South Island
The domestic departure hall at Haicheng Airport was bustling with people, and the heating was blasting. Liang An took off his heavy coat and draped it over his suitcase, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of his boarding pass. The warm room gave his face a faint flush.
Ling Xiao arrived at his building early this morning, and they took a taxi together to the airport.
Liang An simply packed some clothes and daily necessities, barely filling a small suitcase. Ling Xiao, on the other hand, brought two large black suitcases, looking quite heavy and mysterious, leaving everyone wondering what they were hiding inside.
"Liang An, drink some warm water to wake yourself up." Ling Xiao handed him a glass of water, the temperature was just right, and it tasted sweet.
Liang An looked up, met Ling Xiao's gentle gaze, and nodded with a smile: "Thank you."
They sat on a bench in the waiting area, surrounded by noisy passengers and announcements urging passengers to board.
Ling Xiao sat down naturally beside him, their shoulders brushing against each other unintentionally. "The temperature on the South Island is just right now, not as hot as in summer, nor as cold as in Haicheng." He paused for a moment. "The apartment is right by the sea, and you can see the sunrise every morning."
"Passengers traveling to Qingdao, please note that boarding for flight CZ6789 is now commenced..."
Ling Xiao stood up and naturally reached out to pull Liang An's suitcase: "I'll take it, you just take our coats."
Liang An wanted to refuse, but Ling Xiao had already taken the suitcase. He couldn't help but smile, silently folding Ling Xiao's coat together with his own, and followed him toward the boarding gate.
The plane taxied off the runway and ascended into the clouds. Outside the window, the skyscrapers of Haicheng gradually shrank into chess pieces on a chessboard, finally being completely swallowed by the sea of clouds. Liang An sat by the window, while Ling Xiao beside him flipped through a book about the history of the South Island.
“Did you know that the South Island was a place for exiling criminals in ancient times?” Ling Xiao suddenly said.
Liang An turned his head: "Hmm, who were exiled?"
“Yes, mainly during the Tang and Song dynasties, many officials who were demoted visited the South Island. The most famous one should be Su Dongpo.” Ling Xiao turned to a page in the book and pointed to a passage, “When he was sixty years old, he was demoted to Danzhou and stayed there for three years, but he wrote the poem, ‘I do not regret dying nine times in the southern wilderness, for this journey is the most extraordinary of my life.’”
Liang An leaned closer, his gaze sweeping across the pages. Ling Xiao's fingers were long and slender, his nails neatly trimmed, pressing on the line that read, "This journey is extraordinary, surpassing all others in my life."
Just then, the plane lurched slightly, and Liang An instinctively grabbed the armrest, leaning against Ling Xiao. Ling Xiao caught Liang An, his hand unconsciously covering Liang An's, warm and firm. "Don't be afraid, it's just turbulence," Ling Xiao said softly, but his hand didn't move away.
Liang An stared at their clasped hands, his ears instantly turning bright red as the awkward scene from the movie theater resurfaced in his mind. His fingertips trembled slightly, but he ultimately let the warm touch slowly spread across his palms.
The two-and-a-half-hour flight passed in a subtle atmosphere. As the plane began its descent, Liang An looked out the window; the outline of the island gradually became clear in the twilight, and the coastline meandered like a poem.
Stepping out of the airport, they were instantly enveloped in warm, humid air. Liang An took a deep breath; the air carried the distinctive saltiness of the ocean and the fresh scent of tropical plants.
Ling Xiao hailed a car, and the driver, a talkative local uncle, introduced the sights along the way in accented Mandarin. Liang An leaned against the car window, watching the coconut trees and neon signs rushing past outside, a sense of unreality welling up inside him—yesterday he was shivering in the cold air of Haicheng, but today he was already thousands of miles away on the South Island.
"We've arrived." Ling Xiao's voice brought him back to reality.
Before me stood a modern, white high-rise building facing the sea. The sound of waves lapping against the shore drifted gently in from afar. A sea breeze caressed my face, carrying the warmth of a winter afternoon.
Ling Xiao unloaded the luggage from the car and led Liang An into the lobby of the white building. They bypassed the central green area and went directly to the elevator hall.
"Ding--" The elevator stopped on the seventeenth floor. Ling Xiao pushed his suitcase and stepped out first.
Before them stood a heavy, dark gray alloy door, its frame inlaid with a metal access control panel, the screen glowing with a ghostly blue light. Ling Xiao placed his hand on the fingerprint lock, clicked open the door, and led Liang An into the apartment.
The living room is spacious and bright, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic sea view. In the distance, fishing boats bob on the sea, sunlight casting a warm golden glow on their sails.
“There are two bedrooms; you can choose one,” Ling Xiao said, pushing open the glass door leading to the balcony. A string of seashell wind chimes hung by the door, tinkling in the breeze.
Liang An followed them outside, the sea breeze immediately ruffling his hair. A set of rattan tables and chairs sat on the balcony, and several potted tropical plants grew quietly in the corner. From here, the beach shimmered silvery-white in the sunlight, the tides rising and falling rhythmically.
“This place is beautiful,” Liang An said softly.
Ling Xiao leaned against the railing, her profile appearing even softer in the warm afternoon light: "I come to the South Island to stay for a while almost every winter. This year feels particularly different."
"What's different?" Liang An asked.
Ling Xiao turned to look at him, her eyes gleaming with a subtle light. "Because you're here this year."
Liang An's heart skipped a beat. He looked away, pretending to be drawn to the lights on the distant coastline.
"Do your father, I mean Uncle Ling, and your aunt come here often too?" Liang An asked softly.
“This apartment was bought for me by my dad; it’s my own secret base. I didn’t live here when I came to the South Island before.” Ling Xiao’s voice rang in my ears. “My parents are divorced, and they have their own more exciting lives. They gave me more freedom and respect, and also gave me the confidence to face the world on my own.”
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to pry into your privacy." Liang An's voice was soft, with a hint of lingering unease.
“No need to apologize. I like sharing with you. My parents’ divorce isn’t a shameful scar for me,” Ling Xiao said gently, looking directly at Liang An without a trace of hesitation in his eyes.
Liang An let out a long sigh of relief, a faint smile spreading across his eyes, like light breaking through the clouds, clean and clear. Standing there quietly, he was captivating.
After unpacking, both of them were starving. As it grew dark, Ling Xiao suggested going to the nearby night market for food. "I know a place, it's not very famous, but the locals love to go there."
The evening market isn't far from the apartment, just a ten-minute walk. It lacks the hustle and bustle of tourist areas, and is mostly frequented by locals. Stalls line the street, steaming and fragrant. There are stalls selling herbal desserts, shaved ice, barbecue, and various seafood dishes.
Liang An was drawn to a rice noodle stall run by an elderly couple who were preparing the food with practiced ease.
They ordered two bowls of rice noodles and sat down at a simple plastic table. Liang An took a bite; the rice noodles were smooth and tender, the broth was delicious, and the side dishes were plentiful. "It's really delicious."
Ling Xiao smiled and put half a braised egg from his bowl into Liang An's bowl: "Try this, it's their secret recipe."
This intimate gesture startled Liang An. He looked down at the braised egg in the bowl, then at Ling Xiao's nonchalant profile, and finally said nothing, silently eating it.
After finishing their noodles, they continued strolling through the evening market. Ling Xiao, like a dutiful tour guide, introduced various snacks: coconut rice, chicken poop vine rice cakes, Hele crab... Liang An listened with great interest, occasionally asking questions. The atmosphere between them was relaxed and natural, as if they had been spending a lot of time together like this.
At a fruit stand, the vendor enthusiastically offered them samples of a fruit called "egg fruit." Liang An cautiously took a bite, and his expression immediately turned strange.
"What's wrong?" Ling Xiao asked with concern.
“This taste…” Liang An swallowed with difficulty, “It’s like a mixture of boiled egg yolk and pumpkin.”
Ling Xiao laughed heartily, a genuine and hearty laugh that Liang An had rarely seen him laugh like that. "I had the same reaction the first time I ate it! But after a few bites, you get addicted." He said, picking up a piece and putting it in his mouth with a look of enjoyment.
Liang An hesitated for a moment, then took another bite. This time, he savored it slowly and indeed tasted a unique sweetness.
“Right?” Ling Xiao looked at him, her eyes sparkling.
Liang An nodded, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips.
They bought some fruit and continued browsing. Ling Xiao suddenly stopped in front of a stall selling handicrafts. The stall owner was an elderly Li ethnic minority woman, and various hand-woven items were displayed in front of her. Ling Xiao carefully selected a pair of bracelets woven from seashells and colorful threads and paid for them.
“Reach out your hand,” he said to Liang An.
Liang An subconsciously touched the black bracelet on his left wrist, then hesitantly extended his right hand.
Ling Xiao gently tied one of the bracelets to his wrist. "This is a souvenir of the trip," he said, putting the other one on his own wrist. "It's a Li ethnic tradition; it's said to bring good luck."
The seashells gleamed softly under the evening market lights. Liang An rotated his wrist, feeling the texture woven from the colorful threads, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
On their way back to the apartment, they strolled along the beach. The beach was almost deserted at night, with only the sound of the waves for company. The sand was soft and fine, making a soft rustling sound underfoot.
Night had fallen. Back at the apartment, the two said goodnight to each other and went to their respective rooms. Liang An lay in bed, but couldn't fall asleep. He got up and went to the window, drew back the curtains, and saw the sea shimmering in the moonlight. The seashell bracelet on his wrist gleamed softly in the moonlight.
He coughed, and specks of blood splattered onto the handkerchief.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
Liang An subconsciously put the handkerchief into his pajama pocket.
"Liang An, are you asleep?" Ling Xiao's voice came from outside the door.
Liang An opened the door, and Ling Xiao stood outside in his pajamas, holding a glass in his hand: "I heated up some milk, thinking you might not be able to sleep either."
Liang An took the cup, the warmth seeping through the glass to his palm. "Thank you." He looked at Ling Xiao at the door and hesitated before saying, "Would you like to come in and sit down?"
Ling Xiao nodded and followed Liang An to the balcony. The two leaned against the railing side by side, gazing at the sea in the night.
“Actually, I was very afraid of the sea when I was a child,” Ling Xiao suddenly said.
Liang An looked at him in surprise: "Really?"
“Yes. When I was five years old, I was swept away by a huge wave. Although I was rescued quickly, I still remember the feeling of suffocation.” Ling Xiao paused for a moment. “Later, my dad brought me here every year and forced me to swim in the sea. Now I’m a little white dragon in the waves, I’m more stable in the water than on flat land.”
"Hahaha...you're quite the braggart," Liang An laughed.
"How dare you say I'm bragging? I'll take you surfing one day and show you what a unique skill is."
Liang An laughed until tears welled up in his eyes, and he quickly lowered his head to take a sip of milk. The warm liquid flowed down his throat, and the warmth spread throughout his body.
They stood quietly, listening to the ebb and flow of the tide, until the milk in their glasses was gone. The moonlight cast a silver path on the sea, as if leading to some unknown distance.
"Let's go watch the sunrise tomorrow," Ling Xiao suggested.
“Okay,” Liang An replied, his voice more resolute than he had expected.
The night was gentle, and Liang An returned to bed, falling asleep quickly this time. He dreamt that he was floating on the sea, the sun shining brightly, the water gently supporting him. The seashell bracelet on his wrist shimmered in the sunlight.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com