Qin Yunting wasn't just talking nonsense; his family really cares about Qin Shuang's love life.
Qin Yunting analyzed: "It's probably the ambiguous stage. He probably wants to pursue her, but it hasn't happened yet."
"It's rare to find someone he likes." Qin's mother was worried. "We know he's a good boy who's cold on the outside but warm on the inside, but others may not know that. You can't be too quiet when pursuing someone. If you don't explain things clearly, it's easy to cause misunderstandings. I wonder if he knows that. I still need to find someone to give me some advice."
Qin Yunting nodded: "Yes, I offered to teach him, but he wasn't willing."
Qin's mother exclaimed in surprise, "You can't do that! Don't give him any bad advice! Absolutely not, do you hear me!"
Qin Yunting: "..."
No, what kind of image does he have in his family's eyes? Is he really that unreliable?
The next day they were able to spend the day at the beach and return to their mountain villa in the evening. Today they were going to do something different – surfing.
Neither the original owner nor Xiao Shulang knew how to do it, but Qin Shuang was an expert, so he taught Xiao Shulang.
"Paddle on the board, find a good wave, and stand up..."
Qin Shuang first explained the general swimming posture to Xiao Shulang and asked him to try it in the water. Xiao Shulang lay on the board in the shallow water and slowly paddled forward: "Like this?"
Qin Shuang walked beside him, wading through the water. He didn't bring his surfboard into the water yet: "Aim at the center line, otherwise you'll easily lose your balance."
The water was flowing, and when pushing the board and shaking it, it was difficult for beginners to grasp the exact position. Qin Shuang used the back of her hand to push his calf into the correct position: "Here."
Xiao Shulang's legs involuntarily twitched slightly: "Oh, um!"
As the water gradually deepened, Qin Shuang swam beside him and said, "Not every wave can be stood up. You can feel the speed of the wind and the current and choose a good wave."
Xiao Shulang stared ahead: "Standing up requires balance and speed, right?"
Qin Shuang nodded.
The two waited a few seconds, the seawater rose and fell, and a wave crashed over them. Qin Shuang nudged Xiao Shulang's plank: "Go try it."
This means that the wave is feasible.
Xiao Shulang immediately paddled over, feeling the force of the waves, seized the opportunity, grabbed the board, and used his shoulders to lift himself up, quickly standing up from the board.
Then, with a "plop," the figure on the board disappeared.
Qin Shuang swam over, and Xiao Shulang emerged from the water, lying on the board and laughing: "Haha, it's quite difficult."
“Many beginners can’t even stand up,” Qin Shuang said. “You have good balance, that’s great.”
Qin Shuang was telling the truth. How long it takes to stand up depends on one's motor skills, but most people need to practice for a sufficient amount of time, except for geniuses.
Xiao Shulang: "Hmm, I'm starting to get the hang of it. I'll practice by myself. Don't just focus on me, come and demonstrate for me."
Qin Shuang swam back to shore, took her board with her, and Xiao Shulang retreated to the shallow water to watch Qin Shuang perform.
After two waves, the third wave rose beautifully high, and Qin Shuang swam in while holding the board. From the front, it looked as if he was swallowed by the waves, but as the first wave began to roll down, Qin Shuang burst out of the waves and slid to the top of the wave in the blink of an eye.
He leaped high above the white waves, seemingly conquering even the surging waves, which became his support.
Surprisingly, there were quite a few people in the surfing area. Xiao Shulang heard someone whistle nearby.
Xiao Shulang turned his head and found that it was a foreigner. He probably didn't know Qin Shuang and Xiao Shulang. The man winked at Xiao Shulang and said in English:
"That was a beautiful wave, your boyfriend is so cool."
Xiao Shulang: "!"
"No! Uh, cough, I mean he is indeed cool, but he's not my boyfriend."
Xiao Shulang hurriedly explained in English, then coughed lightly. The man exclaimed in surprise, "Oh! You two are very stylish. I noticed you earlier. Aren't you a couple?"
Just as Xiao Shulang was about to speak, Qin Shuang came over carrying a surfboard. She cheerfully said to Xiao Shulang, "Great! Since you two aren't a couple, handsome, would you like to play with me sometime? I can teach you how to surf if you want."
Xiao Shulang/Qin Shuang: "..."
Qin Shuang pronounced clearly, "I'm sorry, he's not available."
The comments section was filled with laughter.
To ensure everyone could understand what they were talking about in English, many viewers provided thoughtful translations in the live chat, making sure everyone knew what interesting things had just happened.
[Hahaha, this is hilarious! Why aren't you two a couple? Just admit you are!]
[My Xiao actually got flirted with by a stranger, hahaha]
The man glanced at Qin Shuang, who was blocking his way at the exit: "Didn't you say you two weren't a couple?"
Qin Shuang: Not yet.
The person said, "Oh! I understand, sorry to bother you."
Xiao Shulang's eyes widened in disbelief, but Qin Shuang remained unfazed, letting him stare as if she hadn't said anything earth-shattering.
After a two-second silence, the comments section exploded.
[Wipe, wipe, wipe! For now, for now! It'll be alright later, right? Right?]
【I can't take it anymore! Are you two really together?! Are you two really together?!】
[I don't care, I'm just going to assume you two are together!! I'll force your heads together right there!]
The meanings derived from "We are not a couple" and "We are not a couple for the time being" are quite different. Before leaving, the person said "Good luck to you", and considering the context, it's clear what kind of good luck it meant. Qin Shuang didn't refute it at all.
After the strangers left, only the two of them remained. Even the drone that was filming flew a little further away, leaving only the sound of the crashing waves in their ears.
Xiao Shulang cleared his throat: "You..."
At the same time, Qin Shuang also spoke up: "I..."
Their voices collided, and they both fell silent.
This time, the two didn't engage in any polite "you go first" gesture. Xiao Shulang, holding his surfboard and looking down, said, "I... I'm going to continue practicing."
Qin Shuang: "Mm."
The audience was getting impatient.
【No way!! You two are chickening out now that everyone's gone? What's there to chicken out for? Go for it!】
However, direct confessions aren't allowed on the show, which is understandable.
[When will the show end? I want to see them get together! Oh wait, if it ends, I won't be able to see them every day! QAQ]
That being said, no matter how conflicted the audience is, Heartbeat Encounters is indeed coming to an end. After this two-day, one-night date, there will be a big reunion, and then it will be time for the final selection.
Qin Shuang only played for a short while before watching Xiao Shulang and giving him advice from time to time. Learning to surf is really physically demanding. Even a sports enthusiast like Xiao Shulang felt tired after two hours. He simply lay on the surfboard and used the force of the waves to push himself back to the shore. Of course, he still had to paddle from time to time to control the direction.
When they reached the shallow end, he lazily soaked in the water, not really wanting to move.
Like a cat that is usually agile and nimble, but is temporarily resting and recharging after playing.
Especially with his wet hair hanging down and his eyes half-closed in contentment, he looked even more like a cat. It's a pity that you can pet a cat, but not a person... for now.
When Qin Shuang returned and saw him like this, her fingers twitched, and she couldn't resist bringing her iced drink closer and pressing it against Xiao Shulang's face, as if to touch him from a distance.
Xiao Shulang jolted awake, his half-closed eyes suddenly widening, and his body straightening up—if he had furry ears on his head, they might actually stand up.
Qin Shuang smiled and said, "Wake up."
"Teacher Qin, high school students don't do that anymore."
Xiao Shulang took the iced drink, opened it and took a sip. Then, as Qin Shuang turned around, he raised his hand and splashed seawater towards Qin Shuang.
Qin Shuang was splashed by the water, and water droplets dripped down the contours of his face. Qin Shuang stopped and turned around: "Would a high school student do this?"
Xiao Shulang covered the iced drink and placed it on the surfboard, smiling as he said, "It might be too childish for high school students, but it's perfect for adults."
"That makes sense."
Qin Shuang calmly nodded, then suddenly swept her hands up and poured the water over Xiao Shulang's head.
Xiao Shulang knew he was the type to unleash a powerful attack quietly, so he was prepared and swam to the side to dodge.
So viewers noticed that their channel suddenly changed from a testosterone-fueled, handsome surfing segment to a bunch of noobs slapping each other in the water. Well... calling them noobs doesn't quite fit, since one of them has a strong presence and the other is agile, and they managed to pull off a whole host of tricks in their water fight.
I feel like their art style has changed, but then again, it seems like it hasn't.
[Let me tell you why I feel like nothing's changed: because whether it's cool sports or childish playful pecking, it's all so damn sweet!!]
At lunchtime, Zhou Tong and Tian Xiaole arrived at their group. They had already visited other groups, and this was the last stop.
“We’re just here to freeload,” Tian Xiaole said. “You two have done a fantastic job, I don’t have any special suggestions.”
Zhou Tong now feels embarrassed when he sees Xiao Shulang, as if to say: I know my brother has wronged you, but he's still my brother. He speaks to Xiao Shulang much more politely than before, and no longer bluntly says things like "I think you should do this or that".
As Tian Xiaole happily sipped the shrimp, she looked at Qin Shuang and Xiao Shulang across from her, thought for a moment, and said, "Well... if I had to say something, it wouldn't just be for the two of you, but probably for many people. When you've already given your answer, why not be brave and bold and see if there are others who have the same answer as you?"
Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang both paused almost imperceptibly. Then Qin Shuang nodded, while Xiao Shulang smiled and took over Tian Xiaole's words, exchanging a few more words.
The official suggested leaving first, and the two enjoyed themselves at the beach until the afternoon, having enjoyed the sea and sand. Only then did they return home with the program crew to their mountain villa.
Because the production team estimated the time, the three groups returned around the same time. Everyone greeted each other and brought some local delicacies from the places they had visited, which made up tonight's dinner.
So tonight's table was filled with a variety of dishes, including seafood brought back by Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang, time-honored delicacies packed by Xu Baichang and You Ziang, and specialty snacks brought back by Zhuo Cheng and Yin Xingzhi.
Zhou Tong and Tian Xiaole, the two advisors, brought drinks. Everyone poured the drinks, and Tian Xiaole and Zhou Tong raised their glasses first.
"After tonight, our advisors will be saying goodbye to everyone for this season," Tian Xiaole said. "May you all have a wonderful and exciting experience, and may everyone have a happy ending. Cheers!"
"cheers--"
After dinner, Zhou Tong and Tian Xiaole said goodbye to everyone and went back to their room to pack their things. They both had very busy schedules ahead of them, had already contacted their companies, and were preparing to leave that very night.
The other guests returned to their rooms to prepare for the upcoming heart-pounding text message segment.
I didn't have to send text messages last night, but I won't tonight.
Xiao Shulang stroked his phone, recalling Tian Xiaole's explicit suggestion that he be bolder, and then he thought of the text messages Qin Shuang had recently sent him...
Could he perhaps change the content of his text messages a little?
Chapter 42 I looked at you through the sky and saw the most dazzling star.
Previously, his messages were all of the type that didn't cross that line; while not overly polite, they didn't express any ambiguous meaning either.
His interactions with Qin Shuang on the show were becoming increasingly close, and if he were to follow his heart, the content of these text messages should be changed.
For the first time, Xiao Shulang was struggling with what text message to send.