Edge of A Burning Kiss - Chapter 34

Xia Jin nodded eagerly in support and quietly finished her meal without another word.

A server handed her a warm towel to wipe her mouth.

Just then, Qin Yu suddenly said, “Night has arrived.”

Xia Jin set down the towel and looked out the window, puzzled. “Hmm? Yeah, it’s here. What about it?”

The next second, the twilight sky abruptly blazed to life.

Countless golden-red streaks pierced through the clouds, exploding into cascades of fiery brilliance across the darkened heavens as dazzling starlight rained down.

Unnoticed until now, the riverbank had filled with tourists, their camera flashes like an inverted galaxy, all lenses trained on the massive firework swelling in the sky.

Silver trails outlined a perfect heart, its blazing glow illuminating Xia Jin’s wide, astonished eyes.

At the heart of the display, the letters “XJ” slowly emerged in indigo flames, encircled by bursts of rose-gold sparks, like a constellation descending to earth.

A girl in Hanfu twirled her round fan on tiptoe, while couples clung to each other, screaming in delight.

A livestreamer gripping a selfie stick trembled with excitement. “Holy crap, which tycoon is proposing today?!”

A cruise ship on the Huangpu River sounded its horn in response, just as the Bund’s clock tower struck seven.

Then, Xia Jin felt warm fingers encircle her wrist, Qin Yu had somehow appeared beside her.

He was sliding a jade bracelet onto her hand, his laughter brushing her ear. “My grandfather insisted I put this on you myself.”

Xia Jin startled and tried to pull her hand back, but Qin Yu tightened his grip. “Don’t move! This was my grandmother’s dowry.”

“No! This is too precious, I can’t accept it!”

Qin Yu ignored her protests, firmly securing the bracelet in place.

Once it was on, he lifted her hand to admire it.

The icy translucence of the imperial green jade accentuated Xia Jin’s fair wrist, its subtle veining shimmering beneath the glow, exuding timeless elegance.

Frowning, Xia Jin opened her mouth to refuse again, but Qin Yu cut her off.

“If you think it’s valuable, then you should cherish it all the more, right? If you’re really worried about damaging it, just keep it safe for now and wear it when you meet my grandfather.”

“Huh?” Xia Jin was baffled, when had she agreed to meet his grandfather?

Qin Yu grinned. “Let’s go, take a walk along the Bund.”

“Fine, but wait… I need to grab something from the car.”

At the car, Xia Jin rummaged frantically before finally fishing out two disposable masks and two pairs of sunglasses.

“What’s this for?”

Qin Yu watched her gear up with amusement.

Xia Jin rolled her eyes and handed him a mask and sunglasses. “If you dare set off fireworks at the Bund, tomorrow’s headlines will be speculating about who ‘XJ’ is.”

“And if we’re caught by paparazzi without masks, strolling the Bund together? We’re done for!”

Hearing this, Qin Yu couldn’t suppress a smirk but stayed silent.

Secretly, he was itching for the paparazzi to catch them, better yet, to publicly confirm their relationship.

Seeing his nonchalance, Xia Jin gritted her teeth in frustration but could do nothing.

Oh well, cross that bridge when they come to it.

As they stepped out of the car, Xia Jin wrapped her coat tightly around herself, terrified of being recognized.

The Bund at night glittered with lights, teeming with crowds, alive with energy.

Qin Yu led Xia Jin through the bustling crowd, feeling as if they had returned to their high school days, carefree and thoroughly enjoying this rare moment of relaxation.

Holding Xia Jin’s hand, he dragged her from one game booth to another, then stopped to sample street snacks along the way.

At first, Xia Jin had been a little reserved, but seeing that no one in the crowd recognized them, she gradually let her guard down.

The two of them played with abandon, looking every bit like a couple deeply in love.

Just then, a man with a camera slung over his shoulder approached and blocked their path.

“Hello, are you two…?”

Xia Jin tensed at the sight of the equipment hanging around his neck.

Are paparazzi this bold nowadays? Do they just stop people outright for photos?

“You’re a couple, right? I’m a street photographer, would you like me to take some pictures for you?” the man asked with a friendly smile.

Xia Jin was taken aback and was about to deny it when Qin Yu cut in first.

“Yeah, we are.”

He wrapped an arm around Xia Jin’s shoulders, admitting it without hesitation.

Xia Jin shot him a glare but didn’t pull away.

The photographer enthusiastically explained, “There’s a popular photo spot nearby, perfect for couples. Would you like to check it out?”

“A photo spot?”

Xia Jin was ready to refuse, but Qin Yu’s curiosity was piqued. “What’s it like?”

“It’s a wishing pool designed for couples in the scenic area,” the photographer said. “You can float lanterns there, lots of couples take photos for keepsakes. They say it’s very auspicious.”

“Sounds great. Let’s go take a look.”

Without waiting for Xia Jin’s response, Qin Yu pulled her toward the wishing pool.

Around the pool, lanterns of various colors floated, each inscribed with heartfelt wishes from couples.

Qin Yu picked up a pen and carefully wrote on a lantern.

At first, he wanted to write, “I hope to stay with Xia Jin forever.”

But after a moment’s thought, he crossed it out and changed it to, “I wish Xia Jin peace and happiness.”

Watching his focused profile, Xia Jin felt an inexplicable warmth rise in her chest.

She also picked up a pen and wrote, “I hope Xia Ziling’s path will be smooth.”

Then, after a pause, she hesitantly added Qin Yu’s name at the end.

When she finished, she stole a glance at him.

She found him staring at her in a daze, but the moment their eyes met, he quickly looked away, pretending to admire the lantern designs.

The photographer gestured for them to stand by the wishing pool for the photo.

“Could you two take off your masks? It’ll look better in the picture,” he suggested.

Xia Jin shook her head. “Sorry, we’d rather not show our faces.”

The photographer didn’t press further, though he found it odd.

What kind of couple goes on a date wearing masks and sunglasses?

Still, he didn’t pry, everyone had their own privacy.

“Move a little closer, it’ll look sweeter in the photo,” he instructed instead.

Without hesitation, Qin Yu pulled Xia Jin into his arms.

Caught off guard, Xia Jin stiffened for a moment before relaxing.

She could feel the warmth and security of his embrace, and for some reason, it put her at ease.

Click, click.

The photographer captured the moment.

Two instant photos soon developed.

Xia Jin and Qin Yu each took one.

The two figures in the photo were nestled close together. Though their faces were obscured, their intimacy was unmistakable.

The photographer praised, “Even with masks and sunglasses, the love between you two radiates so strongly.”

Xia Jin couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth, this photographer really knew how to sweet-talk.

Qin Yu, however, was utterly delighted by the comment. With a grand gesture, he tipped the photographer an extra 500 yuan.

Overjoyed, the photographer showered them with every blessing he could think of from “May you have a son early” to “Boundless happiness like the Eastern Sea”, all jumbled together in one enthusiastic outpouring.

It wasn’t until 11 p.m. that Xia Jin, exhausted from the day’s fun, finally agreed to leave.

Back home, Qin Yu carefully framed the photo and placed it by the bedside.

Gazing at Xia Jin’s figure in the picture, he couldn’t suppress a soft smile.

Lying in bed, he murmured tenderly, “Goodnight, Xiao Jin.”

Meanwhile, Xia Jin held her copy of the photo, hesitating for a moment, unsure where to put it.

In the end, she tucked it away with the group photos of Stellar Cube’s artists, writing on the back:

First Date

Just as Xia Jin was about to sleep, a message from an international number arrived, accompanied by a photo.

The image showed her and Qin Yu strolling along the Bund earlier that day, clearly taken from a distance by an unseen photographer.

Even without a contact name, Xia Jin immediately recognized who had sent it.

It was Shen Du’s.

[Sweetheart, is this what you call stepping out on me?]