A Summer Night in Brilliant Bloom

Aemeath her little bucket, found everything fascinating.

"A-Yan, come quick! Something's moving here!"

As soon as they approached a large puddle, Aemeath exclaimed excitedly.

Lu Yan walked over and saw a hermit crab, no bigger than a fingernail, slowly crawling along the shallow bottom of the water, carrying a spiral shell that seemed rather heavy for it.

"This is a hermit crab." Lu Yan was about to explain when he saw Aemeath stretch out her slender fingers, pick up the little guy, and examine it carefully in her palm.

Startled, the hermit crab immediately retracted into its shell and pretended to be dead, remaining motionless.

"Huh? Why isn't it coming out?" Aemeath poked the hard shell and let out a crisp laugh.

"Put it back in the water, and it will come out on its own after a while when it feels safe." Lu Yan looked at her happy expression and ruffled her hair.

After Aemeath put the hermit crab in her bucket as her first trophy, her enthusiasm for the treasure hunt grew even stronger.

She took a small pair of tongs and searched through the crevices of the rocks. Before long, she made a new discovery.

Wow! What a huge crab!

Beneath a rock covered in oysters, a bluish-gray stone crab is waving its two large pincers, trying to intimidate intruders.

Undeterred, Aemeath took the clamp and tried to grab its pincers.

"Be careful not to get pinched." Lu Yan quickly stepped forward to instruct, "To catch a crab, you need to approach from behind and hold its shell down, so its claws can't reach you."

With Lu Yan's on-site instruction, Aemeath successfully threw the menacing stone crab into the bucket.

Listening to the rustling sound of crabs crawling at the bottom of the bucket, she raised her chin triumphantly. "Hmph... In the face of absolute power, everything is futile!"

The two continued exploring the rocky area.

A short while later, Aemeath found a bright orange starfish at the edge of a puddle.

She carefully picked up the starfish and looked at the tiny, wriggling tube feet on its bottom, feeling a chill run down her spine.

But what she found most interesting was the cat's eye snail.

"A-Yan, look at this snail! Its shell is semi-circular, and it has so much meat that it's overflowing!" Aemeath said, pointing to a soft-bodied creature in the sand that was full of water and its body was swollen like a small ball.

"This is a cat's eye snail. Try gently squeezing its flesh with your hand," Lu Yan encouraged with a mischievous grin.

Aemeath, puzzled, reached out and gently pinched the plump, soft flesh of the cat's-eye snail.

Stimulated, the cat's-eye snail instantly contracted its muscles, and a thin jet of water shot out from its body. Then, its massive body deflated like a punctured balloon, quickly retracting into its shell, finally sealing the entrance tightly with a hard shell resembling a cat's eye.

"Ah!"

Aemeath was startled by the sudden water spray attack, then couldn't help but burst into laughter. "This is so much fun! It can actually spray water!"

Aemeath seemed to have found a new toy, and for the rest of the time, her attention was completely drawn to these cat's-eye snails hidden in the sand.

Whenever she sees a swollen cat's-eye snail, she has to go up and pinch it, watching it squirt water and awkwardly retract into its shell, then she giggles nonstop.

The afternoon passed quietly amidst laughter and joy as people went beachcombing.

As the sun sets, a magnificent sunset once again illuminates the horizon.

The two of them had already filled their small buckets more than halfway with their spoils: crabs, starfish, clams, and lots of cat's-eye snails.

A sea breeze blew, ruffling Aemeath's long hair. Carrying a heavy little bucket, she turned to look at Lu Yan beside her, her golden eyes reflecting the afterglow of the setting sun and his tall, upright figure.

There was no long search, no lonely night, only this sea before her and the person who doted on her to the core.

Lu Yan naturally took the small bucket from her hand, and held her tightly with his other hand.

"Let's go back." Lu Yan's voice sounded especially gentle in the evening breeze. "Have the kitchen process these spoils tonight; it'll be an extra treat for you."

"Okay~" Aemeath gripped his hand tightly, and they walked towards the brightly lit resort, their shadows lengthening in the setting sun.

As night falls, soft, warm orange light spills onto the tables in the resort's private restaurant.

Outside the window, the night sea surged, while inside, the spoils of their own beachcombing exuded a rich, mouthwatering aroma.

The stir-fried bluish-gray rock crab with scallions and ginger was coated with a layer of crystal-clear sauce, and the crab meat was plump and firm. The cat's-eye snails that had Aemeath to giggle in the afternoon were carefully cleaned by the chef and made into an incredibly delicious clear soup. The soup was milky white and had a few bright green scallions floating on top.

Mmm! The meat in this crab claw is so sweet!

Aemeath devoured the crab claw without a care for her image, sweet juice dripping from the corner of her mouth.

Lu Yan sat opposite her, holding professional crab-disassembling tools, placing the whole crab leg meat he had removed into a small white porcelain dish in front of her, a doting smile on his lips.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you. Who was it on the beach who said everything is futile in the face of absolute power? It seems your appetite has been conquered first."

Aemeath gave him a playful glare, then confidently stuffed the crab leg meat into her mouth. "Of course, anything I set my sights on, whether it's crab or..."

She paused deliberately, her golden eyes, gleaming under the light, fixed intently on Lu Yan, and drawled, "People... they all have to obediently come into my bowl."

Just as the two were enjoying their dinner in such a tender atmosphere, there was a gentle knock on the wooden door of the private room.

With a respectful "Excuse me," Sister Yue, the resort's manager, entered with a professional and sincere smile, her hands clasped in front of her, and a slight bow.

Manager Yue was a very perceptive person, and she knew that the two people in front of her had booked the entire resort and private beach, and their wealth was unfathomable.

"Mr. Lu, Ms. Aemeath, good evening. How was dinner tonight, especially the seafood you two caught yourself? Was the kitchen's preparation to your liking?" Manager Yue's voice was gentle and just right.

"That's wonderful, thank you for your thoughtfulness." Lu Yan put down his tools, grabbed a tissue to wipe his hands, and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Receiving affirmation, Manager Yue's smile deepened. She took a step forward, her tone carrying a hint of mystery:

"We're glad you're both satisfied. Here's the thing: to thank Mr. Lu and Ms. Aemeath for their patronage and support of our resort, and to celebrate your perfect evening here, our resort has prepared a small surprise for you both."

"Surprise?!" Aemeath raised her head from the crab shell, instantly perking up.

Manager Yue smiled and nodded, "Yes. We've set up a small, private fireworks display for you two on the private beach outside. The staff has already finished setting up the sparklers and the main fireworks tower."

"After your meal, if you'd like, you can change into yukatas and head to the beach to enjoy this special summer night."

Aemeath heard the words "fireworks festival," her eyes lit up dramatically.

"A-Yan, A-Yan! Let's go change our clothes!" Aemeath didn't even bother to finish the remaining half bowl of cat's eye snail soup. She jumped up from her chair, grabbed Lu Yan's wrist, and headed towards the suite.

Seeing her impatient expression, Lu Yan gave Manager Yue an apologetic look and said helplessly, "Manager Yue."

Back in the suite, Aemeath went straight to the wardrobe.

Since it's a fireworks display at a Japanese-style hot spring inn, of course we should wear the most ceremonial yukata.

Instead of choosing the pink cherry blossom yukata she wore during the day, she opted for a gorgeous yukata with a deep night sky blue base and large, dazzling goldfish and water ripples embroidered in dark gold thread.

The one she chose for Lu Yan was a dark-colored bathrobe, without any extra patterns, only the dark gold-patterned fabric shimmering with a subtle texture under the light.

After changing her clothes, Aemeath stood in front of the huge full-length mirror.

The deep blue fabric made her skin appear as white as snow.

To match the outfit, Aemeath used a hairpin to pin up her thick, long pink hair at the back of her head, with a side wisp falling beside her cheek, adding a touch of softness and charm.

"A-Yan, help me tie my belt." Aemeath held a wide, bright red belt in her hand, turned around, and looked sweetly at Lu Yan, who had changed into a black yukata and was exuding a calm aura.

Lu Yan stepped forward and took the red belt.

His hands encircled Aemeath's soft, slender waist, and inevitably brushed against her sensitive side through the fabric, causing Aemeath to flinch slightly.

"Don't move." Lu Yan's voice was very soft.

"You're making me so itchy~"

He tied a pretty bow on Aemeath's back, and then, with both hands on her shoulders, turned her around.

Looking at his stunningly beautiful fiancée, Lu Yan couldn't resist placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Let's go see your fireworks."

The two, wearing wooden clogs, pushed open the floor-to-ceiling window leading to the private beach.

The beach had already been carefully decorated by the resort staff.

Several dim, windproof lanterns were scattered on the beach, outlining a path leading to the sea.

On a flat, open space, there are two exquisite bamboo baskets filled with various styles of sparklers.

Further away on the breakwater, a row of neatly arranged professional fireworks launchers can be vaguely seen.

"Wow!" Aemeath, like a bird freed from its cage, grabbed the hem of her yukata and ran quickly toward the two bamboo baskets.

She picked up two long sparklers, turned around, and waved them excitedly at Lu Yan: "A-Yan, help me light this!"

Lu Yan, holding a windproof lighter, walked up to her.

With a "click," a flame shot up.

Aemeath carefully brought the fairy wand closer.

With a hissing sound of burning, a dazzling burst of sparks instantly bloomed in the darkness.

The tiny sparks danced in Aemeath's hands.

"It's lit up! It's lit up!"

Aemeath happily ran and twirled on the beach at night, holding a burning fairy wand in each hand.

The hem of her yukata billowed like waves with her movements, and the crackling golden firelight illuminated her exquisite face.

At this moment, Aemeath is simply a spoiled girl immersed in happiness.

She suddenly stopped, holding the sparkler in both hands and waving it rapidly in the air.

Due to the persistence of vision, the bright flames drew a glowing heart shape in mid-air.

"A-Yan, look! This is my heart for you!"

She shouted loudly at Lu Yan, the golden starlight reflecting a light more dazzling than sparks.

Lu Yan stood not far away, holding his phone, capturing this scene forever in the lens.

Looking at the radiant smile of Aemeath on the screen, Lu Yan felt that everything was truly wonderful.

He put down his phone and strode towards her.

Just as Lu Yan walked to her side, a dull bang suddenly came from the breakwater in the distance.

Immediately afterwards, a bright streak of fire, trailing a long tail, like a shooting star shooting against the current, pierced the deep night sky and soared straight into the clouds.

"Boom!" A huge explosion echoed through the night sky.

A gigantic peony, composed of countless red and gold specks of light, blooms proudly against the deep blue sky!

The dazzling light instantly illuminated the entire private beach and even the dark sea, making it as bright as day.

"Wow--!" Aemeath's magic wand had just burned out. She looked up, stunned by the magnificent and splendid visual feast above her.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Fireworks soared into the sky one after another. There were silver waterfalls cascading down like weeping willows, colorful stars filling the sky, and fireworks intertwining to form wondrous patterns.

The distinctive aroma of burning gunpowder mingled with the salty scent of the sea breeze, filling the air.

Just as Aemeath was completely captivated by the fireworks, she suddenly felt a broad, warm chest press tightly against her from behind.

Lu Yan wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

His two strong arms held her firmly within his territory, his hands clasped together and resting on the back of her hands.

Lu Yan lowered his head slightly, resting his chin on Aemeath's slender and beautiful shoulder.

Aemeath felt the warmth behind her, and her body instinctively relaxed before she softly leaned into his arms.

The two stood quietly in each other's arms on the soft sand, gazing up at the night sky that seemed to bloom just for them.

Fireworks continued to rise and explode.

The flickering, multicolored light swept across their faces like waves.

The firelight illuminated Aemeath's fair profile, casting a dreamlike glow upon her face, while Lu Yan's usually composed face now revealed an unyielding affection and tenderness against the backdrop of the fireworks.

Amidst a massive explosion of fireworks, like a shower of stars, Lu Yan turned his head slightly, his warm lips brushing against her earlobe, and slowly said:

"The fireworks were beautiful."

Aemeath watched the fireworks blooming in the sky, a sweet smile curving her lips, "Yes, they're truly beautiful. These are the most beautiful fireworks I've ever seen."

"But none of them are even a fraction of what you are." Lu Yan's second half of his sentence, carried by the night wind, struck Aemeath's heart without warning.

A sudden tremor ran through Aemeath's heart.

She turned her head, and her eyes, reflecting the dazzling golden light of the sky, met Lu Yan's gaze.

In Lu Yan's eyes, she didn't see the fireworks in the sky; she only saw herself.

"A-Yan ~"

"In the past, you always watched fireworks alone in the dark." Lu Yan tightened his arms again, wanting only to hold her tightly, to become one with her. "But from now on, whether it's fireworks, sunsets, or the first rays of morning sunlight, I will be by your side."

"We not only want to watch it together, but we also want everyone to know that you are rightfully mine, Lu Yan's, wife."

Lu Yan paused, his tone becoming extremely solemn, "After returning to the city, pick the nearest auspicious day to get the marriage certificate."

This is not just sweet talk, but also the most steadfast promise he, as a man, makes to a woman.

Aemeath's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

But this time, she didn't cry. Because happiness had evaporated all her tears.

She turned around, and amidst the deafening and dazzling fireworks, stretched out her arms and tightly embraced Lu Yan's neck, offering her lips.

In the sky, the final, high-caliber fireworks display exploded, transforming the entire night sky into a dreamlike fairytale world.

On the beach, the two, dressed in yukatas, shared a passionate kiss, witnessed by the blazing firelight.

The sea breeze lifted the hem of their clothes and their long hair, forever freezing their silhouettes in this incredibly romantic summer night.