*Chapter 20: Whispers in the Lantern Light*
The days after the Firefly Festival were some of the happiest the group could remember. Festival music still floated through the halls, and everyone talked about Mei Fen's butterflies and Jin Ming's gluttonous antics for days after. The friends lingered longer after lessons, swapping stories on the lawns or sneaking dumplings late at night, hearts light and laughter easy.
Li Wei felt a new warmth whenever Chen Xiulan was near. They started meeting in the garden to talk, at first about schoolwork, then about hopes that felt secret and precious. Li Wei sometimes caught himself smiling for no reason when she teased him or brushed his hand "by accident." The others noticed, Jin Ming winking conspiratorially while Mei Fen dragged Xiulan away to strategize "future friendship plans."
Just when life seemed perfectly peaceful, the school bells rang at midnight—never a good sign. The sky outside flickered with unreal colors, and a strange hush swept through every dormitory. Students crowded by the windows as magic shimmered above the ancient statue garden.
By the time their group reached the courtyard, Headmistress Zhou and Master Qiao stood in nervous silence. A mysterious arcane symbol glowed in the grass—a sign the enemy was sending a warning, taunting them to solve a new puzzle before daylight or risk seeing the first magical barrier fail.
Li Wei felt Chen Xiulan squeeze his hand, anchoring him as the night's excitement twisted into determination. "What do we do, boss?" Jin Ming whispered, grin half-nervous, half-excited. Surrounded by friends—magic in their veins, hope in their hearts—Li Wei smiled: "We solve it together… like always."