Xia Nuannuan followed her heart and indulged Qin Tian's small desire. She burrowed into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist, enveloped together by his large down jacket.
In an instant, she could no longer feel the cold wind or the chill. A warmth spread throughout her body.
An inexpressible sense of security and satisfaction surged into her heart, allowing her body, stiff with shyness, to quickly relax. Like a kitten curled up in a warm nest, she gently rubbed her head against Qin Tian's chest.
"Comfortable?"
Qin Tian asked softly with a smile.
"Mhm!"
"You can close your eyes and rest."
"Mhm..."
Xia Nuannuan rested her head on his chest, her voice sounding soft and languid. As instructed, she slowly closed her eyes.
Qin Tian dotingly kissed the hat on her head, remaining still.
Time ticked by, and Xia Nuannuan seemed to be drifting off to sleep.
About five minutes before the New Year, couples around them began to light sky lanterns.
"Nuannuan?"
Qin Tian called out softly.
Xia Nuannuan didn't respond.
Qin Tian chuckled and raised his hand, gently pinching her smooth cheek.
"Nuannuan, wake up, it's almost time."
"Mhm? Almost time for what?"
Xia Nuannuan finally came to, opening her eyes and asking with a confused expression.
"It's almost midnight, time to light the sky lanterns."
Qin Tian replied.
"Oh!"
Xia Nuannuan nodded. Reluctantly, she took half a step back, leaving his warm embrace, and then helped him zip up his down jacket.
Afterward, the two prepared to light the sky lantern.
"What should we write on it? Nuannuan, you write it!"
Qin Tian handed her the marker pen that came with the sky lantern.
"Okay!"
Xia Nuannuan took it with a sweet smile.
After a moment of thought, she squatted down and placed the sky lantern on the ground. Holding the marker, she wrote her wish in elegant handwriting on the lantern.
"The rest of my life is long. On this day every year to come, we will be together!"
"How's this?"
Xia Nuannuan looked up, her gaze questioning Qin Tian.
"It's perfect!"
Qin Tian gave her a thumbs-up in approval.
"Hehe... You write something too!"
Xia Nuannuan handed the marker pen back to him.
Qin Tian took it and thought for a moment. He quickly drew two small figures releasing a sky lantern, and then added some stars and a moon to depict a starry sky.
"You draw so well, I almost don't want to let it go."
Xia Nuannuan looked at him regretfully.
"It's okay, if you want more, I can draw as many as you like."
Qin Tian smiled.
Xia Nuannuan gazed at him dreamily, her eyes as gentle as water.
Qin Tian smiled, opened the sky lantern, and handed it to Xia Nuannuan. He then took out the lighter he had bought earlier and lit the candle at the bottom of the lantern.
As the candle flame grew stronger, the red sky lantern expanded with the hot air inside.
Xia Nuannuan took out her phone, quickly snapped a few photos, and then switched to video recording to capture a short clip.
To her, these were cherished memories she would never forget and had to preserve.
Just then, the surroundings suddenly became lively.
"Nuannuan, look across the river!"
Qin Tian gestured with his chin towards the opposite bank.
Xia Nuannuan followed his gaze and saw that on the tallest building on the other side, colorful lights began to display the numbers for the New Year countdown.
"Ten, nine, eight..."
On the riverbank, countless people began to count down in unison, their voices growing louder and more synchronized, the atmosphere gradually intensifying.
Xia Nuannuan's pretty face bloomed with a sweet smile, and she began to count down with Qin Tian.
"Three, two, one, Happy New Year!!"
Amidst the blessings, countless sky lanterns and hydrogen balloons carrying beautiful wishes began to ascend.
"Nuannuan, Happy New Year!"
"Gege, Happy New Year!"
Their eyes met, and their gazes flowed with love for each other.
Qin Tian raised his hands and cupped her face.
Xia Nuannuan's beautiful eyes flickered with a hint of shyness, and she gently closed them.
Like many couples around them, they shared a passionate kiss.
...
...
After returning to the car, Qin Tian quickly started the engine and turned on the air conditioning.
"Phew... So cold!"
Qin Tian exclaimed as he fastened his seatbelt.
"It is a bit. This is the coldest time."
Xia Nuannuan agreed with a smile.
"Let the air conditioning warm up for a bit. Are your hands cold? Come here, let me warm them."
Qin Tian reached out, held her hands, and gently massaged them to warm them up.
Xia Nuannuan beamed with a smile, then suddenly thought of something and asked with a mix of nervousness and shyness, "Where... are we going next?"
Qin Tian paused for a moment, then pretended to be casual, saying, "The dorms are definitely closed now, so we can only go back tomorrow morning. Let's find a hotel to sleep in, or we could go to your dad's? It's just a bit late, I'm afraid of disturbing your dad's rest."
"I, I'm fine with either!"
Xia Nuannuan replied, feigning composure, her gaze fixed on the car window.
On the side Qin Tian couldn't see, her ears were flushed crimson.
"Then... let's go to a hotel. If we go to your dad's so late, he'll definitely blame me for taking you out so late."
"Okay, good!"
"If you don't feel comfortable, we can get two separate rooms too."
Qin Tian shifted into gear and started driving towards the parking lot exit.
"Mhm..."
Xia Nuannuan just responded with a hum, unsure of what else to say.
"If we stay at a hotel, will you be scared sleeping alone in one room? How about we get a standard room with two beds? Would that be okay?"
Qin Tian asked again.
"Either way is fine, I'll listen to you."
"Then it's decided."
The car drove out of the parking lot and accelerated forward.
Soon, the two found a chain hotel of moderate quality.
Following the instructions of the hotel staff, Qin Tian parked the car and then led Xia Nuannuan to the hotel reception.
"Hello, can I help you?"
The receptionist looked up at him, then at the girl beside him with her head lowered, a knowing smile appearing on her face.
Having seen many such cases as a receptionist, she could tell at a glance.
This young couple in front of her was most likely coming to a hotel for the first time.
"Do you have any standard rooms available?"
"Yes, we do."
"Then please give us a standard room."
"Certainly, please provide your ID cards."
"Nuannuan, did you bring yours?"
Qin Tian asked Xia Nuannuan beside him.
Xia Nuannuan nodded, her face blushing, and took out a small wallet from her down jacket pocket, then took out her ID card from it.
Originally, she hadn't intended to bring it.
But after talking with Shen Siqi, she had inexplicably brought it along, along with the wallet as a cover.
Otherwise, just bringing an ID card would have made it seem like she had planned this in advance, which would have been too embarrassing.
Qin Tian also took out his ID card and handed them over together.
After paying the deposit and room fee, the receptionist quickly processed their check-in and handed them their ID cards and room key.
"Room 801, just take the elevator straight up."
"Okay, thank you."