Lin Yan racked his brains, and a sudden inspiration (or rather, a complete blank) struck him. He blurted out, "Um... shall we go for a walk? I heard... I heard the flowers behind the school seem to be blooming, shall we go take a look?"
He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. There were no flowerbeds behind the Heaven Dou Royal Academy. He had just made it up as a pretext to avoid an awkward silence.
Upon hearing this, Ye Lingling raised her head, her azure eyes filled with a hint of doubt as she looked at Lin Yan, seemingly also wondering when a place for flower viewing had been built behind the academy.
But when she met Lin Yan's eyes, which held a hint of nervousness and expectation, her doubts instantly melted away, replaced by a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
She lowered her head again and replied in an almost inaudible voice, "Mmm."
That single word seemed to possess a magical power, bringing Lin Yan's anxious heart back to reality, and simultaneously filling him with an indescribable joy.
So, the two walked side by side along the cobblestone path of the academy, aimlessly heading towards the backyard. The setting sun cast long shadows of them, sometimes overlapping, sometimes separating. They maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far, neither too distant nor too distant, yet carrying the cautious reserve of first love.
The two remained quiet throughout the journey. Lin Yan frantically searched his mind for topics, from Soul Master cultivation to anecdotes from the academy, but each one seemed so deliberate and inappropriate.
Ye Lingling kept her head slightly lowered, her gaze fixed on the grass by the roadside. Occasionally, she would steal a glance at Lin Yan's sharply defined profile before quickly looking away, her heart pounding like a drum.
They indeed did not find the so-called "blooming flowers." The backyard was just a relatively quiet grove of trees and a lawn, bathed in a warm golden light under the setting sun. A gentle evening breeze carried the scent of grass and earth.
Although there are no flowers to admire, the scene possesses a unique and tranquil beauty.
They walked on in silence, enjoying the unique tranquility. The surrounding noise seemed to be shut out, and it was as if only the two of them remained in the world, along with the soft sound of their footsteps and the clearly audible sound of each other's breathing.
Lin Yan was immersed in this subtle atmosphere, feeling both satisfied and a little anxious about how to take things further.
He secretly observed Ye Lingling out of the corner of his eye, noticing a few strands of her hair being blown by the wind and her long eyelashes trembling slightly. He felt he couldn't get enough of looking at her.
Just as he mustered his courage and was about to say something—
A gentle evening breeze blew by, bringing with it a whisper, so soft and light, like a feather brushing against the tip of his heart, that clearly reached his ears:
Lin Yan, I like you!
"Huh?" Lin Yan stopped abruptly, uttering a single syllable almost instinctively. He turned around abruptly, looking at Ye Lingling beside him in disbelief, thinking he was hallucinating.
Ye Lingling also stopped. She still didn't look up, but Lin Yan could see that her cheek and neck were completely red, and the redness even spread to her delicate collarbone.
Her hands, hanging at her sides, gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force. Those words she had just uttered had almost exhausted all her courage.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
Lin Yan's mind went blank. He'd been confessed to? By Ye Lingling? This girl, as aloof as moonlight, had actually spoken the words of the feelings he'd kept hidden in his heart, feelings he hadn't known how to express, before he could?
After the initial shock came a surge of overwhelming joy and an indescribable heartache.
He saw Ye Lingling's body trembling slightly, and he saw the unease beneath her desperate courage.
How much courage would it take for such an introverted and shy girl to say something like that?
He no longer hesitated; the thin veil of "slowness" and "embarrassment" was completely pierced by Ye Lingling's courage at this moment.
He didn't speak immediately, but slowly and solemnly turned around to face Ye Lingling.
His movement made Ye Lingling stiffen for a moment, and she lowered her head even further, like a startled fawn ready to flee at any moment.
Lin Yan took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound steady and sincere, and softly called out, " Lingling."
Ye Lingling did not respond, but her tense body relaxed slightly.
Looking at her pitiful appearance, Lin Yan's last trace of nervousness vanished, replaced by overwhelming affection and certainty. He looked directly into those beautiful eyes and spoke clearly and earnestly, word by word:
" Lingling, I like you too."
Ye Lingling's pupils dilated suddenly as she stared at Lin Yan in disbelief, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Lin Yan continued, her tone softening, "Maybe I'm a bit slow, not very good at talking, and don't know how to express myself... But from the first time we met, I had a crush on you. I like seeing you quiet, and I like the focused profile of your face when you're reading..."
Lin Yan smiled sheepishly, but his eyes were incredibly honest. "I'm sorry, I should have confessed to you first."
Ye Lingling listened to his clumsy yet incredibly sincere confession, the unease in her eyes gradually gave way to immense joy and shyness.
Crystalline tears welled up in her eyes, eventually slid down her cheeks under their weight, but she was smiling, a smile as beautiful as melting snow and blooming spring flowers, breathtakingly beautiful.
She quickly lowered her head, trying to hide her embarrassment, and said in a barely audible voice, trembling with tears, "You... you mustn't laugh at me..."
"How could that be?" Lin Yan quickly assured her, feeling a little flustered as he looked at her tears. He subconsciously reached out to wipe away her tears, but his hand froze halfway through, realizing it was too abrupt.
Ye Lingling noticed his hesitation, and her heart raced even faster.
She mustered her courage and gently placed her hand on Lin Yan's hand, which was hanging in mid-air.
It feels slightly cool to the touch and has a soft texture.
Lin Yan shuddered and immediately wrapped her slightly cool hand tightly in his palm. The soft touch felt like an electric current, instantly spreading throughout his body.
This was the first time in his two lifetimes that he had so clearly held a girl's hand, the hand of a girl he liked.
Ye Lingling struggled slightly for a moment, then let him hold her hand, her face flushing even more.
The two stood hand in hand on the lawn bathed in the glow of the setting sun, neither of them speaking. The air was filled with the fragrance of grass and the sweet scent of first love.
Silence speaks louder than words; at this moment, any words are superfluous.
After a long while, Lin Yan asked softly, "So... are we together now?"
Ye Lingling nodded gently, her voice soft yet firm. "Mm."
Lin Yan chuckled foolishly, tightening his grip on his hand. Gazing at the magnificent sunset, he felt that life had never been so beautiful.
" Lingling," he whispered, "From now on, we'll always be together."
Ye Lingling looked up at his profile, outlined in gold by the setting sun, and at her own clear reflection in his eyes. Her heart was filled with a great sense of security and peace.
She hummed softly again and tightened her grip on his hand.