Chapter 902: Inexperienced

March 14, Wednesday.

A small residential community in Yuhang City.

Ying Chanxi woke up early from bed, before her alarm could ring, already eager to rise and turned it off in advance.

More than a week had passed since the semester started; after taking a long leave from her advisor, her studies were hardly affected.

After all, her situation was special—especially since becoming CEO of Chongran Culture—her advisor fully understood her circumstances and granted her every possible accommodation.

As long as it didn't interfere with regular classes or exam performance, everything else could be negotiated.

Ying Chanxi didn't care much about this; she had entered Qianjiang University merely to fulfill a childhood dream.

Studying at the very school where her mother had once studied was the deepest source of her motivation to remain the top student in the entire school.

Now that her wish had come true, grades, GPA, and such things no longer mattered much to her.

What she cared about now was her own future happiness.

Thinking of this, Ying Chanxi walked into the bathroom in her pajamas, quickly washed up, then applied all the skincare and beauty products recommended by Yuan Wanqing.

Her naturally soft, smooth skin instantly became even more rosy and delicate.

She looked nothing like a girl nearing twenty—more like a middle schooler.

Especially with her petite frame, the effect was even more pronounced.

If this were a few days ago, during a film and television meeting, Ying Chanxi would have dressed in a mature style to ensure others didn't underestimate her.

But today she was meeting her beloved, so she naturally wanted to dress her very best.

Thinking of this, Ying Chanxi exhaled deeply, recalling the efforts of recent days, and a smile appeared on her face.

The negotiations over the film and television rights went very smoothly.

Most of the conditions originally proposed had been accepted by the other side.

Especially regarding participation in project investment, after Yin Zhicheng got involved, everything was finally settled, and a preliminary private agreement was reached.

All that remained was to push forward in this period and strive to sign the contract as soon as possible.

As Ying Chanxi thought about these matters, she stepped outside and went for a morning run downstairs.

In junior high, she had never had the habit of morning running; in high school, after discovering that Li Luo was being lured by Yan Zhusheng into daily runs, she grew jealous and insisted on joining him.

After persisting for over three years, it had become a habit—she felt uncomfortable if she didn't run every morning.

After returning from her run, Ying Chanxi grabbed a quick breakfast, then hurried to her bedroom closet to select her favorite outfit.

After carefully arranging herself, she turned in front of the mirror several times, finally nodded in satisfaction, then checked the time again.

Just as she was about to leave, Ying Chanxi suddenly received a WeChat message.

She had assumed it was from Li Luo, but when she opened it, it was Lin Xiuhong.

【Lin Xiuhong】: Xixi, aren't you coming home today? I already heard from Li Luo.

【Ying Chanxi】: Yes~ Aunt Lin misses me?

【Lin Xiuhong】: Haha, of course I miss you.

【Lin Xiuhong】: But I do have a favor to ask you, otherwise I wouldn't disturb you.

【Ying Chanxi】: Aunt Lin, just say it—I have nothing else to do, it's no trouble.

【Lin Xiuhong】: It's like this: today I was with your Uncle Li checking accounts at the hot pot restaurant, so I wasn't home.

【Lin Xiuhong】: Something was left behind at home, and I forgot to deliver it to Li Luo's aunt at the chess club across the street.

【Lin Xiuhong】: His aunt is alone at the shop today and can't leave, so I thought—if you're coming back, could you pick it up and deliver it for me?

【Ying Chanxi】: Of course—I'm heading back right now, Aunt Lin, don't worry, leave it to me.

【Lin Xiuhong】: Great, great, thanks so much, Xixi.

【Ying Chanxi】: Mm-hmm, no trouble at all.

After agreeing, Ying Chanxi asked what the item was, then sent a message to Ying Zhicheng and Yuan Wanqing, who were still asleep, informing them she was leaving.

She took a taxi downstairs, and as she sat in the cab, her mood rose and fell with the passing scenery.

Her situation differed from Xu Youyu's.

Xu Youyu at least remained in Yinjiang District, so she could meet Li Luo during her morning run.

But Ying Chanxi had been truly separated from Li Luo for over half a month—beyond occasional video calls on WeChat, they hadn't seen each other in person at all.

Thinking of this, Ying Chanxi's heart swelled with anticipation, eager to see Li Luo as soon as possible.

But she had just promised Aunt Lin she'd pick something up, which would likely delay her another ten or twenty minutes.

Thinking of this, she felt a small pang of regret.

Not regretting having agreed to Lin Xiuhong—but regretting she hadn't gone straight to Sky Ridge Elegant Residence to see Li Luo first, then returned to Jincheng Community to retrieve the item.

But since she was already on her way, she stopped dwelling on it, gripped her phone tightly, and sent a message to Li Luo.

【Ying Chanxi】: I'm back.

【Li Luo】: On your way?

【Ying Chanxi】: Yes, but Aunt Lin asked me to pick something up, so I'll be a bit late getting home.

【Li Luo】: Okay, I understand.

Seeing Li Luo's indifferent reaction, Ying Chanxi felt slightly odd, but didn't think much of it.

The taxi drove for over half an hour, finally returning to Yinjiang District and stopping at the entrance of Jincheng Community.

Ying Chanxi hurried down, reached the stairwell, climbed the stairs, and stopped in front of apartment 401.

Just as she bent down to retrieve the spare key hidden beneath the flowerpot at the door, she suddenly sensed something wrong.

Because her own apartment, 402, was slightly ajar—its door hadn't been fully closed!

Her heart tightened; she feared a burglar had broken in.

In an instant, she silently pulled out her phone, opened the emergency dialer interface, then quietly pried open a crack in the door and peered inside.

Then, in the next instant, she froze completely.

At this moment, the living room of 402 was already filled with flowers and balloons, and the walls were adorned with all sorts of beautiful, delicate decorations.

She instinctively pushed open the door and looked up at the wall—the banner hanging there, reading "Wishing Ying Chanxi a Happy Birthday, Always Joyful," came directly into view.

Ying Chanxi stood at the doorway, her heart already overflowing with overwhelming surprise, until a confused voice came from the other end of her phone, snapping her back to reality.

"Hello? Hello? Is there a problem? Hello? Hello?"

"I'm—so sorry————" Ying Chanxi quickly picked up her phone and apologized, "I made a mistake—I thought someone had broken in, but it turns out my boyfriend planned a surprise for me."

The person on the other end: "————?"

After apologizing again, Ying Chanxi hung up the call, her cheeks still faintly flushed with embarrassment.

She'd been so tense just now that when she pushed open the door crack, she'd accidentally pressed the call button without realizing she'd already dialed the police.

Now that she'd finally explained everything and hung up, Ying Chanxi stepped inside and looked around, searching for the figure she had longed for.

But at that moment, the door of apartment 401 behind her suddenly made a sound.

The next instant, as Ying Chanxi spun around, the opposite door swung open.

Li Luo stood there, smiling, wearing a middle school uniform, hands tucked into his coat pockets, just as he had in those early middle school days.

"Hey, good morning," Li Luo greeted cheerfully. "Up this early?"

Looking at Li Luo's outfit, Ying Chanxi's longing surged like a tidal wave; her eyes instantly blurred with mist. She opened her mouth, then quickly shut it, barely holding back her tears.

But soon, tears rolled down her soft cheeks, and Li Luo could no longer pretend—he rushed over and cupped her face.

"Oh oh, don't cry, don't cry, I'm here," Li Luo gently wiped away her tears, his voice tender with concern. "Why are you crying?"

"I—I—I'm just moved," Ying Chanxi pouted hard to keep her expression from looking too messy, but finally she couldn't hold it—she buried her face fully into Li Luo's chest and burst into soft sobs.

Li Luo held Ying Chanxi tightly, gently patting her back, standing like that for over ten minutes until her emotions slowly calmed.

"You're not crying anymore?"

"Mmm————"

"Then why don't you lift your head?"

"No————"

"Why not?"

"My face is all smudged."

"Is it? Let me see."

"No way, I look awful."

"How could you? Xixi, you're the cutest," Li Luo grinned. "Did you put on makeup today?"

"Just a little————" Ying Chanxi murmured softly. "Doesn't it look good?"

"You're usually so beautiful that makeup barely shows—it's just icing on the cake."

"Hmph~" Ying Chanxi was easily flattered into a pout, then quickly pushed away from Li Luo, turning her back to gently wipe her face. "Y-you wait a moment—I'll fix my makeup."

"Oh, perfect," Li Luo smiled, placing his hand on Ying Chanxi's shoulder and guiding her into her bedroom. "I got you something—remember to change into it."

"What is it?" Ying Chanxi, puzzled, was ushered into the bedroom—and saw the room transformed into a sea of flowers.

The room, dominated by pink and blue tones, was filled with dreamy colors, but that wasn't the point.

The point was: on the bed lay a set of middle school uniform.

"Do I have to wear it too?" Ying Chanxi asked softly, her cheeks flushed.

"Of course," Li Luo smiled. "Today's birthday theme is childhood memories—this outfit fits perfectly."

"I know," Ying Chanxi nodded lightly, secretly feeling a flicker of anticipation. She whispered urgently, "Then hurry up and leave—I'll change and fix my makeup, then come out."

"Alright, no rush—the whole day belongs to us," Li Luo nodded, stepped out, and closed the door behind him, glancing at the time.

It was barely eight o'clock—still very early.

Today was entirely their own private world—no need to rush.

But Ying Chanxi was in a hurry.

After Li Luo left, she quickly changed into the uniform, sat at her desk, opened her bag, took out makeup touch-up items, and began fussing over her reflection in the small mirror.

She'd learned this makeup technique from Yuan Wanqing.

Though it didn't make much difference on her face, still—a woman adorns herself for the one she loves. For such an important birthday, Ying Chanxi wanted to present her very best self.

After another ten minutes of fussing, she finally finished, checked her reflection one last time, confirmed everything was perfect, and let out a long breath.

Then, without bothering to tidy her desk, she hurried to the door, paused to smooth out wrinkles in her uniform, and pushed open the door.

Li Luo sat on the living room sofa; hearing the sound, he smiled and waved at Ying Chanxi.

Then he picked up a massive photo album on the coffee table and began flipping through it gently.

"What are you looking at?" Ying Chanxi walked over curiously, plopping down beside Li Luo and snuggling into his arms.

Honestly, sitting together in middle school uniforms gave Ying Chanxi a peculiar thrill.

Her cheeks instantly flushed, as if she were doing something forbidden.

Li Luo felt much the same.

He appeared to be flipping through the album, but his peripheral vision kept stealing glances at Ying Chanxi.

Wearing the middle school uniform, Ying Chanxi seemed to have gained an extra kind of charm.

A kind of innocence, youthfulness, tinged with childhood nostalgia.

No other girl could give him this feeling.

The girl who had grown up beside him, filled his entire childhood—the girl who rose to top of her grade, yet still worried about him, still cared for him.

Now, finally holding her in his arms, the trembling joy and deep comfort were beyond words.

Thinking of this, Li Luo placed the photo album on their laps, freed his right hand, and pulled Ying Chanxi into his embrace.

"Don't we now look like we're dating back in middle school?" Li Luo joked.

"So what if we do?" Ying Chanxi huffed, glancing at him with a scowl. "Why didn't you wake up earlier back in middle school and actually come talk to me?"

"What do you mean? Are you saying someone already liked me back in middle school? If I'd just come to you, you'd have said yes?" Li Luo continued teasing with a grin.

Hearing this, Ying Chanxi's cheeks instantly flushed red, and she instinctively opened her mouth to retort.

But as she looked around at the delicate arrangements of flowers and balloons, then at the photo album in her hands, and finally at the side of the face beside her—so captivating it made her heart flutter—Ying Chanxi bit her lip and turned her head away, too shy to meet Li Luo's gaze.

Yet her lips parted slightly, and she whispered under her breath: "Y-yeah, of course—if you'd only come to me back in middle school—I definitely would've said yes."