She says she wants to be the first to meet him in the next life

Before the first firework above the castle could even scatter, Pei Ningxue had already tilted her head up.

Chen Zhi stood behind her, feeling her entire center of gravity leaning back against him. Without overthinking it, his hands naturally wrapped around her waist.

Pei Ningxue didn't look back.

She placed both her hands over the back of Chen Zhi's hands at her waist, sliding her ten fingers into the spaces between his one by one, interlocking them tightly.

Bang—bang, bang—

Three golden fireworks shot into the sky in quick succession, bursting above the castle's spire. Points of light scattered in all directions before slowly falling, trailing long tails behind them.

The surrounding crowd erupted into a chorus of gasps and cheers.

Immediately after, the water screen at the front of the castle lit up.

Giant curtains of water surged from the shadows on both sides of the castle, and lasers projected classic Disney fairytale scenes onto the mist: Cinderella's glass slipper, Aladdin's magic carpet, and the sky lanterns released by Rapunzel.

The soundtrack poured out from speakers all around them—a symphony version of A Whole New World.

Chen Zhi rested his chin in the crook of Pei Ningxue's shoulder.

"Is it beautiful?" he asked.

Pei Ningxue didn't answer.

Her fingers tightened slightly over the back of his hand.

Another round of fireworks soared upward, this time a fan-shaped bouquet of intertwined blue and purple. They shot toward each other from both sides of the castle, meeting at their highest point to bloom into a giant lotus flower in the sky.

The brilliant light illuminated the entire plaza as bright as day before swiftly dimming again.

In the flickering light, everyone's faces were dyed in shifting colors.

Pei Ningxue suddenly closed her eyes.

She let go of Chen Zhi's hands, pressed her palms together, and brought them to her chest.

Chen Zhi tilted his head, watching her profile.

The flashing light of the fireworks danced across her face, her eyelashes casting delicate shadows on her cheekbones. Her expression was completely earnest, her lips parting slightly as if she were silently murmuring something.

This was CEO Pei, a woman who wouldn't even flinch when signing contracts worth billions.

Yet right now, with her eyes closed, she looked as devout as a little girl stepping into a church for the very first time.

After about seven or eight seconds, Pei Ningxue opened her eyes.

"What did you wish for?" Chen Zhi leaned in close to her ear.

"If I say it out loud, it won't come true."

"CEO Pei actually believes in that?"

"I'm not CEO Pei today." Pei Ningxue turned her head to face him.

Their noses were just inches apart.

Another round of fireworks exploded overhead, the cascading white light making Pei Ningxue's pupils shine translucently. Reflected in her eyes was a sky full of fireworks, blooming and fading one after another.

"Then who are you?"

Pei Ningxue stared at him for two seconds.

"Just an ordinary girl who likes you."

Her voice was mostly swallowed up by the booming fireworks.

"So what did you wish for?" Chen Zhi asked again.

Pei Ningxue lowered her head, watching as she slowly lowered her clasped hands.

When she looked up again, her expression had changed.

It wasn't her usual corporate composure, nor was it the playful petulance she showed when acting spoiled back at Wanliu Estate.

It was something Chen Zhi had never seen on her face before.

"My wish was—"

She paused.

"In my next life, I want to be the first one to meet you."

Chen Zhi froze.

"That way, you could only be mine."

The music in the plaza shifted to its climax, and the fireworks entered their most intense phase. Dozens of different colored rockets shot up simultaneously, filling the entire sky with a light so intense it was blinding.

Chen Zhi was stunned.

The surrounding noise seemed to fade away in an instant.

The only thing left in his mind was the sentence she had just spoken.

In my next life, I want to be the first one to meet you.

She hadn't complained about his current playboy ways.

Nor had she forced him to make an immediate choice.

She had humbly pushed her desire to have him all to herself to her next life.

Those words directly shattered the defensive wall Chen Zhi had always kept up in his heart. Looking at Pei Ningxue's eyes, slightly red from the wind, and seeing her stubborn refusal to let her tears fall, his heart suddenly clenched.

To hell with rationality.

Chen Zhi released his grip on her waist, cupped her cheeks in his hands, and in the exact moment another waterfall of fireworks cascaded down, he kissed her deeply.

Pei Ningxue clearly hadn't expected him to suddenly make a move in front of so many people.

After a brief moment of shock, she closed her eyes and responded passionately.

She wrapped her arms around Chen Zhi's neck, holding on tightly. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed herself completely into his embrace.

The fireworks poured down from above, the final waterfall display tracing the entire silhouette of the castle.

The colorful lights cast their kissing silhouette in flickering light and shadow.

The explosions of the fireworks echoed one after another.

The crowd around them was cheering, taking photos, and holding up their phones to record.

Some tourists nearby noticed them and let out good-natured cheers and whistles, but neither Chen Zhi nor Pei Ningxue paid them any mind.

Pei Ningxue's arms around Chen Zhi's neck tightened even more.

The kiss lasted a very long time.

So long that the fireworks went from their densest climax to a sparse trickle, until the final set formed a giant Mickey Mouse pattern in the night sky before slowly fading away.

Pei Ningxue let go first.

She stepped back a little, taking a couple of breaths, and raised a hand to wipe the corner of her mouth.

The lights in the plaza came back on.

"CEO Pei." Chen Zhi's voice was a bit hoarse.

"Hmm?"

"Don't push the matters of this life to the next."

Pei Ningxue raised her eyes to look at him.

Chen Zhi's Mickey Mouse headband had gone crooked at some point; one ear was pointing to the sky while the other drooped down.

But his expression was completely serious.

Pei Ningxue wanted to say something. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She reached out and straightened Chen Zhi's crooked Mickey headband.

"Let's go, it's time to leave the park."

The crowd began moving toward the exit.

The two walked out with the departing flow of people. Pei Ningxue walked on Chen Zhi's left side, her right hand holding his left.

Neither of them spoke on the way.

The wind at the park entrance was much stronger than inside. The March night breeze in Shanghai carried the dampness from the river, blowing a chilly draft against their faces.

Pei Ningxue shivered.

Chen Zhi stuffed her hand into his hoodie pocket.

"Cold?"

"I'm fine."

"Stubborn."

Pei Ningxue scoffed softly but didn't argue.

Stepping out of the park gates, an Alphard was already waiting by the curb.

Seeing the two come out, the driver quickly got out and opened the rear door.

"CEO Pei, Mr. Chen." The driver greeted them respectfully. His gaze swept over their tightly clasped hands, and he immediately lowered his head, minding his own business.

The two got into the car.

The partition rolled up, turning the backseat into a completely private space.

Pei Ningxue kicked off her shoes and curled up directly on the spacious seat. She rested her head on Chen Zhi's shoulder and wrapped both arms around his arm.

The car slowly drove out of the parking lot and merged into the nighttime traffic.

The streetlights outside the window flashed by one after another, casting flowing lights and shadows inside the cabin.

Pei Ningxue leaned back against the seat, tilting her head to rest on Chen Zhi's shoulder.

"Chen Zhi."

"Hmm."

"I was really happy today."

"Yeah."

A moment of silence passed.

"Thank you for riding the carousel with me."

"You're welcome. It was mostly three-year-olds around us anyway, no one recognized me."

"And the TRON Lightcycle Power Run."

"For that, you should thank my arm. You pinched it so hard I'll definitely have a row of bruises tomorrow."

Pei Ningxue chuckled softly.

The sound was quiet, yet distinct in the silent car.

She didn't say anything else.

After driving for about ten minutes, Chen Zhi felt the weight on his shoulder grow heavier. Looking down, he saw Pei Ningxue with her eyes closed, her breathing long and even.

She had fallen asleep.

Chen Zhi didn't move.

He looked out the window at the rapidly retreating night view of Shanghai, the lights of the Bund forming a continuous golden line in the distance.

Pei Ningxue's hand was still gripping his fingers inside his hoodie pocket; she hadn't let go even in her sleep.

Her eyelashes fluttered occasionally.

Chen Zhi suddenly remembered those words.

"I hope I meet you first in my next life."

He hadn't answered at the time.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but rather that any answer would have seemed too flimsy.

Pei Ningxue didn't need his lip service. This woman was more clear-headed than anyone; what she wanted was never just a pretty phrase.

The car pulled up at the entrance of the Bulgari Hotel.

"Miss Pei, we're here," the driver's voice came from the front.

Pei Ningxue didn't wake up.

Chen Zhi gently slipped her hand out of his pocket. Sliding his right arm under her knees and supporting her back with his left, he lifted her into his arms.

The driver was quick to open the door for them.

Chen Zhi carried Pei Ningxue into the hotel lobby. When the front desk staff saw this young man—still wearing a Disney Mickey Mouse headband—carrying a sleeping girl in his arms, their expressions showed a flash of astonishment before quickly returning to professional smiles.

As the elevator doors closed, Pei Ningxue stirred.

"Are we here?" she asked groggily.

"Yeah. Don't move."

"I can walk on my own..."

"Shut up and go back to sleep."

Pei Ningxue buried her face back into his chest, mumbling something incoherently.

Chen Zhi didn't catch it.

"What did you say?"

No answer.

She was asleep again.

Back in the room, Chen Zhi laid Pei Ningxue on the bed, took off her shoes, and pulled the covers over her.

Pei Ningxue rolled over, hugged a nearby pillow, and curled up into a ball.

Chen Zhi sat by the bed for a while.

He picked up his phone. There were a few unread messages on the screen.

Lin Wanwan had sent a selfie with the caption: "Finished up at the recording studio today! The new song is 80% done! What are you up to~"

Li Zhiyi had sent one: "The library closed early today, so I went back to the dorm. Have you been busy lately?"

Chen Zhi looked at the two messages, then at Pei Ningxue sleeping peacefully on the bed.

He turned off the screen and set the phone on the nightstand.

Getting up to take a shower, he changed into his pajamas, pulled back the other half of the blanket, and got into bed.

As if sensing something, Pei Ningxue let go of the pillow, groggily rolled over, and snuggled into his arms.

Her breath brushed against Chen Zhi's collarbone, warm and soft.

Chen Zhi reached out and turned off the bedside lamp.

The room went dark. The lights from across the Huangpu River peeked through the gap in the curtains, casting a faint sliver of light on the ceiling.

The alarm for the next day had been set by Pei Ningxue for 6:30 AM.

But when Chen Zhi woke up, it was almost eight.

He rubbed his eyes and felt the space next to him. There was still a shallow indentation on the pillow, but she was long gone.

The faint sound of running water came from the sink area.

Chen Zhi sat up, got out of bed, and walked barefoot to the bathroom door.

Pei Ningxue had already applied some light makeup and was adjusting her collar in front of the mirror.

"You're awake?" Pei Ningxue caught his eye in the mirror without turning her head.

"Didn't your alarm go off?"

"It did. I turned it off so you could sleep a little longer."

Chen Zhi leaned against the doorframe.

Pei Ningxue took a lipstick from her makeup bag, carefully applied a couple of strokes in the mirror, and pressed her lips together.

She then turned around to look at Chen Zhi.

"I brought you to Shanghai three days early," Pei Ningxue said, staring straight into his eyes. "Today, stay with me for one last day."