Chapter Ninety-Six: Planting Flags and Seizing Land

The traffic only slowed down slightly when the navigation indicated that we were only three kilometers away from Fenjiezhou Island. The road wasn't too congested, and an hour and a half later, two cars entered the Fenjiezhou Island tourist area parking lot one after the other.

The parking lot was already full of cars with license plates from all over the country. Staff members wearing floral shirts walked among them holding signs. In the distance, the blue archway at the entrance of the scenic area could be seen, with the four characters "Fenjiezhou Island" standing out prominently in the sunlight.

The group got off the bus carrying their snorkeling gear and transferred to a scenic area ferry to reach the island.

The snorkeling areas around Fenjiezhou Island are mainly concentrated around the island. Liam, familiar with the area, led them straight to Coral Bay, where the fish and corals are more abundant and the ecological environment is better.

The ferry for the transfer wasn't large, and quite a few tourists were already standing on the deck. Some were taking pictures of the distant sea with their phones, while others leaned against the railing to enjoy the breeze. Lin Yu found a spot near the edge and stood hand in hand with Yao Fangfang.

As the boat glided by, the seawater gradually deepened from the light blue near the shore. Sunlight pierced through the water's surface, revealing a group of small fish following behind the boat, splashing merrily amidst the shimmering silver waves.

The outline of the coral reef in the distance was faintly visible in the rippling water. Twenty minutes later, the ferry docked, and everyone lined up to disembark, walking along the wooden boardwalk on the pier.

The park's electric carts were already waiting on the shore. Everyone boarded two carts, which drove north along the soft white sand beach, eventually stopping beside a wide, shallow area.

Several rows of blue deck chairs were set up on the shore, but there weren't many people; only a few tourists were tidying up their gear.

Lin Yu jumped out of the car, took off his outer clothes and stuffed them into his backpack, revealing the black jellyfish suit he was wearing underneath. He squatted in the shallow water and adjusted the equipment with Yao Fangfang.

Two orange life jackets were thrown at their feet, and Chen Guang's voice came from above. "Put them on, it'll be safer!"

Lin Yu looked up and saw him standing against the light, his hair on his forehead slightly sticking up in the wind.

As the only non-swimmer in the group, she definitely needed the life jacket. But after being met with his cold shoulder the whole way, accepting his kindness now would make her seem like the one who hadn't appreciated his kindness before. She hesitated for a moment, fidgeting and reluctant to reach out and take it.

Yao Fangfang watched this scene unfold from the side and sighed softly.

She bent down to pick up the life jacket at her feet, walked over to Lin Yu, and helped her put it on. Then, carrying her own life jacket, she walked towards Liam and the others, deliberately leaving the two of them some alone time.

Lin Yu, however, was unmoved. After straightening his clothes, he tried to get up to chase after Yao Fangfang. But the next second, Chen Guang pushed him back onto the beach.

"Of all these people, besides me, Liam is the best swimmer. That kid is obviously interested in you. Do you want him to take advantage of you?"

"You talk like you're so safe," Lin Yu sneered.

“We’ve known each other for so many years, you should know what kind of person I am.” Chen Guang suddenly became serious. He stood next to Lin Yu, holding a brand-new bitch, and handed it to him from above.

Lin Yu pursed her lips, not wanting to argue with him anymore, but Chen Guang was right about one thing: she was indeed not used to having overly intimate contact with a man she had only known for two days. So, as a second choice, she could only choose Chen Guang.

Since the point of going out is to have fun, she decided to compromise and reached out to take the mouthpiece he offered. Unexpectedly, Chen Guang deliberately didn't let go, holding the mouthpiece tightly in his hand, a smile playing on his lips as he pulled at her, his gaze fixed intently on her.

"Naive!" Lin Yu abruptly pulled his hand back, angry at himself for being soft-hearted, and even more angry at Chen Guang's overbearing attitude. He simply turned around and started organizing his equipment.

The fine sand rustled beneath him. Chen Guang slowly squatted down, and finally, he knelt down beside her on both knees.

Lin Yu glanced sideways through her fogged-up goggles and saw Chen Guang kneeling on the sand with his legs spread apart, his expression devout and his eyes lowered. She was startled and took a half step back, afraid that he might accidentally kowtow to her.

Chen Guang didn't care at all. He took the breathing tube from Lin Yu, fastened the mouthpiece, and carefully adjusted the tightness of her mask.

Since this was her first time snorkeling, she only planned to test the waters in the shallows for safety reasons.

So, Chen Guang, the amateur guide, wasn't dressed in much professional gear, just casually wearing a coral orange quick-drying T-shirt and workwear surfing shorts. The sunlight danced and rippled across his well-defined muscles, making him exceptionally alluring.

Just as Lin Yu was about to get up, she suddenly felt her clothes being gently tugged. She turned around and saw Chen Guang take a GoPro out of his pocket, get up, and clip it to her collar.

The two had gone too far apart, and Lin Yu, feeling a little embarrassed, couldn't help but ask, "When did you become so considerate?"

Chen Guang looked up at her, a mischievous smile appearing in his eyes. "Yes, it's not too late to get to know me again."

Lin Yu turned his face away without replying. The two walked side by side to the shallows, leaving a string of footprints side by side on the soft sand.

Chen Guang followed beside Lin Yu, patiently explaining how to use the snorkel and the basics of snorkeling. She stared intently at the waves constantly lapping at her feet, seemingly oblivious to how much she was absorbing.

The cool seawater reached her waist, and Chen Guang's hands steadily supported her waist and back. "Relax, don't be afraid."

His voice, as if soaked in seawater, inexplicably brought a sense of peace. "Breathe through your mouth, and I'll be right here supporting you." The tide lifted her floating body, her hair flowing like seaweed in the azure waves.

Not far away, Liam's friends were playfully splashing Yao Fangfang as they plunged into the water. When he surfaced, he shook his wet blond hair, water droplets rolling down his hair, but his gaze kept drifting past the churning waves and landing on Lin Yu.

Seeing Chen Guang patiently instructing her with his arm half-embracing her, Liam swam closer, her wet arms unconsciously splashing the seawater back and forth, and casually struck up a conversation. "First try?"

Lin Yu emerged from the seawater, removed his mouthpiece, wiped the water off his face, and nodded excitedly.

Before she could even speak, Chen Guang had already naturally taken over the conversation. "Yep, so I need to keep a closer eye on her." His tone carried a hint of asserting his dominance, and the arm he was holding beside her tightened unconsciously.

“Hey, relax!” Liam raised an eyebrow, and water droplets trembled off his thick eyelashes.

“These fish are very chill!” He deliberately made an exaggerated fish face, making Lin Yu laugh out loud, completely ignoring Chen Guang who was right next to him.

Chen Guang squinted, quietly watching the two flirt in front of him. He subtly pulled Lin Yu closer to him with a slight twist of his arm.

"Do you want to go down to a deeper place?" He whispered in Lin Yu's ear, successfully drawing her attention back to him.

The relaxed and cheerful atmosphere made Lin Yu ignore the physical contact that had already crossed the line. Eager to try again, she nodded and bit down on the snorkel. She waved to Liam and followed Chen Guang into the deeper waters.

His hand remained encircling Lin Yu's lower back, like an invisible rope, creating a private space for the two of them amidst the blue waves. Lin Yu gradually adjusted to his surroundings, took a deep breath, and carefully leaned down to submerge in the water.

The seawater gently cradled her body, its clarity instantly filling her vision. Sunlight pierced the surface, shimmering softly with the ripples. Schools of colorful fish, like petals scattered by the wind, flitted past among the coral reefs.

She couldn't swim, and even though she was wearing a life jacket, she instinctively clung tightly to Chen Guang's body, as if he were the only support in this unfamiliar body of water.

A blue-striped butterflyfish swam past her mask almost, and Lin Yu suddenly turned to look at Chen Guang, her eyes filled with unexpected surprise.

That long-lost light, shining for him, made Chen Guang's breath catch in his throat. He bit his breathing tube, gave her a thumbs-up, and with his palm outstretched, he swept across the water, pointing towards the staghorn coral deeper inside.

Lin Yu nodded, her hair spreading out in the water like dark seaweed, slowly swimming forward as Chen Guang guided her.

Each breath carried the salty sea breeze, and each heartbeat resonated subtly with the warmth emanating from his palm.

At this moment, the world shrank into a tranquil blue expanse, and it seemed as if only they and the darting fish remained in the sky and earth, and even time slowed down.

Looking at her focused profile, Chen Guang suddenly felt that it might not be so bad to just keep swimming like this.

Not far away, Yao Fangfang suddenly popped her head out of the water, glanced in Lin Yu's direction, and noticed that although Liam was playing with his friends, his eyes kept drifting towards her. She found it amusing.

She floated on the water and called out to him. The boy immediately turned around, gave her a bright smile, and swam over to her like a nimble fish.

Yao Fangfang whispered something in his ear, and Liam immediately clutched his chest, making an exaggerated arrow-shot gesture. But after only two seconds, he regained his playful expression and turned to swim towards Lin Yu.

Liam was a very good swimmer and swam up to the two of them in no time, ruining the private moment that Chen Guang had painstakingly created for the two of them.

He removed his breathing tube and enthusiastically pointed out some beautiful corals and small fish to Lin Yu. Every now and then, he would take her hand and lead her through the schools of fish, letting her stroke the slippery bodies of the little fish.

Lin Yu's attention was diverted, and she was almost pulled away from Chen Guang's grasp by Liam. The hand on her waist suddenly tightened, and Lin Yu bit her lip, turning her head to look at him in confusion underwater.

Chen Guangxian pointed in the direction of the school of fish, then crossed his arms and made a big prohibition gesture.

Before Liam could react, he forcefully pulled Lin Yu to his side, turned and swam towards a secluded shallow reef area, leaving the noisy Liam away from the coral reefs.

After swimming for a while, Lin Yu's movements gradually slowed down, and her chest heaved more rapidly. Chen Guang noticed her fatigue, put his arm around her waist, and helped her surface.

The two figures appeared close yet distant in the clear seawater, swaying gently with the waves.

Lin Yu spat out the bitten lip and pulled off his sunglasses. He pressed his hands against Chen Guang's chest, panting heavily, his wet hair sticking to his flushed cheeks. His thighs were pressed against Chen Guang's sides, clinging to his body like seaweed.

While underwater, nothing seemed amiss, but now, surfacing, the world suddenly fell silent. The playful frolicking nearby faded into the background, leaving only the deafening sound of each other's breathing.

Lin Yu belatedly grabbed Chen Guang's arm, quietly took a step back, and asked with a frown, "What did you mean just now?"

"What just now?" Chen Guangming asked knowingly, intending to play dumb to the end.

"Forget it." Lin Yu felt bored, but since she couldn't swim, she could only rely on him, which made her a little annoyed.

Chen Guang raised his hand and pushed the mirror up to his forehead, tucking away the stray hairs that were blocking his forehead. Beneath his deep eyebrows and eyes, a pair of light brown eyes reflected shimmering light, like a whole summer day crumpled up.

"The golden rule of snorkeling: look but don't touch."

He gently reached out and brushed away the dried salt grains from Lin Yu's face, but his fingers didn't immediately retract; using the same force, he lightly stroked her soft, burning cheek. "Many sea creatures look harmless, but they are highly poisonous."

"In addition, some jellyfish and corals have a protective layer of mucus on their bodies, which may cause bacterial infections if we touch them."

Lin Yu hadn't considered this point, and she believed that Liam hadn't done it intentionally either. However, she had previously thought that Chen Guang had deliberately provoked a conflict with Liam, and she felt somewhat ashamed, so her tone softened.

"knew."

Chen Guang raised an eyebrow, not taking it to heart. He changed the subject: "What did you mean when you said it was all thanks to me? Did he misunderstand you because he saw me bring you back?"

Lin Yu knew he was referring to her breakup with Jiang Chuan, but she didn't want to bring it up anymore. She turned her head away, avoiding Chen Guang's touch. "It's nothing."

"Do I need to explain?" Chen Guang withdrew his hand and supported Lin Yu's waist again.

"Can you?" In Lin Yu's memory, Chen Guang had never bowed his head to anyone, not even for himself.

"Just say the word..."

After hearing this, Lin Yu simply shook his head. "It's no longer needed."

"This has nothing to do with anyone else; I can only blame myself."

Chen Guang nodded, his gaze fixed on Lin Yu. "Let's start over, Banban?" His voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the sound of the waves.

Sunlight pierced through the sea, weaving a flowing golden net of light around the two of them.

Lin Yu looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar person in front of him. Water droplets rolled down from his hair and slid across the slightly upturned corners of his mouth. He seemed to have returned to the carefree, unrestrained, and willful person he remembered.

At this moment, Lin Yu suddenly realized that his feelings for Chen Guang back then might have been a way of finding the person he wanted to be but couldn't become.