"Okay, I'm going home now... Good night, boyfriend."
She mumbled the last two words slightly, but the affirmation and affection within them were unmistakably clear.
Li Zhi paused, her burning gaze fixed on Shen Yuan, and added in a breathy voice that was even softer, yet more resolute than before:
"Shen Yuan, I like you."
Shen Yuan gazed at her, the tenderness and joy in his eyes nearly overflowing.
The corners of the young man's lips lifted. Without a hint of hesitation, he responded clearly, "Li Zhi, I like you, too."
The winter night's silence in the hallway enveloped the embracing pair. Their warm hold kept the cold at bay, and it seemed as if time itself was willing to pause for a moment for the young couple tasting the first buds of love.
Savoring the warmth in his arms, Shen Yuan finally, reluctantly, released his hold.
