The next morning, Li Wei woke up to the sound of his alarm ringing aggressively. He groaned, rolling over to switch it off. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, reminding him that he couldn't hide from reality. He had a comic to finish.

Still feeling the pleasant glow of last night's jam session with Mei Lin, he sat at his desk, determined to draw. With his coffee in hand, he scribbled down Lin Feng's next adventure. But memories of their laughter kept creeping into his mind, blurring the lines between his work and their playful banter.

"Focus, Wei! You need to finish this!" he scolded himself.

Hours passed, and although he drew some great action scenes, his mind was hazy. Frustrated, he stared at the empty page where the romantic scenes should be. He was good at adventure, not at what came next. Suddenly, a bright idea struck him.

"Maybe I should ask Mei Lin for some help with the romance part," he thought, feeling a wave of relief.

He quickly typed a message to her.

Li Wei: "Hey, could you come over? I could use your help with the comic."

Within moments, Mei Lin replied:

Mei Lin: "On my way! Bring snacks!"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm and prepared some more chips and instant noodles as he waited. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

"Snacks ready?" Mei Lin burst in, balancing a bag of gummy bears and her sketchbook.

"Of course," he said, waving his hand towards the snacks. "But we need to focus on the comic!"

"Okay, okay!" she laughed, sitting down next to him. "Let's dive into the romantic part. What have you got so far?"

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Li Wei hesitated for a moment, embarrassed. "Not much. I can draw the action, but... romantic moments? I'm struggling."

"Don't worry! Just think of it like this: what would make you feel special?" Mei Lin urged, her eyes shining with excitement. "Imagine you're Lin Feng! How would he impress his love interest?"

Li Wei took a deep breath. "I guess he would do something brave... maybe he would protect her from danger?"

"That's great!" Mei Lin smiled, her energy infectious. "But what about the small moments? Like a date? Or an unexpected surprise?"

Wei scratched his head thoughtfully, beginning to see the whole picture. "Well, maybe he could take her to a festival and show her his favorite lanterns?"

"Yes! And they could share a moment under the stars," she exclaimed, scribbling down ideas in her book.

As they worked together, the atmosphere filled with creativity and laughter. For the first time, Li Wei felt excited about the romance subplot. It was fun collaborating with Mei Lin, who brought a lightness that lifted his spirits.

After a few hours, they laid out their ideas. The story was starting to take shape, blending action and romance in a way that surprised them both.

"See? That wasn't so hard!" Mei Lin said, stretching her arms above her head. "Now we just need to fill in the details!"

Feeling accomplished, Wei leaned back in his chair, a small smile plastered on his face. "Thanks, Mei Lin. I couldn't have done it without you."

She grinned back at him. "And this is just the beginning! Imagine all the adventures Lin Feng will have!"

As they continued discussing ideas, Wei found himself enjoying Mei Lin's company more than he expected. Her laughter was infectious, and her enthusiasm made the work feel less like a burden. He couldn't help but wonder about the possibility of their friendship turning into something more.

But just then, Chen Yu's voice echoed through the chat app on his phone.

Chen Yu: "Let's go out tonight! I promise I won't mention girls!"

Li Wei rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh. He typed back:

Li Wei: "Just don't drag me into any absurd situations!"

"Sounds like he's ready for another adventure," Mei Lin teased, leaning closer to look at his phone screen.

"More like chaos," Wei responded, shaking his head. "I'm not sure how much more I can handle."

"Don't worry! I'll keep you grounded," she winked, and for a moment, it felt like they shared a secret bond over their friendship and the creative process.

"Alright, let's see how tonight goes," he finally said, feeling anxiety. Would it be another adventure, or would it be a chance for something deeper to develop between them?.