Fireworks of Hope

After the final performance ended, thunderous applause rang out from below the stage.

Amid the applause, Xiao Yan stepped onto the stage once more. Gazing at the Xiao Family members below, he bowed with exceptional grace.

"Thank you all for watching. Tonight's celebration has now come to an end, and next comes the final activity of our Xiao Family's New Year festivities!"

No sooner had Xiao Yan finished speaking than applause erupted from below again, several times more fervent than before!

This sight made Nalan Yanran's heart tighten, and her curiosity about the final activity reached its peak.

Qing Lin, cradled gently in Xiao Yu's arms, was no exception. Her little eyes were filled with curiosity.

Onstage, Xiao Yan glanced toward backstage. Xiao Ning bared his teeth in a grin and gave him a thumbs-up before vanishing from sight.

Xiao Yan turned his gaze back to the Xiao Family members below, raised one hand slowly, and called out cheerfully.

"Everyone! Count down with me!!!"

"Yeahhh!!!"

The Xiao Family Disciples all cheered excitedly, while anticipation showed in the eyes of the Xiao Family elders below.

Nalan Yanran and Qing Lin could not help holding their breath as they eagerly awaited what would happen next. Yao Chen inside the Ring was no different.

"Three!"

"Three!!!"

As Xiao Yan called out the first number from the stage, everyone below shouted along in unison.

"Two!"

"Two!!!"

The smiles on the faces of the Xiao Family members could not have been broader. Everyone's excitement had reached its peak as Xiao Yan called out the final number.

"One!!!!!"

Whoosh!!!

Behind Xiao Yan, a streak of light suddenly shot straight up from behind the stage into the sky!

When it reached the highest point of the night sky, every member of the Xiao Family, their faces bright with joy, shouted together as the streak of light blossomed.

Boom!!!!!

"Happy! New! Year!"

Dazzling fireworks instantly lit up Wutan City's night sky, their glow reflected on every face.

It was not over yet!

Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!!!

Several more streaks of light soared into the night sky and burst apart. Those flames, like symbols of hope, were deeply etched into everyone's hearts.

Nalan Yanran stared fixedly at the brilliant colors in the night sky. Light shimmered constantly in her pupils, as if she wanted to carve this scene deep into her memory.

What a beautiful moment.

Although Nalan Yanran had always admired Xiao Yan and pursued him with all her strength,

for some reason, she had always felt that she could never truly understand him.

It seemed that in certain ways, she would never be able to comprehend him.

Yet at this moment, as her heart trembled, she suddenly understood something.

This was the path Xiao Yan had always pursued.

Nalan Yanran turned her head and gazed at Xiao Yan's sparkling pupils. Her heart began to pound as well.

Xiao Yan... Xiao Yan... Xiao Yan!

As she repeated Xiao Yan's name in her heart, her resolve grew ever firmer.

I will catch up to you. I definitely will!

In the future, I will become the woman who can proudly stand by your side!

I, Nalan Yanran, will declare to everyone that I am qualified to stand beside you!!!

Nalan Yanran made this vow in her heart. Qing Lin, still in Xiao Yu's arms, also watched the fireworks in Mid-air with deep emotion.

After her parents passed away, Qing Lin had felt as though the entire world had turned gray, without the slightest trace of color.

No matter how much Xiao Jing and Xiao Li cared for her, Qing Lin always felt an indescribable sense of unfamiliarity in her heart.

Everyone around her said that her parents should never have loved each other, and that she herself should never have been born into this world!

Slowly, Qing Lin came to believe them as well.

Perhaps they were right.

My parents were wrong, and I was someone who should never have existed.

Yet when she saw the fireworks before her, their brilliant colors—colors she had never seen before—drove away all the darkness in her heart! A thought immediately surged into her mind.

If I had never been born, I would never have seen such a beautiful sight.

All the happy memories of the past, her parents' devotion to one another, and their love for her flooded into her heart, shattering every voice of doubt she had once accepted!

Father and Mother were not wrong! They were not wrong!

I was not wrong either! Being Father and Mother's daughter is the greatest happiness of my life!

I won't run away anymore!

Qing Lin's eyes brimmed with hope and longing for the future as she made her declaration in her heart.

I am Qing Lin! I am the daughter deeply loved by Father and Mother! They are also the parents I am proud of! There is no reason for us to be rejected by this world!!!

Besides Nalan Yanran and Qing Lin, Yao Chen inside the Ring was also staring intently at the fireworks blooming in the night sky.

Clearly, the display was not particularly grand to her. In the past, any random Dou Technique she used could have created a far more spectacular scene than these fireworks.

Yet as she watched the dazzling flames in the night sky, Yao Chen could not suppress the deep emotion rising from her heart.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

Eh... how strange.

Yao Chen was startled, an unconscious smile appearing on her face.

Clearly, a Soul Body could not shed tears.

Amid the deafening explosions of the fireworks, a voice mingled with the noise. Only Yao Chen heard it clearly.

"Elder Yao! Happy New Year!!!"

Yao Chen stared blankly from within the Ring at Xiao Yan's bright smile, her heart instantly filled with boundless warmth.

Xiao Yan's smile stirred Yao Chen's heart for the first time in her life.

Ever since she had awakened by absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi, after spending so much time with him, a question had inevitably arisen in Yao Chen's heart.

Compared to this Disciple of hers, did she truly have any value?

Was her life truly worth awakening for again?

Thoughts like these echoed endlessly in Yao Chen's heart, making even some decisions she had already made become uncertain.

Perhaps she should have remained asleep. Perhaps she should not have dreamed of returning to the world.

Xiao Yan's existence had given rise to such pessimistic thoughts in Yao Chen's heart, and she could not free herself from them.

Yet at this moment, all her doubts about herself vanished like smoke.

Yeah, what have I been thinking about?

Being so sentimental really isn't like me~

Gazing at Xiao Yan's face, Yao Chen understood. A faint smile rose on her exquisite face as she responded softly in her heart.

(Ah~~~ Happy New Year~)

Yao Chen turned her gaze back to the fireworks still blooming in the sky.

That's right. There's no need to be lost.

Because I'm still alive.

At that moment, a firm thought arose in Yao Chen's heart.

Perhaps I awakened again precisely so that I could see these fireworks~

As Yao Chen silently thought this, she looked at Xiao Yan, her eyes overflowing with warmth that would not fade. In her heart, she softly called to him.

(Xiao Yan.)

(Hm? Elder Yao, what is it?)

Xiao Yan asked in confusion. Yao Chen smiled softly and said,

(Meeting you really has been wonderful.)

Hearing Yao Chen's words, Xiao Yan suddenly froze.

After a long while, Xiao Yan slowly came back to himself, and his gaze grew gentler still.

(For this Disciple as well, meeting you has truly been wonderful.)