, hoping to avoid further questions.

But the moment he opened it, his eyes met an entire drawer of condoms.

Su Cheng's brain short-circuited.

Now he really understood what his senior had been scheming.

The problem was, he couldn’t tell Ji Qingyi the truth. If he did, she’d demand an explanation. Worse, if she actually knew what these items were for, she’d be furious. And then—who knew how things would spiral? Their date might even end right then and there.

Thinking fast, he slammed the drawer shut and turned away, feigning outrage. "This hotel’s cleaning service is terrible! How could they leave the last guest’s belongings behind? Unacceptable. I’m taking these to the front desk right now to complain!"

"But didn’t she inspect the room?" Ji Qingyi studied Su Cheng’s back, unable to detect his lie.

Her delicate brows knitted together in confusion. "Was her inspection really that careless?"

"It’s not her fault! She probably only checked for hidden cameras or recording devices." Su Cheng even found himself defending his senior against his better judgment. As he spoke, he stuffed both the "toys" and the "condoms" into his bag. "President, you should rest. I’ll go grab some food while I’m at it."

With that, he hoisted the bag and made for the door. Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod, elegantly seating herself on the edge of the bed, her beautiful face composed as she watched him leave.

But the next second—

Plop.

A small, pink-wrapped square packet slipped out of his hastily zipped bag.

The sound was faint, but Su Cheng immediately froze. He turned back, paling at the sight of the packet on the floor.

And then—his worst nightmare unfolded.

Ji Qingyi stepped forward, bent down, and picked it up with her slender fingers. Slowly, she lifted her head, her exquisite face tilting slightly as a faint smile played on her lips.

"And what is this?" she asked, her tone deceptively calm.

"Ah! N-no, this is—uh—" Su Cheng’s face burned crimson. Desperate, he blurted, "Gum! Or maybe disposable gloves? I’m not sure."

"Oh?" Ji Qingyi drew out the syllable, then pinched the packet between her fingers. "Disposable gloves... really?"

"Y-yes! Disposable gloves!"

Su Cheng snatched it back, flung the door open, and bolted into the hallway—vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Ji Qingyi watched the door close behind him, shaking her head with a quiet chuckle. His frantic escape told her everything.

To her, the dropped item was clearly an invitation for her to stay the night—something she had already declined, given her earlier insistence on returning home by nine.

No wonder he had fled in such a panic. He must have been terrified of rejection.

About fifteen minutes later—

Ji Qingyi sat poised on the balcony chair, sipping tea. Her gaze drifted past the layered trees, settling on the bustling street below.

Beside her stood Liu Qingyue, who had arrived shortly after Su Cheng’s departure.

"Why didn’t you stop Li Guanqi from approaching him today?" Ji Qingyi’s voice carried a note of displeasure as she studied Liu Qingyue’s profile. "Now we owe her a favor for no reason."

"Miss, there were circumstances," Liu Qingyue replied softly, lowering her eyes. "She was carrying an item given to her by Gu Ruoxue, so I didn’t act rashly. Besides, I wanted to see what she was planning."

At this, Ji Qingyi’s hand stilled around her cup. She turned fully, her piercing eyes locking onto Liu Qingyue’s. "I expected this sooner or later. What was the item?"

"Cigarettes."

The word hung in the air, and Ji Qingyi fell silent.

"But for some reason, she suddenly abandoned her plan," Liu Qingyue added, a flicker of puzzlement crossing her expression.

"She couldn't hold back after all." Ji Qingyi wasn't surprised by Gu Ruoxue's actions. She took another sip of tea and was about to continue discussing the matter when—

"Miss, your date isn't over yet." Liu Qingyue cut off her unspoken words and explained further, "We can talk about these things later. Right now, the most important thing is—how did you feel about today's date?"

Hearing this, Ji Qingyi composed herself. She glanced at Liu Qingyue and replied leisurely, "Not bad."

"Oh?"

"What is it?"

Ji Qingyi raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Because you can read his every thought," Liu Qingyue sighed softly. "So today's date was far from an ordinary one for you."

Ji Qingyi set down her teacup. "In what way?"

"First, surprise. Second, anticipation. Third, romance." Liu Qingyue paused, as if carefully choosing her words. "Today, Su Cheng didn’t provide you with any emotional value. On the contrary, it was you who carried his emotions and offered him value."

"He put thought into today," Ji Qingyi said, her gaze drifting to the street outside the window. "Besides, today we were in perfect harmony, complementing and uplifting each other. Could anything be more romantic than that?"

"Are you referring to the 'arrow-throwing competition'?" Liu Qingyue said calmly. "In that regard, you did exceptionally well. He benefited greatly, and your bond deepened quickly because of it. However..."

She trailed off.

Ji Qingyi turned to her. "What is it?"

Liu Qingyue's next words struck deep: "Miss, you had no choice. Deep down, you don’t actually want him to awaken his archery talent too soon. Because if he does, he’ll start pushing himself to the limit."

At this, Ji Qingyi fell silent.

Liu Qingyue said nothing more.

Both their eyes turned to the view outside.

Suddenly, a couple passed by noisily—one chasing, the other fleeing.

They held sparklers in their hands, waving them under the evening glow, their brilliance dazzling, as if flaunting their happiness.

"Miss, I’ll take my leave now," Liu Qingyue said, withdrawing her gaze and bowing slightly.

Ji Qingyi nodded.

Night slowly descended, and the city grew quiet.

Knock knock— A light rap sounded at the door.

Ji Qingyi opened it to find Su Cheng standing there with food in hand. His cheeks were flushed, as if from rushing over in haste.

"I made some dumplings at the restaurant next door," he said, holding out the container with a shy, earnest smile.

"How thoughtful of you," Ji Qingyi murmured after a brief pause, then nodded. "Come in."

Su Cheng stepped inside, placed the food on the table, and carefully set out the bowls and chopsticks. They sat across from each other, eating in silence, the air thick with tranquility.

But Ji Qingyi noticed that unless she spoke first, Su Cheng remained stiff and uneasy. She couldn’t quite grasp what was going through his mind.

"Su Cheng."

Finally, she broke the silence.

"Hmm?" He looked up, his eyes questioning.

Ji Qingyi picked up a dumpling and fed it to him. Her voice was elegant yet carried an inexplicable dominance: "Our date ends in two hours. Do you have plans for the remaining time?"

Su Cheng bit into the dumpling, momentarily stunned.

After a moment, he nodded. "We could stroll through the night market after dinner."

Half an hour later—

They finished preparing and headed out.

By the time they left the hotel, the sunset had faded entirely.

Hand in hand, they walked along the bustling streets, savoring the night’s serenity and warmth.

To Ji Qingyi, this outing seemed aimless—merely a way to pass time until the date concluded.

The realization left her feeling slightly disheartened. Normally, she wouldn’t feel this way; she loved shopping, especially with Su Cheng.

But after Liu Qingyue’s reminder, she saw that Su Cheng hadn’t truly put any thought into her today.

She couldn’t help but recall—

What had his date with Li Guanqi been like?

Ji Qingyi remembered every detail.

The comparison left her with a pang of disappointment and defeat.

"Hmm?" Su Cheng turned to her, his eyes confused.

Ji Qingyi shook her head and said nothing, continuing their walk in silence.

Each lost in their own thoughts, they wandered on.

Suddenly, Ji Qingyi stopped.

"President, should we rest at the pavilion up ahead?" Su Cheng followed her gaze and smiled. "The koi in the lake are quite beautiful."

"Alright," Ji Qingyi agreed, walking toward the pavilion.

Su Cheng bought a bag of fish food from a nearby stall.

"Want to feed them?" he asked.

"You go ahead," she replied softly.

Su Cheng scattered the food into the water, watching as ripples formed and a swarm of koi surged forward, competing for the treats.

As she observed the swirling fish, memories flickered through Ji Qingyi’s mind, bringing a faint sorrow.

"President, shall we go?" Su Cheng extended his hand after feeding the fish.

Ji Qingyi looked at him, then placed her hand in his.

Hand in hand, they circled the lake slowly, neither speaking, the atmosphere growing heavier.

Because—

The end of their date was drawing near.

Finally, with just ten minutes left until nine, they stopped before a stone bridge.

Under the dim bridge lights, they stood side by side, gazing at the lake.

Su Cheng studied Ji Qingyi’s profile, his expression hesitant. After a long pause, he mustered the courage to speak. "President, I have a question."

"Go ahead," she said quietly.

"How… how did you feel about today’s date?" His voice trembled slightly, afraid she might say "bad" or "disappointing."

The thought alone was unbearable to him.

Ji Qingyi paused, seemingly caught off guard. Instead of answering, she countered, "I’d like to hear your thoughts first."

Su Cheng pressed his lips together, carefully weighing his words.

"I loved it. Absolutely loved it," he said earnestly, repeating the phrase for emphasis. "If I had to describe it, I’d say I was thrilled, overjoyed—utterly elated!"

Ji Qingyi was amused by his exaggerated description, a trace of tenderness flickering in her eyes. "Is that so?"

"Yes, I found something that perfectly captures how I feel right now."

Su Cheng's tone turned earnest. "I may not know how to act on a date or what counts as romantic, but I want to convey my feelings to you."

Ji Qingyi frowned slightly. "What are you trying to say?"

"President, wait here." Su Cheng turned and dashed off but returned in less than half a minute.

Just as Ji Qingyi was puzzled, Su Cheng pointed at the sky and suddenly shouted, "President, look!"

As his voice faded—

For a moment, echoes lingered, then silence fell.

But then—

"Whoosh—" "Boom—"

A brilliant firework exploded across the night sky, dazzling and radiant. The burst of colors enveloped the two of them, casting a kaleidoscope of light over their figures.

In that instant, everyone on the street stopped and looked up, stunned by the spectacle.

"This night market has fireworks too?" "We’re really lucky today." Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Nearby, the trio of Xuan Ying, Zhao Yan, and Li Guanqi also halted in their tracks, gazing at the blooming fireworks with awe in their eyes.

Ji Qingyi watched Su Cheng under the firework-lit sky, the composition pleasing her immensely.

"This represents how I feel about today’s date," Su Cheng continued. "Fireworks may fade in an instant, but the beauty of this moment is eternal."

"I understand your feelings completely," Ji Qingyi said softly.

"Then, let’s watch the fireworks together." Su Cheng stepped closer to her, this time boldly wrapping an arm around her waist.

Ji Qingyi stiffened for a second, but then, as if unwilling to let the warmth between them escape, she pressed tightly against him, allowing him to hold her.

The two gazed at the distant fireworks as they continued to bloom.

In the radiant glow of the explosions, their shadows stretched far ahead, merging into one, indistinguishable from each other—as if they had become a single entity.

"Dong—"

The distant chime of a clock marked the hour.

Today’s date had come to an end.