Su Yue's meal for him was on the table, covered by a thermal case.
The moment it was opened, Chen Ziming's eyes flickered, showing a hint of emotion.
It was a beautifully made pancake, garnished with fresh fruits around the edges, and topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
The cream was sprinkled with colorful star decorations, and a small tag was inserted into it.
On it was her lovely handwriting:
"Happy Birthday to my dearest boyfriend"
Su Yue, though busy arranging flowers, still glanced over with a touch of nervousness.
The pancakes and fruits had been delivered by Jin Yan early in the morning, and she had done the final touches.
She hoped the taste was good.
Fortunately, a look of relief appeared on his face, and he looked towards her.
She immediately averted her gaze.
Seeing her avoid his eyes, Chen Ziming smiled faintly, said nothing more, and focused on eating his breakfast.
By the time he finished his meal, Su Yue had also finished arranging all the flowers.
Seeing Chen Ziming walk over again, she stood up, proactively went to take his hand, and guided him to sit down on the sofa.
"Sit tight, there's a gift," she said, then left the living room and returned with a guitar in her arms.
She then sat cross-legged on the floor opposite him, cleared her throat, and offered a sincere and gentle smile.
"Officer Chen, I want to sing you a few songs seriously today."
In the past few days, she had been the one singing to help him fall asleep. Realizing that he was receptive to the comfort of song, Su Yue came up with this idea.
A flicker of surprise crossed Chen Ziming's eyes as he looked at the girl opposite him.
Her eyes were so bright that everything else around them seemed to dim instantly.
It was a light that had grown wild and strong despite enduring hardship, much like herself, never as fragile as she appeared.
It was precisely this that had attracted him five years ago, and since then, his heart had had no room for anyone else.
"Okay, baby, sing. I'll listen," he replied in a gentle voice, a smile also appearing on his face.
Su Yue lowered her eyes and began to gently strum the guitar strings.
The first song she sang for him was "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky."
Unlike the soft lullabies she sang before, her voice carried a gentle strength, clear and piercing, as she sang each lyric.
"I'd rather all the pain stay in my heart than forget your eyes."
"Give me the courage to believe again, to embrace you beyond the lies."
"Whenever I can't find the meaning of my existence, whenever I'm lost in the dark night."
"Brightest star in the night sky, please light my way forward."
Her voice was filled with hope and openness, like a star in the night sky, guiding him through the unknown darkness.
And those eyes, as bright as myriad stars, looking at him in conjunction, were so captivating, so deeply moving.
It was as if, through this act, she was gifting him the entire expanse of the night sky.
After finishing the song, Su Yue's face lit up with a smile again. She took a sip of water and softly asked, "Was it good?"
The man sitting opposite her eyes were already shimmering with starlight, and a long-unseen gentle smile had bloomed on his lips.
"It was good," his voice was deep but incredibly soft.
"Then I'll sing you another one," Su Yue's smile widened, she readjusted the guitar, and continued to play and sing.
The second song was "The Wind Rises."
A youth set out with dreams, only to find the journey was not smooth. He experienced many setbacks and wanted to pour all his worries into the song.
But as the evening breeze brushed past his cheek that day, he remembered the spirited young man he once was.
Even knowing that darkness existed in this world, he chose to walk against the light, to plunge into it himself.
Ready to face any hardship, no matter the cost.
A beloved person had also entered his youth, and from then on, he could never let go.
All regrets and suffering, in the evening breeze, would eventually turn into a wisp of light smoke, merging into the heavens and earth.
As the wind rose and flowers fell, he reunited with her again.
And that voice, filled with a sense of release, was exactly what came from the lips of the girl who haunted his dreams.
How could he be so fortunate to have met such a wonderful woman.
Among myriad beings in the world, fleeting clouds seek not.
A person like a rainbow, only known upon encounter.