Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Lin Bufan walked over to Chen Nanxing, tilted his head to look at her struggling to maintain the "downward-facing dog" pose, and shook his head: "Your waist is slumped too much, your back is not fully extended, it looks uncomfortable."

Chen Nanxing, panting, straightened up from the mat, wiped the fine sweat from her forehead, and glared at Lin Bufan with annoyance: "Do you even know yoga? You talk like you know everything!"

"I know a little." Lin Bufan smiled slightly, without explaining further, and simply took off his shoes and pushed Chen Nanxing aside: "Watch carefully."

Lin Bufan began with a smooth "Sun Salutation," his movements textbook perfect, each breath perfectly coordinated. He then followed with "Warrior I" and "Warrior II," his body as stable as a mountain, his outstretched limbs exuding a powerful yet supple beauty.

Seeing this, Bai Manjun also stopped, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. Lin Bufan's movements were not only standard, but also carried a smooth and rhythmic quality, clearly indicating that it was not as simple as "having a smattering of knowledge".

Chen Nanxing stared wide-eyed, his mouth slightly agape.

After completing a few basic poses, Lin Bufan came to the "Downward-Facing Dog" position that Chen Nanxing had just been in. He easily supported himself, and his entire body formed a perfect inverted V shape. His heels were firmly pressed to the ground, his back was straight and extended, his neck was relaxed, and his breathing was deep and steady.

"See that? This is the standard Downward-Facing Dog pose." Lin Bufan maintained the posture, his voice steady: "Tighten your core, lift your tailbone, feel the stretch in the back of your thighs, don't just focus on bending over."

Chen Nanxing blushed, but stubbornly retorted, "Who knows if you just watched some videos online and learned it on the spot..."

Bai Manjun sincerely exclaimed, "President Lin, your skills are very solid. How long have you been practicing?"

"It's been a while; I use it for exercise." Lin Bufan effortlessly finished his stance, his breathing perfectly steady, and looked at Chen Nanxing: "So, Chen, are you convinced?"

Chen Nanxing snorted and turned his face away: "So-so."

Xu Hongdou watched from the side, a faint smile playing on her lips. She always felt that Lin Bufan harbored too many unexpected things about him; every time she thought she had figured him out, he would come up with something new.

In the following time, Lin Bufan actually began to instruct Chen Nanxing. He spoke bluntly, and the problems he pointed out were often incisive, but the movements he demonstrated were extremely standard and graceful, leaving no room for argument.

Even Xu Hongdou was drawn in and followed along with a few soothing stretching exercises.

Of course, some "friction" is inevitable during the guidance process, but Chen Nanxing and Xu Hongdou both said they could understand it!

Sunlight streamed into the courtyard, a gentle breeze blew, and a few people were either focused on practicing or chatting quietly, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Sitting in his rocking chair, Hu Youyu watched this scene, and the turmoil in his heart seemed to be somewhat diluted by the tranquil morning light. His gaze fell on Bai Manjun's graceful figure, and recalling Lin Bufan's "simple and crude" remarks just now, his eyes gradually became firm.

Around noon, Xie Xiaochun rushed to the courtyard with news: the village was going to hold a "Stargazing Camping Festival" the next night on the open grassland behind the mountain, and invited all the residents of the courtyard to participate and experience the village's new tourism project.

"There will be a bonfire and barbecue tonight, and we can also see the stars. It'll be so lively!" Xie Xiaochun warmly invited, "Let's all come and have some fun, just to relax."

Young people are always interested in this kind of activity. Chen Nanxing was the first to raise his hand in agreement: "Great! Watching the stars at night is so romantic!" As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Lin Bufan.

The others, of course, had no reason to refuse!

And so the matter was settled. Xie Xiaochun gave a few more instructions and then hurried off, as she still had to inform the other villagers and tourists.

That evening, after returning from Youfeng Restaurant, Nana also expressed her agreement: "The restaurant will close early tomorrow afternoon, I'll go too."

……

The following afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the courtyard gradually became lively with a gentle breeze.

Nana closed the door of Youfeng Bistro early and returned with the prepared ingredients and drinks. Da Mai also unusually finished writing early and helped pack. Xu Hongdou methodically checked the blankets, mosquito repellent, and other miscellaneous items needed for camping. Chen Nanxing was the most excited, having changed into light outdoor clothing, and chattering around Lin Bufan, discussing what to grill that night.

Bai Manjun changed out of her usual long dress and into a beige casual outfit, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail, looking refreshing and capable. Hu Youyu volunteered to be in charge of moving heavy objects, carrying the barbecue grill, charcoal, and other items to Xie Zhiyao's small truck one trip after another.

"Is everyone here?" Xie Zhiyao counted the number of people and items, and said with a smile, "Let's go! If we're late, the good spots will be taken!"

The group chatted and laughed as they drove to the campsite on the back mountain.

The campsite was located on a wide, grassy slope, backed by lush green forests and facing a winding stream. It was still early, but many villagers and tourists were already busy setting up tents, lighting fires for barbecues, and arranging string lights... Laughter and cheerful voices accompanied the cool breeze of the early summer evening, making it especially pleasant.

Xie Xiaochun came up to them and pointed to a flat grassy area near the stream: "This is for you. It's quiet and has a good view for stargazing."

The group immediately divided the tasks. Xie Zhiyao, Hu Youyu, and Lin Bufan were responsible for setting up two large tents—separate tents for men and women. Xu Hongdou and Nana brought barley to lay out moisture-proof mats and pack sleeping bags. Chen Nanxing and Bai Manjun began preparing the ingredients, skewering meat and washing vegetables.

As the sun sets, the sky is painted with a gradient of orange and crimson hues. The charcoal fire slowly ignites, crackling softly, and the aroma of meat skewers and vegetables mingles with the spiciness of cumin and chili powder, filling the air.

"Come on, come on, try my cooking, Chef Hu!" Hu Youyu said proudly, holding up a bunch of sizzling, oily meat skewers.

Chen Nanxing snatched a skewer, took a bite, and hissed as it burned, but nodded repeatedly: "Mmm...not bad, not bad! Teacher Hu, you're quite the hidden talent!"

"That's right!" Hu Youyu was so pleased with the praise that his tail almost reached the sky, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at Bai Manjun, who was quietly turning over the roasted corn.

Lin Bufan pulled out a small portable speaker from somewhere, connected it to his phone, and soothing music flowed out, adding to the leisurely atmosphere along with the babbling brook and the faint sounds of laughter in the distance.

As night deepened, a campfire was lit, its leaping flames dispelling the mountain chill. Sizzling meat skewers filled the air with their aroma. Hu Youyu, guitar in hand, strummed the strings and began to sing a lively folk song. The atmosphere quickly warmed up; some hummed along, while others swayed gently to the rhythm.

Chen Nanxing, along with Xu Hongdou and Nana, danced around the campfire, their laughter ringing out. Da Mai sat a little further away on a mat, sketching and writing in his notebook by the firelight. Bai Manjun sat quietly to the side, watching the joyful scene with a gentle smile. Lin Bufan leaned lazily against his tent, a can of beer in his hand, his gaze following the flickering firelight.

After finishing their barbecue, the guitar music gradually subsided. Everyone sat around the dwindling campfire, gazing up at the night sky.

Yunmiao Village is far from urban light pollution, and the night sky is as clear as black velvet, sprinkled with stars like scattered diamonds. A blurry Milky Way stretches across the sky, magnificent and tranquil.

"So beautiful..." Nana murmured, almost holding her breath.

“You can’t see a starry sky like this in the city,” Xu Hongdou whispered in agreement, her eyes somewhat unfocused.

"How come I never realized before that the starry sky could be so beautiful?" Da Mai rested her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the sky, her tone full of amazement.

Chen Nanxing sat cross-legged on the soft moisture-proof mat, his eyes darting around, when he suddenly became interested and pointed to himself: "Speaking of stars, do you know why my name is Chen Nanxing?"

Everyone looked at her.

"The night I was born," Chen Nanxing's voice was clear and crisp, with a storytelling tone, "according to my dad, the sky was particularly overcast, and there wasn't a single star. But the moment I was born, he suddenly looked up and saw a very, very bright star suddenly appear in the south! It was golden yellow, bigger and more dazzling than any other star, and it was the South Pole! My dad immediately felt that this must be the lucky star I brought, so he immediately decided to name me Nanxing! Nan as in South Pole, and Xing as in star!"

"Wow, how romantic!" Nana exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Really?" Barley blinked and looked up at the southern sky, searching. "The South Pole... it should be very bright, right? Can we see it now?"

Hu Youyu, holding his guitar, also craned his neck and asked, "South...which one? I think that one's pretty bright, isn't it?"

"It should be this one over here; it's much brighter than yours!"

"I think this one is really bright too!"

Is it possible that there are many stars, including the South Pole?

……

Xie Zhiyao, who had been listening to the story with a smile, stroked his chin with an ambiguous expression and slowly said, "Um... is it possible that we're in the Northern Hemisphere, where we can only see Polaris and not Polaris at all?"

The air was quiet for a moment.

Chen Nanxing's smug expression froze instantly, and he blinked: "Huh? Can't see it? But my dad clearly said..."

Xu Hongdou put her arm around Chen Nanxing's shoulder and glared at Xie Zhiyao reproachfully: "I say, Mr. Xie, I finally know why you're so old and still can't find a girlfriend—you have absolutely no romantic sense!" She turned to Chen Nanxing, her tone gentle yet coaxing: "Nanxing, don't pay attention to him. Even if you can't see the South Star, your name is still the most beautiful. Let's not play with him."

Lin Bufan casually interjected, a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "Actually, I think Chen Beixing sounds pretty good too. It echoes the north and south, so symmetrical."

"Get lost!" Chen Nanxing grabbed a small piece of biscuit and threw it at Lin Bufan: "Chen Beixing's voice is awful!"

Lin Bufan smiled and turned his head to dodge, but Chen Nanxing relentlessly pounced on him. The two of them laughed and joked on the soft moisture-proof mat, which made the people around them laugh as well.

After playing around for a while, the two stopped, panting. Chen Nanxing leaned against Lin Bufan, her cheeks flushed from the playful fighting and the warmth of the campfire, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the starry sky.

Lin Bufan put his arm around her shoulder and suddenly spoke, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet night: "Nanxing, how about I give you a star?"

Chen Nanxing was taken aback, then chuckled, thinking Lin Bufan was joking again, but still raised her chin in agreement: "Give me a star? Sure, which one are you going to give me? Sirius? Vega?"

Lin Bufan looked up at the night sky, a smile playing on his lips: "Of course, it's the brightest one."

"The brightest one?" Chen Nanxing became interested and immediately sat up straight, her finger tracing the night sky back and forth. "I think... that one is quite bright, isn't it?" She pointed to a star that was clearly shining brightly near the zenith.

"No." Lin Bufan shook his head.

"Is that one? That one is also very bright!" Chen Nanxing pointed to another one near the Milky Way.

"Not at all."

Chen Nanxing pointed to several bright stars that were visible to the naked eye, but Lin Bufan denied them all.

"Ugh, I'm not guessing anymore!" Chen Nanxing said petulantly, putting down his hand and muttering, "There are so many stars in the sky, how would anyone know which one you're talking about?"

The people around him were also drawn to the attention and looked at Lin Bufan with curiosity.

Lin Bufan slowly raised his arm, extended a finger, and pointed in a direction in the night sky. That direction... was pitch black, appearing exceptionally empty against the backdrop of the surrounding stars.

“Look, that’s the one.” Lin Bufan said confidently.

Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing.

"Where?" Chen Nanxing squinted and strained to see. "There... there's nothing there. It's all dark."

"Yes, Mr. Lin, are you pointing in the wrong direction?" Nana asked, puzzled.

Xu Hongdou looked carefully and shook her head: "There are indeed no visible stars there. Are you seeing things?"

Barley tentatively suggested, "Maybe... it's covered by clouds?"

Hu Youyu scratched his head: "Teacher Lin, your eyesight... shouldn't you get a pair of glasses?"

Xie Zhiyao and Bai Manjun also cast puzzled glances at them.

Lin Bufan remained calm and composed, his finger still steadily pointing at the "nothingness": "Is there nothing there? Take a closer look."

As soon as Lin Bufan finished speaking, as if in response to his words—

The pitch-black sky, which had been completely empty, suddenly flickered very faintly and almost imperceptibly, like a firefly that lit up and then went out in an instant.

Everyone was stunned for a moment, thinking they were seeing things.

Then, the "flicker" appeared again, this time clearer, like a star core covered in thick dust, struggling to break free of its constraints and emitting a stubborn glimmer of light.

The light was faint, but in the absolute darkness, it was enough to draw attention.

"Huh?" Chen Nanxing involuntarily held his breath, his eyes widening.

Under the astonished and uncertain gaze of the crowd, the faint light, like a pearl being constantly blown clean of dust, began to brighten steadily and continuously. It did not erupt suddenly, but rather increased its brilliance at an elegant and firm pace.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds... a minute passed.

A star suddenly appeared in the previously blank night sky! And its brightness was rapidly surpassing that of all the surrounding stars at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Unlike Sirius, which has a sharp blue-white hue, or Vega, which is cool and aloof, or Mars, which has an orange-red tinge, its light is a pure and soft golden-white, warm and bright, yet not dazzling, as if it perfectly blends the gentle glow of moonlight with the warmth of sunlight.

In just two or three minutes, it became the undisputed "protagonist" of the entire night sky, its brilliance so dazzling that even the nearby campfire seemed somewhat dim. The Milky Way appeared as a mere veil in its presence, while other stars were relegated to a blurry background.

Yes, that's right!

This radiant star is the TX-817 that the system rewarded Lin Bufan with.