Oh my... I love seeing her naked... I need to find more ways to make her not wear clothes in the future.
Author's Note:
These past few days have been very busy and stressful. But considering that there are only two days left on the newcomer list, I'll update as much as I can to share my little H-fiction with more of my lovely readers.
Chapter 12. Just humans.
After graduation, Zou Yibei is now interning at this foundation. She didn't have high expectations, but her parents couldn't bear to see her stay at home any longer. Her family's wealth is enough for her to manage while she stays home. She occasionally does freelance translation work, hoping to slowly explore her future direction.
However, her parents' expectations were a heavy burden. Zou Yibei could live off her family for the rest of her life, but the family's pharmaceutical company couldn't be left unattended. Having been strictly managed since childhood, she was always excellent but anxious, so she found an internship while preparing to study in the United States next year, as arranged by her mother.
"The J Islands are a small archipelago isolated in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Located at X°X′S, X°X′W... The local climate is mild, with an average annual temperature of... The highest point on the island is at an altitude of... The land is fertile, producing abundant fruits and vegetables... The coastline has diverse forms, including mudflats, beaches, and cliffs..."
Zou Yibei slacked off at work, browsing the web and searching for various information about the J Islands.
It wasn't a famous tourist destination, and there wasn't much information about it. Zou Yibei couldn't remember where she'd heard of it before, but the name of this archipelago suddenly popped into her head, which she found strange. She closed the webpage after a while, afraid of being caught slacking off by her boss.
However, the vertical white cliffs beside the deep blue ocean... are really quite beautiful. Zou Yibei thought to herself, "It's definitely the kind of scenery Qi Yi'an would like." That person had an extraordinary passion for the sea, and even when he was sick and still lucid, he had half-jokingly and half-seriously entrusted her with his affairs after his death.
"Zou Yibei, if I die before you and am cremated, could you scatter my ashes in the Pacific Ocean, and perhaps include a copy of the Zhiyan Zhai edition of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' with you?"
"What if I miss you? Where should I burn paper money for you?"
"Just look at the sea."
“Oh, then I’ll just roar at the sea.” She thought for a moment, “But your density will become very low.”
"It would be more convenient to contact you, considering that the seas are connected, I can call you from any coastal area."
“You need to look at the ocean currents.” Qi Yi’an’s voice was already very hoarse, but he still joked with her with a smile.
"How am I supposed to know which ocean current you're in? Do I need to label it with isotopes? Then I can follow the ocean currents to find you every year and take a trip along the way."
If it weren't for their habitual association with a bunch of friends, the above could have been standard lines for confessing their love.
Since 2019, many natural and man-made disasters have occurred, and the ups and downs of life are unavoidable. They are two young people who have nothing and are filled with both hope and despair.
In the past two years, Qi Yi'an has been on the verge of death several times. When she was still occasionally lucid, Zou Yibei prepared her "epitaph" and read it to her:
"When you're in the sea, almost every patch of sky becomes yours."
With salted fish, and fish that aren't salted.
Living in the reflection of the sky
It's so poetic, yet absurd and irreverent. If Zou Yibei were Qi Yi'an's type, she probably would have fallen in love with her.
However, Zou Yibei still didn't understand why he suddenly thought of the J Islands and then suddenly thought of Qi Yi'an.
It seems to have appeared out of nowhere, without any connection, yet it is also perfectly reasonable.
The J Islands, isolated in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, boast a diverse and rugged coastline, ranging from smooth, soft beaches to steep sea cliffs. The islands feature both towering extinct volcanoes and plains covered in trees. The tides ebb and flow daily, sometimes revealing the mudflats, sometimes disappearing. Several lighthouses are built on the coastal rocks, along with a few seaside forts. At low tide, one can walk across the mudflats and rocks to reach the forts; at high tide, the paths are submerged, requiring boats for access.
The scenery here may not be enough to surpass those well-known tourist destinations, nor can it be said to be the most unique and extraordinary among the thousands of islands in the ocean, but in Qi Yi'an's eyes, it is enough. It is beautiful at just the right time.
Qin Ruoshui had traveled extensively, and her aesthetic standards for travel were quite high. To her, this place wasn't exactly breathtakingly beautiful, and her connection to the sea wasn't as naturally strong as that of small animals. It was just that at this moment, in this place, with this person, that the mundane was no longer boring.
Qi Yi'an had long been looking forward to the famous White Cliff Cape on the island. He had been itching to go after seeing photos of it online, and with Qin Ruoshui's various money and beauty-enhancing tactics, he finally gritted his teeth and agreed to come.
Since arriving on the island, we've been leisurely strolling around for half a month. Our trip here with Qin Ruoshui doesn't feel like a rushed, tightly packed tour; it's more like simply enjoying a peaceful and leisurely life, with no rush to visit many tourist attractions.
Not knowing when the pandemic will end outside, not knowing when the island will reopen, time seems to stretch out before us like an endless ocean. In these days of carefree wandering and boundless thoughts, there's no need to see all the flowers of Chang'an in a single day.
A life of fleeting sights lacks any sense of reality.
"Let's get out of the car," Qin Ruoshui said, putting on her sunglasses. "We should walk there from here."
Qi Yi'an got off the bus with his bag on his back and looked at the map he had picked up at the nearby travel station.
They were now in a plain meadow. Looking out, under the blue sky and white clouds, there was a vast grassland, interspersed with low shrubs and slightly taller trees. The land undulated gently, with different layers of green overlapping, dotted with white wildflowers and old, whitened wooden fences. There were no humans in sight.
In the distance, there were one or two scattered red-roofed houses; closer by, there was only a small, faded telephone booth, a similarly worn and white wooden road sign, and a small, bright red mailbox that looked freshly painted, all standing beside the road. At that moment, the background music from "Brokeback Mountain" automatically played in Qi Yi'an's mind, the lazy strumming of a guitar.
"How desolate!" Qin Ruoshui, the female protagonist in the video in her mind, looked around and thought to herself that she probably couldn't handle hiking up a cliff in such a place...
But Qi Yi'an loved this place so much; his fair face shone even brighter in the sunlight, his eyes brimming with energy.
Ah, young people just have so much stamina...
A small path branched off from the highway, and the map indicated that they should follow it and cross a small bridge. After crossing the bridge, they saw a winding river meandering across the vast green plain. The river was narrow and shallow, but it generally flowed towards the sea. Since the sea wasn't yet in sight, they chose a walking path and strolled leisurely along the water.
Qi Yi'an walked ahead, her excited look around familiar to Qin Ruoshui, like a curious little lynx exploring its surroundings. She wanted to pet her. Qin Ruoshui reached out, took her little paw, and followed.
The softness between her fingers reminded Qi Yi'an that she should wait for the female lead. She grasped her hand in return, turned back with a smile, and naturally took her hand as they walked forward.
Qin Ruoshui couldn't keep up with her pace, so she quickened her pace by being pulled along by the hand, momentarily displaying a shy demeanor like a child being led across the street for fear of getting lost.
Qi Yi'an caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye.
This is the first time I've seen her act so feminine!
She then slowed down, lifted Qin Ruoshui's small hand, and examined it carefully for a while.
What are you looking at, kid?
Just as Qin Ruoshui was about to stop, Qi Yi'an gently kissed the back of her hand, looking as if he couldn't bear to part with it.
Huh? Qin Ruoshui paused for a moment, then lowered her head.
She became even more shy... Her expression was hidden behind her sunglasses, but Qi Yi'an could sense her movements and was very satisfied.
Ha ha.
He lowered his hand and led her on a slow walk. The country lanes were mostly dirt and stones, with wild grass and flowers growing along the sides. Although the terrain was generally gentle and undulating, it wasn't easy for an elderly person like Qin Ruoshui to walk for a long time. The round trip would probably take several hours.
"If you can't walk anymore, I'll carry you," Qi Yi'an said casually, holding her hand without looking at her. He felt a little nervous inside.
Qin Ruoshui was stunned again. A woman in her thirties… asking a child to carry her? …Carry her? …Ah, just thinking about it is so embarrassing.
"No need, I'm not that weak," she thought, still unwilling to give up, and added, "With your small frame, you think you can carry me?"
Qi Yi'an was about the same height as Qin Ruoshui, but probably because of his small breasts, he looked less confident compared to her.
"...Yes, I want to carry you on my back."
Qi Yi'an had actually started daydreaming a few days ago.
"...Am I supposed to carry it?" Qi Yi'an turned her head weakly to look at the woman, looking just like that puppy looking up emoji she always posted, innocent and pitiful.
Qin Ruoshui's expression behind her sunglasses was unreadable.
He didn't say anything. He continued walking forward.
…
"Okay, I'll let you carry it..."
A soft, warm voice sounded in his ear, and the melodious and charming ending tone made Qi Yi'an feel as if he was being relied upon.
Her petite woman led her onward, glancing down at their clasped hands. In the warm sunshine and the gentle sea breeze, Qi Yi'an's heart melted completely.
…
She stopped and prepared to squat down.
"Wait..." Qin Ruoshui said hurriedly in a soft voice, "Let's talk about it when I'm tired..."
Qi Yi'an held her hand tightly, gently stroking it, and smiled faintly with his head down.
Along the road to the sea, the rolling plains resembled a woman's breathing body. The trees and clouds along the road were swayed by the sea breeze. Water plants and water birds grew along the meandering, gentle streams in the plains, and in the distance, herds of black and white cattle and sheep moved slowly to the right. The flocks of birds on the plains were occasionally startled by sheepdogs, circling and circling for a while before gradually settling down and settling back down, like waves.
There are only two humans in the world.
The two walked slowly without speaking, listening to the sound of the ocean getting closer and closer.
"If my family knew I had a 20-year-old girlfriend, they would be speechless with disbelief," Qin Ruoshui said casually, looking at the vast world around her.
She had never mentioned it before, and Qi Yi'an had never agreed to be her girlfriend. The aftermath of their one-night stand wasn't planned for the future, nor was any relationship defined. Qin Ruoshui knew from the start that she was just there for the exchange, and would leave sooner or later, just like everyone else.
She lived happily without expecting anything in return, yet amidst the familiar, mundane despair, a tiny, sliver of hope emerged. Sometimes, what torments us isn't utter despair, but rather the faintest glimmer of hope.
Qi Yi'an was stunned. It was the first time she'd heard the word "girlfriend" from this person's mouth; it felt unfamiliar and somewhat unsettling. She would leave sooner or later, perhaps next month, or the month after. Many people had pursued her since she went abroad, but she had never given any of them hope.
With her still innocent smile, she unscrewed her water bottle and handed it to Qin Ruoshui, asking her to drink first, "Are you thirsty?"
The essence of human relationships is pure; many relationships don't need to be defined. Social definitions, along with the accompanying boundaries, ethics, and morality, often bring more trouble than anything else. Family, friends, and lovers—in the end, they are all just human beings.
She probably loves her, Qi Yi'an thought.
Author's Note:
These past two days have finally come to an end.
We'll continue updating tomorrow to celebrate Children's Day.
Chapter 13 White Cliff at the Cape.
The sound of the sea grew closer, and Qi Yi'an's back swayed slightly as Qin Ruoshui nestled against it, comfortably squinting her eyes. The sunlight was bright but not scorching, and Qi Yi'an's warmth always reminded her of her childhood, like being carried on her grandmother's back to kindergarten, a feeling of peace and security.
This kid seems pretty reliable.
Walking along the path on the gentle, grassy slope, we can now cross the plain and see the cliffs on the other side.
It turned out that the plain they had been on was actually a river valley, with flat and gently sloping highlands on both sides. Looking from the highlands on this side of the valley, the grassland on the other side abruptly ended at a vertical, snow-white cliff. The clean, white cut in the earth made Qi Yi'an think it looked like some kind of strange cheese that had been cut with a knife.
The river meanders across the plains, becoming straight and wide at its estuary, flowing over the off-white sandy beach before emptying into the light blue-green sea. A little further on, the continuous white cliffs on the opposite bank become fully visible. The scenery is both exquisite and magnificent.
Upon reaching the best viewpoint, Qi Yi'an gently put Qin Ruoshui down. "Tired?" Qin Ruoshui smiled, placing her bag on the grass and handing her a bottle of water. "Rest for a while. Don't push yourself next time!"
Qi Yi'an sat down on the spot and gulped down a few mouthfuls of water. She drank so quickly that tiny water droplets clung to the fine hairs on her lips, trembling gently with her breath. She stared blankly at the blue sea and white cliffs; it was so beautiful.
Qin Ruoshui stared blankly at Qi Yi'an and the scenery beside her; it was so beautiful.
"Drink slowly," she said, gently rubbing the off-white fisherman's hat on Qi Yi'an's head. She slowly leaned closer and kissed away the tiny water droplets one by one.
Qi Yi'an obediently let her kiss him, comfortably closing his eyelids. The sunlight was orange-yellow. Qin Ruoshui's lips were red again. He loved it. He nestled into Qin Ruoshui's neck, inhaling her hair and fragrance, and gently kissed her snow-white neck.
Qin Ruoshui embraced her, freeing one hand to remove her sunglasses, and kissed her earlobe, gently biting it. In the warm breath beside her ear...