*Chapter 31: Sunlight and Secrets*
The city buzzed with morning life as Nightwatch rolled out in broad daylight for the first time—in their new gear, blending right into the crowds. Jin Ming and Bao Yu's van disguised as a delivery truck zipped through traffic, while Mei Fen and Yan weaved their bikes past buses, melting into the pulse of normality. Li Wei and Xiulan moved side by side on foot, earpieces tuned, nerves tight: rumors of a planned strike at the riverside festival had reached Headmistress Zhou, and the group was there to stop any attack before it began.
Colors danced on every surface—market stalls, paper lanterns, music drifting from boat parades. As they patrolled, Xiulan gave Li Wei a gentle nudge, her eyes shining beneath her mask. "Think of it," she whispered, "our childhood selves, saving the city in daylight." Li Wei's answer was a nervous laugh, but his heart ached with how right it felt beside her.
Trouble came suddenly: black-clad foes, masked and fearless, weaving through the crowd with smoke bombs and fake talismans to panic vendors. The group sprang into action—Jin Ming leaping from the van to shield children, Mei Fen vaulting off her bike to sweep threats from the festival stage, Yan darting along balcony rails, staff spinning. Bao Yu coordinated from the van, signaling for backup and monitoring every movement.
Li Wei and Xiulan rushed to corner two attackers trying to sabotage a fireworks stand. There was no time for magic; just quick reflexes and years of trust. Li Wei blocked a wild kick, Xiulan swung an elbow into the second attacker's ribs, and together, they ducked behind crates as a flash-bomb popped. For a heartbeat, it was just the two of them in a sun-bright bubble, chaos muffled outside.
Xiulan pulled off her mask, breathing hard, eyes wide with adrenaline and affection. "We did it," she whispered, barely above a breath. Li Wei, still shaking from the fight and the sudden quiet, touched her cheek—then, unable to hold back, leaned in.
Their kiss was hungry, pure, and slow—Xiulan's fingers threading through Li Wei's hair, his arms slipping around her waist, the world outside dissolving. Sunlight poured across their faces, heat and heart racing as they melted into each other, fear and relief tangling in every beat. For that stolen moment, nothing else existed but their breath and the promise they found in each other's arms.
When they finally pulled apart, laughter and sirens returned, the team's voices crackling in their ears. With a shy grin, Xiulan wiped a tear from Li Wei's cheek. "The world is wild," she whispered, "but we'll face it—together."
Back at the van, the group exchanged knowing smirks but said nothing. What happened in that sacred moment was just for Li Wei and Xiulan—one perfect secret, blossoming in the sunlight despite the shadows all around.