Once the affection level is maxed out, the rivalry begins!

When the ginkgo leaves planted along the roadside turn golden, the tracks of summer are about to come to an end.

Today is September 30th, just before the holiday, and the streets are already packed with people.

Bai Ze waited outside the fitting room, passing the time by counting the number of couples passing by the clothing store.

—If you want to know why he's here, you have to thank Lin Tingwan, who's quietly changing her clothes behind the door.

Because school ended early for the holiday, the other person dragged him to buy new clothes before going to the fireworks show.

While I can understand girls' dressing needs, isn't this a bit too much of a last-minute effort?

As he let his thoughts wander like weeds, he finally heard the sound of a door being pushed open behind him.

"Come help me..."

But Lin Tingwan didn't come out; she just peeked around to make sure no one was watching, and then waved to him.

"The zipper is stuck."

She asked for help, a little embarrassed.

"Why did it turn out like this? It must be because you've been eating a bit too much lately..."

"Feeding is a forbidden phrase!"

Bai Ze squeezed through the crack in the door, facing the enraged girl directly.

To be fair, Lin Tingwan's figure is definitely on the slender side, and she is also well-proportioned in the right places. Apart from her chest being as vast as the West Siberian Plain, she is almost flawless.

But she insisted on ignoring her tall figure, and naturally faced the embarrassing situation of not being able to fit into a small-sized dress.

"So wouldn't changing the specifications solve the problem?"

Bai Ze asked, looking at the girl's soft, rounded back.

She was facing away from him, her dark dress slipped down to reveal her shoulders, her skin looking like soft pudding, as if it would melt at the slightest touch.

He reached out and lifted the zipper, his fingertips brushing against her fair back, the sensation as light as brushing against silk.

"It's so itchy..."

Lin Tingwan straightened her back uncomfortably, avoiding his question.

—I thought you would prefer a petite figure like that junior girl. How could you say something like that?

The already cramped fitting room was crammed with two people, who could almost hear each other breathing.

The friction of clothing against the skin when pulled up, combined with the sensation of being touched by fingers, slowly climbs up the spine.

—I never expected it to be this embarrassing!

In the dim light, the girl's cheeks were completely flushed red.

Fortunately, we don't need to face each other.

"Finish!"

Bai Ze clapped his hands, as if he had just finished a beautiful sculpture.

"...You go out first!"

But she suddenly pushed him away forcefully, truly repaying kindness with enmity.

Lin Tingwan waited until the blush faded from her face before calming her heartbeat and leaving the fitting room.

"How is it?"

She pinched the hem of her skirt, tilted her head back, and asked.

The jet-black dress, like a raven's feather, contrasts sharply with her skin tone, creating a striking visual impact; the ruffled hem lightly touches her thighs, exuding youthful vitality, while the stockings she bought to match accentuate her straight calves.

Having experienced how praising her last time actually accelerated her witch transformation, Bai Ze decided to be more careful with his words this time.

"It really fits the atmosphere of watching a drone show."

"...People usually say that it's because it fits the atmosphere of a fireworks display that it has a romantic feel, right?"

She punched him in protest.

After buying the clothes, it was almost dusk when the two took the subway to Ninghai Bay.

As a coastal city, even in the approaching season of summer to autumn, the coastline of Dongming is still full of tourists.

The upcoming fireworks display will undoubtedly add fuel to the already bustling bay; even before entering, one can feel the vibrant energy brought by the gathering of people.

If an uncontrolled incident were to occur in such a setting, the casualties would be devastating.

The rumble of trains passing over the distant viaduct almost drowned out Lin Tingwan's calls for him.

"There are only two of us... Let's go."

She handed over two tickets and pulled Bai Ze inside.

The beach was temporarily closed off for the performance, and the audience was guided to designated areas on the beach and terraces enclosed by railings.

"Wow, so many people..."

Lin Tingwan muttered a dangerous thought under her breath, "If only we could clear the path ahead all at once..."

Although the possibility was extremely slim, in order to prevent her from going berserk due to the pressure of the crowd and causing a witch's night for everyone present, Bai Ze held his childhood friend's hand to restrain her movements.

"Eh—ah, is it to prevent being separated by the crowd?"

She exclaimed in surprise at first, then found her own explanation.

Then, she gripped his hand even tighter, holding it firmly in her palm.

All around her were the sounds of people talking. Seeing a business opportunity, vendors with QR codes were walking around. Lin Tingwan bought a lot of snacks.

They were lucky enough to snag a spot on the terrace, a temporary structure erected to watch the fireworks display, where the benches were already full of early arrivals.

However, leaning against the railing has its own advantages. The view in front of you becomes expansive, and the sea is gradually enveloped by the darkening night, so indigo that it looks like the sky has fallen into it, or like an ancient mirror that reflects light.

"It won't officially start for another hour."

Lin Tingwan held up the plastic bag she was carrying in front of him. "Would you like to eat something first?"

"I was worried about not being able to fasten the zipper..."

"I already said it's a forbidden phrase!"

She made a threatening gurgling sound, so Bai Ze took out a chocolate bar and crunched it into his mouth.

Up until now, everything has been normal, filled with the festive atmosphere, and Lin Tingwan seems carefree.

If one had to find something out of place, it would be the unexpectedly large security presence among the crowd—but security is always a priority for such large events.

Could it be that Lu Xingyao's prophecy was wrong?

Another train passed over the elevated road, like a long snake galloping through the night.

By the way, the second difference from usual is probably the frequency of trains leaving the station.

Ninghai Bay is not far from the train station in Dongming City, and since they came out of the subway, they have witnessed the train passing over the same viaduct track several times in a short period of time.

"Look, they're already setting off fireworks!"

Lin Tingwan's excited voice interrupted his thoughts. She took his hand and swung him high up like on a swing, pointing towards the flames blooming in the sky.

Although the event was not to officially start until an hour later, the organizers also presented warm-up performances for the audience members who had already arrived.

The interplay of orange and red hues creates vibrant flowers that illuminate the girl's cheeks.

Let's put aside our thoughts on the anomaly for now and enjoy the fireworks display... that should be fine, right?

"Bai Ze".

Suddenly, she turned her face to the side as if holding her breath, her long, black hair blowing like silk in the sea breeze.

"I--"

"Senior, and Senior Lin, so you're here too?"

Another lively and cheerful voice broke into the conversation.

Lu Xingyao, holding her phone, appeared from behind the two of them.

She spoke with a smile.

"What a coincidence!"