At the dinner table, Xunan was sitting opposite me. He had already finished eating and was lazily leaning on the table watching me, while I chatted with Aunt Yan about life and studies.
"After winter break, I'm going to skip a grade and go straight to the third year of junior high," I said.
Uncle Yan and Aunt Yan exchanged a smile and covered their mouths.
"Why would a girl skip grades? Isn't it better to follow the proper path?" Xu Nan frowned.
"I want to finish my studies as soon as possible."
"What will you do after you finish your studies? Are you waiting to get married?"
I shook my head. "I can help Dad sooner."
He stood up and held out his hand to me. "Let's go upstairs and play chess."
*
His room was indeed full of interesting things, and there was even a glass cabinet displaying his favorite sculptures and porcelain dolls, each one unique and artistic. I looked back at him, and he really did have an artistic aura about him. He sat casually on the edge of the bed and winked at me.
I smiled knowingly.
He squinted, a half-smile playing on his lips. I awkwardly walked over and asked, "Want to play chess?"
"No, I want to take you to fly."
He took me to see the sea. Cheung Chau's beach was so beautiful. Even though it was nighttime and there was no one around, it was pitch black. But the cool sea breeze was blowing right in our faces, making us feel completely undisturbed by lights, crowds, the sun, or noise. The small waves slid over our feet, like playing hide-and-seek. We rolled up our trousers and stepped onto the fine sand, listening to the sound of the waves. It was so relaxing.
Monotonous and pure to perfection, our breaths mingled with the sea breeze, so harmonious.
Xu Nan stopped and put his hand on the back of my neck, suddenly saying, "If only you had long hair, the wind would blow and the strands would slide down my arm."
For the first time, I realized that long hair is good; the wind howls across my neck, and nothing stays.
"Xiaoqing, last time I came here with my friends, I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, sat right here facing the sea, listening to the sea breeze, and I immediately thought of you. Isn't that strange?"
I shook my head.
Why did he think of me?
He grinned, pulled me down to sit, and went back to the car to get a small case of beer. I comfortably leaned back on the soft sand, closed my eyes, and felt the seawater washing over my back and my whole body with the fine sand, some of it even reaching my scalp. Xu Nan, meanwhile, tilted his head back and drank the beer, then handed me the empty bottle.
I squeezed it until it made a cracking sound, and soon I had a full chest of it.
“I like this place, Xunan.” I rolled over, lay on the sofa, and looked up at him.
He looked at me with a dazed expression and said, "The stars in the sky are so close to me."
"Star?"
He pinched my cheek and said, "I like your eyes. They may be a little dull and a little cold, but they are very clear."
A little dazed?
“Look, just like this.” He laughed.
I lay back down, feeling exhausted, and took the beer can from him—I don't know how many cans it was.
Just smelling the alcohol makes me feel like I'm about to get drunk.
"Xiao Qing, will you be in charge of Fuhua in the future?" He lay drunkenly beside me.
I nodded. "There's no one else."
"It'll be tiring." He held my hand and looked at me unconsciously.
"There's nothing we can do about it, but I'm not afraid."
"I have absolutely no desire to take over Weisheng."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"I want to create my own business empire, where I will be in complete control," he declared confidently.
"Then... shall I help you, Xu Nan?"
He shook me off, saying, "Who asked you to help?!"
"Oh." I lowered my head and played with the fine sand beneath me.
Why do you always secretly watch me whenever I go to your house?
"Who's looking at you?" I sat up, hugging my knees. But my face was burning.
"You think I didn't see you? Always standing behind the curtains, do you like me?"
"No." I gritted my teeth.
"Why don't you be my girlfriend?" He put his arm around my shoulder, ignoring my awkwardness.
"Aren't you Xiao Ning's friend?"
"Her? She's just a little girl. I'm not a pedophile."
I was slightly pleased. But I forgot that I was only a year older than Ning.
"But she's quite cute."
"But I like you more."