Chapter 17, Liars, Thugs, Scoundrels

The island tour proceeded as planned, and with the experienced Yansheng as our companion, the sea fishing and diving went exceptionally smoothly.

Around noon, the two returned to the seaside villa carrying a small bucket of freshly caught fish.

Yan Sheng was grilling fish on the terrace, and Wen Hanyun was standing beside him handing him seasonings when she suddenly heard him speak.

"Xie Xiaoyu's case has been adjudicated. She was sentenced to three years in prison for attempted intentional assault."

Wen Hanyun paused upon hearing this, but remained silent.

"As for Yanzhe, I've already sent him to the branch office, and he won't be back for a while."

Wen Hanyun looked up at him. His profile looked particularly gentle in the sunlight, giving her the feeling that a husband was cooking at home while chatting with his wife.

"Thank you," she said softly, shaking off the inexplicable thought, "but I'm not afraid of them anymore."

“It’s not just for you,” Yan Sheng turned his head, his gaze fixed on her face, “it’s actually because I don’t want to see anyone disturbing our lives anymore.”

us?

Before Wen Hanyun could delve into the meaning of the word, Yan Sheng stuffed a piece of fish into her mouth.

"How does it taste?"

The grilled sea fish has a charred aroma on the surface, but the inside is so tender that it melts in your mouth.

"It's delicious! You're such a good cook!" Wen Hanyun's eyes sparkled.

Yan Sheng smiled and picked up a piece with the same pair of chopsticks to try it.

"By the way, when does Teacher Wen plan to fulfill her promise to compensate for the cufflink that was thrown away?"

Wen Hanyun blushed. "I didn't throw it away, it's just that back then..."

That was a very difficult time.

"What happened back then?" He moved closer, the sea breeze carrying his scent, enveloping her as if he were already holding her in his arms.

"You think I'm a jerk?"

Wen Hanyun was stunned by his bluntness and stood there dumbfounded. Then she saw him reach out and gently tidy up the stray hairs by her ear.

She coughed lightly and changed the subject, "No, Yansheng, I just accidentally lost it and have been looking for it for a long time without success."

"It doesn't matter."

It's okay, as long as we find you, that's enough...

Yan Sheng stopped teasing Wen Hanyun and instead extinguished the charcoal fire, sitting down with her to enjoy the seaside scenery.

"How about we go bungee jumping this afternoon? From the jumping platform, we can see the entire bay."

Wen Hanyun looked into his eyes, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

"OK."

.

The bungee jumping platform is built on a cliff overlooking the sea, with a shallow, azure bay below. The sea breeze carries a salty, humid scent, making it a perfect place for city dwellers to relax.

Wen Hanyun glanced down at the height of the cliff, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around the hem of her clothes.

On the way here, I was most looking forward to bungee jumping, but when I actually stood on the top of the mountain, I felt a little reluctant to turn back.

Yan Sheng stood beside her and gently took her hand in his.

"Scared?"

His palms were warm and dry, carrying a reassuring power.

Wen Hanyun shook her head, but held his hand tightly.

"I'm not afraid, it's just a bit...too high."

The staff quickly came over with safety equipment and enthusiastically explained it to us.

"Are you two planning to try tandem bungee jumping?"

"If couples jump together, it symbolizes sharing life and death, which is especially romantic!"

Perhaps she was too nervous, because Wen Hanyun didn't refute it, which was unusual.

Yan Sheng raised an eyebrow. "Want to make a bet with me?"

"After you jump, I'll tell you a secret."

Wen Hanyun's competitive spirit was aroused by him. She bit her lip and made up her mind: "Let's bet."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

The two stood face to face at the takeoff point, and the staff carefully checked the safety buckles to secure their bodies together.

Yan Sheng adjusted his posture to make Wen Hanyun more comfortable leaning against him.

"Don't look down when you jump, I'll hold you the whole time."

Wen Hanyun nodded. She could clearly feel the warmth of Yan Sheng's body through the thin fabric, which calmed her down a little.

"Are you two ready?"

The staff member asked loudly.

Yansheng looked down at her. "Are you ready, Teacher Wen?"

Wen Hanyun took a deep breath, looked up and saw his clear eyes, which reflected the entire blue sea and her clear face.

"I'm ready."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Sheng put his arm around her waist, and the two of them jumped down together.

The feeling of weightlessness instantly swept over her body, and the whistling wind filled her ears. Wen Hanyun couldn't help but hug the man in front of her tightly.

She could almost hear her own heart pounding, and feel Yan Sheng's ardent gaze lingering on her.

The next second, the elastic rope suddenly tightened and contracted, causing them to bounce upwards.

Wen Hanyun cautiously opened her eyes.

The scent of the ocean filled her nostrils, and the scene before her eyes spun around her, but the warmth of the embrace beside her always brought her peace of mind.

The two of them fell rapidly and then took off again. Yan Sheng held her steadily, and in the intervals between the ropes swinging up and down, he leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

Back on the ground, Wen Hanyun, her curiosity piqued, forgot all her fear and followed closely behind Yan Sheng, pressing him for answers.

"Yansheng, you promised to tell me a secret, what is it?"

“I already said that.” Yan Sheng unlocked the safety lock on her body, a smile playing on his lips as he strode forward. “It’s Teacher Wen’s own fault for not hearing me clearly, how can you blame me?”

Wen Hanyun was stunned for a moment, then ran after him, "Yansheng, you're cheating..."

She had just grabbed him, but before she could finish speaking, she found herself unable to say anything.

Because Yan Sheng suddenly turned around and stopped.

He leaned down, and an "accidental" kiss landed precisely on Wen Hanyun's lips.

The wind whistled in their ears, and they could hear each other's heartbeats.

Yan Sheng felt a warmth on his neck as Wen Hanyun's slender, soft arms involuntarily wrapped around his neck.

Looking into her wet, innocent eyes, Yan Sheng, who had only intended to tease her, suddenly felt a tightness in his throat and cursed inwardly.

He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up slightly, gradually taking control of the rhythm and deepening the lingering, tender kiss.

The golden light of the setting sun, ruffled and smoothed by the sea breeze, enveloped the couple who were tightly embracing each other.

Finally, Wen Hanyun woke up with a start and pushed Yansheng away.

"You...you liar, scoundrel, and shameless scoundrel!"

She hurriedly wiped her lips, covered her face, and quickened her pace in embarrassment and anger.

Watching her walk ahead angrily, Yan Sheng shook his head with amusement.

"Teacher Wen, wait for me!"

He caught up with her in a few steps and followed beside her.

"Let's go, I'll take you back to change your clothes first. There's a cruise ship dinner later, come with me."