On a Stormy Night, the Campus Belle Knocked on My Door Seeking Shelter
Chapter 34: In That Moment, He Only Had Eyes for Me

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: In That Moment, He Only Had Eyes for Me

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With the press of the shutter, the first photo of Su Yuqing as the main subject since she’d grown up was born. And it was taken by the most important person in her heart.

The afterglow of the sunset pierced through the gaps in the camphor leaves, weaving a delicate veil of fragmented gold across Su Yuqing’s shoulders.

Chen Mo felt a slight warmth in the knuckles of the hand holding his phone. In the viewfinder, the young woman was looking up at a passing flock of pigeons, the line from her jaw to her collarbone taut with the graceful curve of a swan’s neck.

When a breeze swept by, she subconsciously raised a hand to hold down her flyaway hair. Backlit by the sun, her wrist bone had the translucent luster of fine jade.

Chen Mo lowered his gaze to inspect the photo. In the image, Su Yuqing’s profile was bathed in a warm, orange mist of light. The shadow cast by her nose perfectly outlined the full contour of her Cupid’s bow.

Chen Mo’s thumb gently zoomed in on the details. Backlit, Su Yuqing’s eyelashes looked like a butterfly’s antennae dipped in honey, and the corners of her mouth were unconsciously pursed into a soft ripple.

This hint of a smile was nothing like the stiff mask from the family portrait; it was a gentle light rippling from the depths of her eyes.

"See if you’re happy with it." As he handed the phone over, the warmth of his palm still lingered on the edge of the screen.

Su Yuqing hesitantly leaned closer, her breath catching the instant she saw the image clearly.

The sunset glow plated her silhouette with a soft, fuzzy golden edge, and the motes of light dancing in her hair were like falling stardust.

So this is what it was like. When the camera was no longer something to fear, a captured moment could be this vibrant and alive.

For the first time, she realized she could look this beautiful in a photograph.

"You took such a good picture..." Her fingertips caressed the halo of light flowing across the screen, her voice trailing off as softly as a sigh.

From twenty meters away, the sweet aroma of roasted chestnuts drifted over on the breeze, weaving with the crisp citrus scent on Chen Mo to create a reassuring fragrance.

Chen Mo suddenly switched the camera mode to burst shot. "Here, try waving to the pigeons."

Before she could react, a flock of white feathers had already swept across the sky, which was ablaze with fiery clouds.

Su Yuqing instinctively tilted her head back and reached out a hand. The wind filled the sleeves of her chiffon blouse, and for a moment, a thousand feathers danced with strands of her hair.

In the viewfinder, her pupils held half the sunset’s glow, reflecting all the gentle folds of the world.

After taking a few more photos of Su Yuqing, the bus arrived. Chen Mo hurriedly bought a bag of roasted chestnuts, and then the two of them boarded the bus for the ride back.

While Chen Mo ate the sweet, warm chestnuts, Su Yuqing repeatedly scrolled through the photo album on his phone. Every picture he had taken was of a version of herself kissed by light and wind.

She suddenly felt a newfound affection for herself.

The Su Yuqing who had felt so unneeded, whose perception had become so warped that she had come to loathe herself, was now, little by little, feeling a different kind of love in the world.

Learning to love yourself is also a form of love.

She secretly set the backlit profile picture as her lock screen. ’So when the person on the other side of the lens is someone you could entrust the stars to, a single moment becomes an eternity.’

Looking at this photo, it was as if she could see the boy—gilded by the twilight’s glow, his focus so intense it was only on her—standing right in front of her.

In that instant, his eyes held only her.

"Starting to admire my photography skills, are you?" Chen Mo said with a smile, handing her a chestnut he had already peeled halfway.

Su Yuqing took it and said with a smile, "Did you study photography before?"

"No, it’s just a hobby," Chen Mo said with a laugh.

He had previously studied camerawork simply to better capture the details of every suspect while gathering evidence.

Before he knew it, he had developed an interest in it and decided to learn a little more.

Only now did he have a chance to use those skills for something like this.

Looking at the photo on her phone’s lock screen, Su Yuqing’s face was filled with happiness.

Back in the new district, Chen Mo took Su Yuqing straight to the night market.

"This is the perfect time. The night market just opened, so it won’t be too crowded. Let’s get there early, grab some good food, and get out. Otherwise, it’ll be a total madhouse later," Chen Mo said with a laugh, pulling Su Yuqing by the hand as he jogged to the night market.

At the entrance to the night market, neon signs flickered to life one by one. The SIZZLE of frying oil and the fragrant aroma of cumin rushed to greet them.

Chen Mo navigated skillfully between the stalls, his sleeve gently tugged by Su Yuqing. He looked like he was leading a snail that was cautiously peeking out of its shell.

"Make the takoyaki extra crispy." He gestured to the vendor in the white hat, then turned around to see Su Yuqing staring blankly at the grilled squid.

Bright red chili oil glistened as it ran down the squid’s tentacles. She swallowed softly.

"If you want it, let’s get it. Just tell me what you want to eat. Think of it as an advance on your salary. You can pay me back with your hard work later." Chen Mo knew Su Yuqing would feel awkward and resistant about only spending his money, so he said this to ease her psychological burden.

Chen Mo grabbed a grilled squid and pressed the bamboo skewer into her palm.

Su Yuqing took a small, delicate bite, and her face quickly filled with an expression of contentment and bliss.

"You’re too easy to please," Chen Mo said with a chuckle, looking at Su Yuqing. ’Whoever marries her will have it easy.’

Smiling at her adorable expression as she ate, Chen Mo held the takoyaki and shared them with her, one for him, one for her. Soon, both the squid and the takoyaki were finished.

Chen Mo had eaten half of the squid because he was worried she would get too full. Her stomach was small, and he didn’t want her to run out of room for more delicacies.

Since they were out, he wanted Su Yuqing to be able to taste as many different foods as possible tonight.

"Try this." A golden curry puff, fresh from the fryer, had steam wafting from a crack in its flaky crust. Chen Mo blew on it gently a couple of times before holding it to Su Yuqing’s lips. "If it’s still hot, blow on it fir—"

But before he could finish, Su Yuqing was already hissing from the heat. Unwilling to spit out the creamy potato filling, she puffed out her cheeks and stomped her feet. Her adorable reaction made Chen Mo double over with laughter.

Light and shadow wove a flowing river of stars behind them.

At a sugar painting stall, Su Yuqing watched, mesmerized, as amber-colored syrup snaked across a stone slab to form a swan. With a flick of his wrist, the old artisan dotted in individual feathers.

"Open up." Chen Mo held a lightly toasted marshmallow to her lips. The moment Su Yuqing took a bite, a speck of powdered sugar landed on the tip of her nose like a snowflake. He raised his phone and captured the instant.

In the viewfinder, the young woman’s eyes held the light of a thousand homes, more brilliant than all the neon signs behind her.

From around the corner drifted the sweet fragrance of osmanthus rice wine, while the distant cries of a sweet potato vendor and the glassy crunch of candied hawthorns wove together into a warm nocturne.

Watching Chen Mo, who was trying to feed her everything like he was fattening up a piglet, Su Yuqing felt a dual sense of bliss: the satisfaction of being surrounded by delicious food, and the happiness of being cherished by the person she cared for.

Surrounded by this dual happiness, Su Yuqing felt utterly relaxed and joyful. In the past, if she wanted to eat these kinds of snacks, she would have to beg her parents for a long time just to begrudgingly get a tiny bit of money to buy a small treat.

She recalled the scenes after her half-brother was born—how her parents had doted on him endlessly, pushing all sorts of treats into his hands and letting him eat half and throw the other half away. Su Yuqing immediately shook her head, forcefully pushing the unpleasant memory from her mind.