Chapter 282 Not all feelings need to be expressed
"I don't really want to go back yet." Cen Lian suddenly stopped and the sea breeze blew away her voice.
Jiang Chenyu turned around, and the moonlight outlined his tall and straight figure.
He didn't ask anything, just nodded slightly, "Okay."
They walked aimlessly along the coastline, the soft sand flowing under their feet.
Cen Lian'an had his sandals in his hands at some point, and he stepped barefoot on the cool beach, leaving a trail of shallow footprints.
Jiang Chenyu walked beside her at a distance, neither too close nor too far, so as not to annoy her, but also to keep an eye on her at all times.
"You know," Cen Li'an suddenly said, "when I was a kid I was most afraid of the sea."
Jiang Chenyu glanced at her sideways. Her profile was soft and fragile in the moonlight. "Why?"
"When I was five, I was hit by a wave and nearly drowned," she said softly. "Since then, I haven't dared even go near a swimming pool."
She bent down to pick up a shell and turned it over between her fingers. "For ten years I was afraid of the water, until my fifteenth birthday, when he took my hand and dragged me into the sea."
Jiang Chenyu's footsteps paused slightly. "That 'friend of ten years'?"
Cen Li'an nodded, a bitter smile playing on his face. "He said, I can't stop walking forever just because I fell down once."
Her voice grew softer. "That day I held his hand and cried like a fool, but he never let me go. He helped me overcome my fear of the sea and make me love it again."
The waves surged in, smoothing out the footprints they had just left.
Jiang Chenyu listened silently, his eyes fixed on the blurry sea horizon in the distance.
"Will you hate him?" he asked suddenly.
Cen Lian was stunned, and the shell in his hand slipped onto the beach.
"Hate?" She shook her head. "No, I just...hate my own cowardice. In ten years, I've had a thousand chances to tell him, but I didn't take any."
"Sometimes not speaking out is also a choice." Jiang Chenyu's voice was low and gentle. "Not all feelings need to be expressed."
Cen Lian looked up at him. In the moonlight, Jiang Chenyu's eyes were as deep as the sea, hiding too many emotions that she could not understand.
"What about you?" she asked softly. "Is there anything you haven't said?"
Jiang Chenyu stopped and turned to face her.
The sea breeze lifted the corners of his shirt, and the moonlight cast shadows of varying shades on his well-defined face.
"Yes." He looked her straight in the eyes. "But not now."
As they continued walking, the topic shifted from the heavy past to lighthearted childhood memories.
Cen Lian talked about the goldfish she had raised, while Jiang Chenyu shared the funny things he did when he was studying abroad.
Before he knew it, Cen Lian found that his cheeks were sore from smiling, and the sky in the east was already turning pale.
"It's almost dawn." Jiang Chenyu looked at his watch. "It's already half past four."
Cen Lian sat on the beach with his knees hugged, and suddenly felt sleepy.
Her eyelids became heavier and heavier, and her head unconsciously moved forward a little bit.
"Sit for a while..." she said vaguely, her voice getting smaller and smaller.
Jiang Chenyu looked at her curled up like a sleepy cat and sighed softly.
He took off his coat and covered her with it, then sat down beside her, carefully letting her head rest on his shoulder.
When the first ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, Cen Lian was already completely asleep, his breathing even and calm.
Jiang Chenyu looked down at her. In the morning light, her eyelashes cast tiny shadows on her face, and there was a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.
He hesitated for a moment, and finally carefully picked her up and carried her sideways.
Cen Lian muttered in his dream and instinctively snuggled into his arms.
Jiang Chenyu froze for a moment, then adjusted his posture to let her lean more comfortably.
He carried her across the beach toward a white villa nestled among palm trees not far away.
The interior decoration of the villa is simple and comfortable. Jiang Chenyu carried Cen Lian upstairs with ease and put her on the big bed in the master bedroom.
He hesitated for a moment, but still helped her take off her sandy sandals and coat, then pulled the quilt over her gently.
"Have a good sleep." He whispered, his fingers gently brushing the ends of her hair, then turned and left, closing the door behind him.
When the sunlight poured in through the gauze curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows, Cen Lian frowned and subconsciously shrank into the quilt.
Her eyes snapped open when she realized it wasn't her bed.
A strange ceiling, a strange room.
She hurriedly lifted the quilt and found that she was only wearing underwear and yesterday's skirt, with her coat and shoes neatly placed on the chair beside the bed.
On the bedside table was a glass of water and a note: "Clothes are in the closet, toiletries are in the bathroom. Come downstairs when you're hungry. - Jiang"
Cen Lian'an's face suddenly became hot.
She carefully checked herself to make sure that except for her coat, all other clothes were intact.
She picked up the water cup and drank it all in one gulp, and her thirsty throat was finally relieved.
There were several pieces of clothing hanging in the closet that were obviously women's clothing, with the tags still on, but the sizes were surprisingly suitable for her figure.
Cen Lian picked out a simple white T-shirt and jeans to put on, then opened the door quietly.
The villa was surprisingly quiet, with only the faint sounds of water and frying eggs in the distance?
Cen Lian followed the fragrance downstairs, walked through the spacious living room, and came to the open kitchen.
Jiang Chenyu stood in front of the stove with his back to her, wearing a dark blue apron, and was concentrating on flipping the food in the pan.
The sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, giving him a golden edge.
He changed into a light gray home suit, and his hair was still a little wet, obviously he had just taken a shower.
"Good morning." Cen Lian said softly, not sure whether he should disturb him.
Jiang Chenyu turned around, his eyes bright in the morning light. "Did you sleep well?"
Cen Li'an nodded, suddenly feeling awkward, "Um...thank you for bringing me back. Last night..."
"You're sleeping soundly." Jiang Chenyu interrupted her, his lips curled up slightly, "Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee, thank you." Cen Lian breathed a sigh of relief and was grateful that he didn't ask about what happened last night.
She walked to the center island and sat down, watching Jiang Chenyu skillfully operate the coffee machine. "Is this your home?"
"I come to stay here occasionally." Jiang Chenyu pushed a cup of steaming black coffee in front of her. "The sugar and milk are over there."
Cen Lian sipped the coffee in small sips, the aroma spread in her mouth, gradually clearing her confused mind.
"Those clothes..."
"I asked my assistant to prepare it yesterday." Jiang Chenyu continued frying the eggs without even looking up. "I hope it's the right size."
Cen Li'an looked down at the clothes on his body. They were indeed a perfect fit. "How did you know my size?"
Jiang Chenyu finally turned around, holding two plates in his hands.
He had a faint smile on his face: "Estimation"
On the plate were perfect sunny-side-up eggs, golden toasted bread, and fresh fruit salad.
Jiang Chenyu sat down opposite her and handed her a knife and fork. "Eat, you must be hungry."
Only then did Cen Lian realize that he was indeed hungry.
She cut off a small piece of the egg and put it into her mouth. The yolk flowed out just right, and it was so delicious that she almost moaned.
"It's delicious!" she exclaimed sincerely. "I didn't expect you could cook."
"I lived alone for a long time during those years studying abroad, so I had to learn to take care of myself." Jiang Chenyu ate breakfast slowly and gracefully.
The sun shone on the dining table as they ate breakfast quietly, with only the occasional clinking of cutlery.
Cen Lian secretly looked up at him and found that Jiang Chenyu's eyelashes were almost transparent in the sunlight, and the shadows cast made his deep eyes even more charming.
"What are your plans for today?" Jiang Chenyu suddenly asked.
Cen Li'an was stunned for a moment, then he said something nonsense, "I'll go home and change my clothes first, then..."
She had just changed her clothes, why did she need to change them?
Jiang Chenyu did not expose it either.
"Or," he curled his lips slightly, put down his coffee cup, and looked her straight in the eyes, "you can stay. After the tide goes out this afternoon, there will be many beautiful shells on the beach."
Cen Lian'an's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
She remembered what he said last night, "The seaside is a good place for a date," his warm embrace, and the soft quilt covering her when she woke up this morning.
A strange emotion swelled in her chest, causing her heart to palpitate inexplicably.
"Okay~" She looked at the man with a smile, and she was quite surprised by what she said next. "I want to pick up some shells too."
The corners of Jiang Chenyu's mouth rose slightly, and the sunlight danced in his eyes.
"Eat first, then you can rest for a while. Anyway, you can't go fishing until the tide goes out in the afternoon."
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