The following week passed like a soft breeze—warm smiles, shy glances, and quiet moments that felt strangely romantic even without any label between them.
By Friday, Li Wei sent Meilin a message she read at least ten times:
"Are you free this weekend?
There's a Lantern Festival nearby.
I'd like to take you."
Her heart flipped.
This sounded very, very close to an actual date.
She replied with a simple:
"Yes."
But in reality, she was screaming into her pillow for ten minutes straight.
---
The Lantern Festival Begins
Saturday night arrived.
The streets glowed with warm lights, lanterns hanging like floating stars.
Colorful stalls lined the road—food, games, traditional crafts.
Families laughed, couples held hands, children ran with sparkler sticks.
And there, in the middle of it all, stood Li Wei.
In a navy jacket.
Looking unfairly handsome under the golden lantern lights.
When he saw Meilin, he paused.
"You look… beautiful," he said, almost too softly.
Her face heated instantly.
"I—I just wore something normal!"
"It's beautiful," he repeated, making her want to melt into the pavement.
They walked together, the atmosphere humming with soft excitement.
---
The Goldfish Disaster
At one stall, a man shouted,
"Catch a goldfish! Win a prize!"
Meilin's eyes sparkled.
"I used to play this as a kid!"
Li Wei smiled.
"Would you like to try?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
She took the paper scoop… dipped it gently…
Rip.
It tore immediately.
She stared at it.
"I—I wasn't ready. Let me try again!"
Second try.
Rip.
Third try.
Rip, but dramatically.
Li Wei watched quietly, hiding a laugh.
"Maybe I should try?" he offered.
"No! I can do it!" Meilin said proudly.
Fourth try.
Paper scoop dissolved into sad mush.
Li Wei finally stepped forward.
With a single smooth motion, he scooped a fish.
Effortlessly.
The stall owner clapped.
Meilin glared.
"Don't show off," she muttered.
He looked at her fondly.
"I wasn't. I just didn't want you to flood the stall."
"IT WAS ONE CUP OF WATER—"
He chuckled.
She pouted.
He found it adorable.
---
Sharing Street Food
They bought skewers, sweet buns, and sugar-coated hawthorn sticks.
Meilin tried to take a bite of her tanghulu, but it was too hard.
She tugged with her teeth—
and the entire stick nearly flew out of her hand.
Li Wei caught it.
He stared at her.
She stared at him.
And then—
he broke off a piece and held it out to her.
"Careful," he murmured.
A second too intimate.
A bit too gentle.
She opened her mouth and took the bite.
Her heart was no longer beating—it was doing parkour inside her chest.
---
The Almost-Kiss Under the Lanterns
When they reached the riverbank, hundreds of lanterns floated on the water.
Warm reflections danced across their faces.
Li Wei turned toward her, expression more serious than usual.
"Meilin," he said quietly.
Her breath hitched.
"There's something I've been wanting to say… but I didn't want to rush you."
Her heart pounded.
This was the moment.
A real confession.
He took a tiny step closer.
"I—"
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A loud bang exploded behind them.
Meilin screamed and jumped straight into his arms.
Li Wei instinctively caught her.
Both of them looked back.
A kid had popped a giant firecracker toy, giggling proudly.
Meilin was still clinging to Li Wei's chest like a startled koala.
Li Wei's ears were red.
"Are… you okay?"
"No," she mumbled into his shirt. "I'm emotionally damaged."
He laughed softly and didn't let go.
---
The Sweet Twist
At the end of the night, they stopped at a stall selling floating sky lanterns.
"Write a wish and release it," the vendor said.
Meilin wrote quietly:
"I hope I can be brave enough… to love fully."
She glanced at Li Wei.
He was writing something too, carefully, thoughtfully.
When they lit the lantern and released it together, the wind lifted it into the sky.
Meilin turned to him.
"What did you write?"
He hesitated.
Then he handed her the slip of paper.
She read it.
And froze.
"I hope I can tell her soon…
that I've been in love with her for a long time."
Her breath disappeared.
She looked up at him, stunned.
"Y-You…"
Her voice shook.
"Li Wei… this is about… me?"
Li Wei met her eyes—soft, warm, unguarded.
"Yes, Meilin.
It's always been you."
Her world stopped for a moment.
Then restarted with fireworks.
Just when she thought fate wanted to embarrass her forever…
…it finally gave her the sweetest, most beautiful twist.