The first light of dawn filtered through the delicate window lattice, gently spilling into the luxurious guest room Heaven Dou Royal Academy had arranged for Zhang Bufan.
Huo Wu's long lashes fluttered a few times before she slowly opened her eyes. What greeted her was not the fiery red decor of the Blazing Fire Academy dormitory she knew so well, but unfamiliar yet lavish furnishings. After a brief moment of confusion, everything from the night before flooded into her mind like a tide—the uproar of their victory, the confrontation before the Pope's Palace, the confession beneath the fireworks, and... that gentle yet resolute kiss upon her forehead.
Two crimson blushes instantly spread across her cheeks, like the most beautiful dawn clouds on the horizon. She subconsciously raised a hand and lightly touched her forehead, where that warm, soft sensation seemed to linger.
"Awake?" A familiar, amused voice sounded beside her.
Huo Wu jerked her head around and saw Zhang Bufan leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, a teasing yet gentle smile at the corner of his lips. Who knew how long he had been watching her?
"Y-you... why are you here?!" Huo Wu instinctively pulled up the blanket, even though she was fully dressed.
"This is my room, Vice Dean." Zhang Bufan smiled as he walked in, then naturally sat by the bed and reached out to straighten her slightly tousled fiery-red hair.
Huo Wu tilted her head to avoid him, her heart pounding like a drum as she forced herself to remain calm. "W-who is your Vice Dean?! And who gave you permission to come in... no, who gave you permission to sit there?!"
Zhang Bufan did not get angry. He withdrew his hand and looked at her with a grin. "Didn't someone personally agree to be my girlfriend