Holiday syndrome

The alarm clock rang precisely at 4:30 a.m., breaking the silence in the room.

Cui Yu woke up almost immediately and reached out to turn off the alarm. He turned his head and, in the dim light coming in from the window, saw Meng Yihe beside him also frowning, her eyelashes fluttering, as if she was struggling to wake up from her sleep.

He looked less aloof and more dazed in the morning.

"It's time to get up." Cui Yu's voice was hoarse from just waking up, but very gentle. "If you stay any later, you'll miss the sunrise."

As he spoke, he sat up first, then leaned over and gently nudged Meng Yihe's shoulder.

"Yihe? Wake up."

Meng Yihe mumbled a response, finally opening his eyes, his gaze still somewhat dazed as he adjusted to the dim light and the fact that he had been woken up. He rarely got up at this time, and his body instinctively resisted.

"Wear a jacket, it's windy at the beach in the morning."

Cui Yu had already gotten out of bed and took out two light jackets from the wardrobe. Meng Yihe took a deep breath to dispel her sleepiness and got up as well.

The two quickly washed up, changed their clothes, and left the room quietly.

The sky was still a deep inky blue, with only a very faint hint of gray-white showing through the eastern horizon.

“This way.” Cui Yu naturally took Meng Yihe’s hand and led him along a path toward the rocky beach on the east side of the hotel. “I checked before, and that’s where the view is the best, with no obstructions.”

Just as Cui Yu had said, the rocky beach was empty and quiet, with only the two of them there.

Cui Yu magically pulled two small boxes of warm milk provided by the hotel from his pocket and handed one to Meng Yihe.

"Just have a drink to warm your stomach."

Meng Yihe accepted it with some surprise. The two sat side by side, drinking warm milk, gazing at the sea still shrouded in deep blue, waiting for the sunrise.

"Are you cold?" Cui Yu asked in a low voice, moving closer to him.

"It's alright." Meng Yihe shook her head. The temperature of the milk and the body temperature of the person next to her were enough to ward off the chill of the morning.

As time passed, the eastern horizon gradually changed.

The grayish-white began to tinge with a faint orange-yellow, then turned a magnificent orange-gold, the colors growing increasingly intense, rendering the clouds like a magnificent oil painting slowly unfolding. The sea surface was also illuminated by this gradual change in the rosy light, shimmering and sparkling with fragments of gold and red light.

"It'll be soon." Cui Yu's voice was soft, filled with expectant excitement.

Meng Yihe didn't speak, but just held his breath and gazed into the distance. He rarely had the leisure to come and watch the sunrise, and at this moment he was immersed in the power of nature.

Finally, under their focused gazes, the sun slowly rose.

The darkness completely receded, and a new day officially dawned.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Cui Yu turned his head and looked at Meng Yihe's profile, which was clearly outlined by the golden sunlight, and asked softly.

Meng Yihe also turned his head and met Cui Yu's gaze. He nodded and answered honestly, "Very beautiful."

The two sat quietly on the rocks.

Looking at the distant horizon, Meng Yihe suddenly spoke: "Cui Yu."

"Hmm?" Cui Yu turned her head and looked at him.

"You..." Meng Yihe seemed to choose her words carefully, speaking more slowly than usual, "...what are your thoughts on the future?"

Cui Yu paused for a moment, not quite understanding the scope of "later". He tentatively asked, "Later? Does it refer to Xinghuan's next plan, or the second phase of the Hancheng project..."

"It's not work."

Meng Yihe interrupted him, her tone still calm, yet carrying a seriousness that transcended ordinary matters. He paused slightly before continuing, his voice even lower.

"It's...the rest later."

Cui Yu realized what Meng Yihe was asking.

This isn't about projects or strategy; it's about the more distant future they represent.

Cui Yu looked at Meng Yihe's slightly pursed lips, a subtle tension and anticipation in them. He didn't answer immediately; he suppressed his usual smile and his expression became equally serious.

He thought for a few seconds, then slowly said, "I hadn't really thought about it in detail a long time ago." He admitted, his gaze also turning to the vast sea.

“I always felt those things were far away, or rather, I hadn’t met that person I felt I ‘had to think about.’” He paused, his voice becoming gentler and more firm.

"But now... my thoughts are starting to change a little."

Meng Yihe's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she still didn't turn her head, though she was clearly listening intently.

"I can't really say for sure what the specifics are."

Cui Yu smiled, his tone conveying a sense of anticipation for the future rather than confusion.

"Maybe it's just that... I hope that in many 'future' years, things can be like this now."

"What?" Meng Yihe asked softly.

“We can watch the sunrise together, work together, or just sit here doing nothing.” Cui Yu’s voice was steady, and every word touched Meng Yihe’s heart. “We may encounter many problems, like the ones with Dingsheng Capital before, or others… but it’s okay, we can solve them together.”

He turned slightly to the side, looking more intently at Meng Yihe's profile: "I hope that the days 'from now on' will be peaceful, but not boring. With you, perhaps... there will be other things in the future."

“Of course,” he added, his tone more relaxed but still sincere. “It depends on whether Director Meng gives me this opportunity and whether he’s willing to include me in your future plans.”

Cui Yu waited, a hint of tension barely perceptible in his eyes.

Meng Yihe remained silent for a long time before finally turning his head slowly to meet Cui Yu's gaze.

“I…” he began, his voice still low but very clear, “I’m not good at planning things too far in the future.”

Cui Yu's heart sank slightly, but he still listened patiently.

“But,” Meng Yihe continued, her gaze unwavering, “if ‘later’ refers to the next vacation, or the time after that, so we can go out together to watch the sunrise again, or… something much later, like you said.”

“I think…” He took a slight breath and finally gave his answer.

"Can."

Two words, as light as a sea breeze, yet they landed heavily on Cui Yu's heart.

He didn't speak, but simply reached out and firmly grasped Meng Yihe's hand, which was resting on her knee. Meng Yihe returned the grip. Their hands clasped tightly in the morning sunlight.

The future remains uncertain, but they are all willing to move in that direction.

A few early risers began to appear on the rocky beach, breaking the tranquility of this secluded spot.

Cui Yu held Meng Yihe's hand tightly, as if afraid that if he let go, their conversation about "the future" would vanish like a mirage. He turned to look at Meng Yihe, finding it hard to imagine the almost promise she had just made.

"Meng Yihe." Cui Yu called his name, her voice softer than the sea breeze.

Meng Yihe turned to look at him, but being stared at so intently and affectionately, he was a little overwhelmed and subconsciously wanted to look away.

"Look at me." Cui Yu wouldn't let him go, squeezing his palm slightly with her fingers, her tone serious.

"Thank you."

Thank you for saying "yes," thank you for your trust, thank you for including me in your extremely limited imagination of the future.

Meng Yihe understood his unfinished words. He pursed his lips, seemingly unaccustomed to such a formal expression of gratitude: "...There's nothing to thank me for."

But his reddened ear tips and the slight grip of his hand betrayed him.

Cui Yu chuckled softly and said nothing more. He understood Meng Yihe's way of expressing herself—actions always spoke louder than words.

"Let's go." After a while, Cui Yu stood up first and also pulled Meng Yihe along.

"Go back and have a proper breakfast, and then... is there anything you'd like to do today? It's up to you."

The two returned to the hotel along the same route, and after a hearty breakfast, they didn't plan any special activities. As they had agreed beforehand, the core of this vacation was "relaxation."

So most of the time, they just stayed in the hotel.

Perhaps they're each reading their own books on the lounge chairs on the balcony, occasionally exchanging a few words about something interesting they've come across; perhaps they're leaning side by side on the sofa, watching an old movie on their tablets; or perhaps they're simply sharing a quiet moment, each dealing with some brief work emails that they have to handle.

When their eyes met as they looked up, they exchanged a knowing glance.

Cui Yu didn't bother him anymore. At most, she would sneak over and steal a short kiss when Meng Yihe was focused on reading, or naturally take the towel and dry his hair when he came out of the bathroom.

These small, ordinary moments of intimacy, like a frog being slowly boiled in water, gradually seeped into Meng Yihe's accustomed, distant world, making him slowly get used to it.

The holiday seemed to stretch out, yet it flew by.

Before we knew it, it was the last day of the holiday.

In the afternoon, the two sat on the sea-facing terrace, drinking iced beverages and watching the sunset slowly sink below the horizon once again.

"I'm going back tomorrow." Cui Yu swirled the ice in her glass, her tone tinged with reluctance.

"Mm," Meng Yihe replied.

While vacation is relaxing, he also misses the pace of work and the familiar environment of Linzhou.

Cui Yu looked at him and suddenly laughed, "After we go back, Director Meng will have to take responsibility for me."

Meng Yihe cast a questioning look at her.

“Look,” Cui Yu said seriously, counting on her fingers, “We’ve been on business trips together, spent our annual leave together, watched the sunrise together, and even planned our future together… This relationship can’t be kept secret in the company, right? Director Meng has to give me a proper title.”

He started spouting nonsense again.

Meng Yihe ignored him and turned her head back to look at the sea, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upwards slightly.

The afterglow of the setting sun enveloped their figures together.

For their last dinner of the holiday, they chose the rooftop restaurant on the hotel's rooftop. The dishes were exquisite, and the atmosphere was very quiet.

"After we get back, I'll probably be busy for a while. The second phase of the Hancheng project is about to start, and there's also an evaluation for a new industrial park in Linzhou waiting for us," Cui Yu said, cutting the fish fillet on his plate.

"Hmm." Meng Yihe responded, knowing full well that the backlog of work wouldn't decrease just because of a vacation.

"However, busy as I am, the necessary routine maintenance cannot be neglected." Cui Yu put down his knife and fork, picked up his wine glass, and looked at Meng Yihe across the table, his eyes appearing particularly gentle in the candlelight.

Meng Yihe raised her eyes, casting an inquiring glance.

“For example…” Cui Yu listed with a smile, “Shouldn’t the check-in monitoring for eating on time continue? Shouldn’t the appointment for temporary marking during the susceptible period be prioritized? And shouldn’t Director Meng schedule some non-work meetings for me on weekends as well?”

Cui Yu spoke in a very serious tone, as if he were discussing some important cooperation terms.

Meng Yihe understood. He silently took a sip of his iced drink, neither agreeing nor objecting immediately.

After dinner, the two didn't go back to their room immediately, but instead took a stroll in the hotel garden. The garden was tranquil and fragrant at night, offering a different kind of charm compared to the open beach during the day.

"Where do you want to go on your next vacation? To see the Northern Lights in Northern Europe? Or to stay in a small town for a while?" Cui Yu suddenly asked.

Meng Yihe glanced at him with some surprise.

They've only just finished one vacation, and Cui Yu is already planning the next one?

"Whatever you want." Meng Yihe ultimately gave the choice back, but added, "Don't make too much noise."

"Understood. I'll make sure to find a quiet place with few people, suitable for Director Meng to do deep thinking," Cui Yu replied with a smile.

Back in their room, the two began packing their luggage.

The reality that the holiday is coming to an end is gradually becoming clearer.

As Cui Yu folded his clothes into his suitcase, he watched Meng Yihe pack his belongings and suddenly felt a pang of reluctance.

He could almost foresee that once they returned to Linzhou, the two of them would be immediately entangled in various affairs, making it difficult to find such long stretches of time alone together again.

Meng Yihe seemed to notice his paused gaze and looked up: "What's wrong?"

Cui Yu walked over and gently hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"It's nothing, just a bit of... post-holiday syndrome."

Meng Yihe's body stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed as he was enveloped in the familiar scent of cedar. He remained silent for a while, then raised his hand and gently patted the arm wrapped around his waist.

This comforting gesture pleased Cui Yu more than words. Cui Yu chuckled softly, tightened his arms, and planted a kiss on the back of his neck gland.

"It's good that I can see you every day when I get back, otherwise I wouldn't be able to keep going at this job."

Meng Yihe: "...Work hard."

"Yes, yes, I'll listen to Director Meng." Cui Yu smiled and let go of him, continuing to pack her luggage, her mood much brighter.

The flight landed at Linzhou Airport.

We collected our luggage, boarded the car, and headed towards the city. The scenery outside the window changed from coconut palms and ocean waves to skyscrapers, as if the pace of life had been instantly sped up.

As soon as Cui Yu turned on his phone, emails and message notifications began flooding in. He glanced at them briefly and sighed, "Looks like there's a lot of stuff piling up."

Meng Yihe also took out her phone, and looking at the dense list of unread email notifications on the screen, her expression lost its usual calmness and focus.

The car first took Meng Yihe back to his apartment. When they arrived downstairs, Cui Yu helped him with his luggage and looked at him, saying, "Want to have dinner together tonight? Just to get back into normal life?"

Meng Yihe took the suitcase, thought for a moment, and shook her head: "Not tonight, I have a lot of emails to deal with."

That's true; he needs time to quickly sort through and catch up on the information he missed in the past few days.

Although Cui Yu was a little disappointed, she understood: "Okay, see you at the company tomorrow. Remember to eat dinner, I'll be checking up on you."

"Okay." Meng Yihe responded, pulling his suitcase as he turned and walked towards the building entrance.

After walking a few steps, Meng Yihe suddenly stopped and turned around.

Cui Yu was still standing by the car watching him.

Meng Yihe hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked back and, under Cui Yu's slightly surprised gaze, touched his lips very lightly and quickly before separating.

"Be careful on the road." Meng Yihe said this without even looking at Cui Yu's reaction, then turned around and left again, this time walking even faster.