Harbor
Two off-road vehicles drove towards the snow-capped mountains. At the end of the straight road, the snow-capped mountains, like a living behemoth, gradually approached.
Bai Yi sat in the passenger seat, covering her eyes. "Zhong Yunxi, I've read online before about megalophobia. I don't know what it feels like, but I think I have that symptom too. The snow-capped mountains in front are so close."
Zhong Yunxi asked her, "Are you feeling anxious?"
Bai Yi shook his head: "I'm just a little scared."
Zhong Yunxi handed her a hand to hold, "Put on your sunglasses, close your eyes if you're scared, and lower the sun visors."
"Doesn't it look like a science fiction movie? Why doesn't anyone come to the Northwest to film science fiction movies?" She wore sunglasses, squinted at the snow-capped mountains, and began to marvel at the magnificent and unique scenery.
"Would you like to come again in the future?"
Zhong Yunxi didn't know whether she liked him more or was afraid of him more.
Bai Yi held his hand: "I can come with you."
Zhong Yunxi asked with a smile, "Are you not afraid when you're with me?"
She murmured "Mmm".
Zhong Yunxi raised his hand and hooked her chin.
The car in front contained Wu Cheng and a local outdoor guide.
The destination was a wide expanse of water in the Wuning River Valley, a popular fishing spot for locals who said it was teeming with rainbow trout.
Several men were tidying up their fishing gear and setting up a canopy, while Baiyi ran around taking pictures.
Zhong Yunxi set up the table and chairs and said to Wu Cheng and the guide, "I'm not going fishing with you guys today. I'll go for a walk with my girlfriend and take some photos. I'll fry whatever I catch for you."
Wu Cheng laughed at him: "Among us who are always doing outdoor activities, I'm not surprised if anyone is dating or getting married. I really didn't expect you to make this official announcement."
Zhong Yunxi tested the portable gas stove, straightened up and glanced into the distance. Bai Yi was lying on the rocks, splashing water in the stream. He just smiled.
Wu Cheng asked curiously, "Is this to facilitate an arranged marriage within your family?"
Zhong Yunxi replied, "No."
Wu Cheng chuckled and teased, "I don't think so either. Someone from a similar family background to you probably wouldn't be as well-behaved."
Zhong Yunxi glanced at Wu Cheng, "Your taste isn't very good either."
Wu Cheng: ...
Isn't that so?
Zhong Yunxi just smiled and shook his head. Only he himself knew best whether he was obedient or not.
Bai Yi called out to him from afar, holding something in her hand: "Zhong Yunxi, there are crabs over here."
He put down his tools, went to the car to get the Polaroid camera, and carried a small bucket over.
Bai Yi was wearing a light green windbreaker, the color of which wasn't very saturated. Against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains and river valleys, the color difference wasn't obvious, and her features weren't particularly striking. Zhong Yunxi snapped a photo from afar, and all he felt was that she was as quiet as the wilderness itself.
He walked over, put his arm around her shoulder, took out his Polaroid camera to take a selfie, and said, "Give me a kiss."
Bai Yi refused: "Kiss me first."
Zhong Yunxi smiled, turned his face to kiss her, and at that moment, he pressed the shutter.
After the photographic paper developed its color, Bai Yi put it into his pocket: "This is mine."
"Next one." He held up his camera.
Bai Yi flashed a peace sign at the camera, and Zhong Yunxi glanced at her: "Didn't we just agree on that?"
She didn't try to cheat, and instead smiled and gave him a kiss.
Zhong Yunxi held up the photographic paper, saying, "One for each of you, don't try to take mine anymore."
Bai Yi tugged at his arm: "Let me see it closer."
She was used to being unreasonable, and Zhong Yunxi didn't believe her at all. "If I show you up close, you'll see it's gone."
"You're being petty." She hugged his neck, practically hanging on him.
Zhong Yunxi first put away the photos, then supported her waist, saying, "Let's finish taking photos of this box of photos today. You can choose half, and give me the other half."
"Okay," she replied, then looked at him again and asked, "What's the difference if we just put it in an album when we get home?"
Zhong Yunxi smiled and kissed her: "Who wanted to take it in the first place?"
Bai Yi: ...
"It will be easier to divide the property in a divorce later."
Zhong Yunxi narrowed his eyes slightly, bit her lip, and his tongue broke through her teeth, crashing into her mouth and fiercely kissing her until she was breathless.
"You're not allowed to mention divorce, not even as a joke."
Talking too much can affect the subconscious, and it really will dissipate.
Zhong Yunxi had never said anything like "no" or "cannot" to Bai Yi before, so Bai Yi felt guilty for saying it so suddenly.
"You're not allowed to yell at me." She stared back defiantly, though feeling guilty.
It's the same old trick of ignoring the incident and escalating it to his attitude.
Zhong Yunxi knew she was bluffing and throwing a tantrum, so he chuckled and said, "Saying you want a divorce is your fault, and yelling at you is mine. Apologize to me first, and I'll apologize to you too. Is that alright?"
She was silent for a few seconds before whispering, "I'm sorry." Zhong Yunxi, on the other hand, was quite magnanimous, as if he were saying "It's okay" rather than "I'm sorry."
Bai Yi felt that Zhong Yunxi had a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and her mind was about to explode. Although they exchanged apologies, she felt like she had been taken advantage of.
It's a well-established fact; she just stated it, yet she still has to apologize. Is that right?
It's hard not to suspect that Zhong Yunxi is manipulating her.
The photos were taken quickly. Bai Yi laid them out on the lawn to look at them.
They've already caught rainbow trout in Wucheng, and Zhong Yunxi is pulling Bai Yi over to fry the fish.
"Is it really not salmon?" Bai Yi watched him slice the fish; the texture and color looked exactly like salmon.
“Some rainbow trout can be eaten raw like salmon, but not here. Freshwater fish have a lot of parasites and need to be cooked at high temperatures,” Zhong Yunxi explained to her.
Watching him fry fish, I asked him, "You can't cook, can you? You even have to learn how to make wonton noodles on the spot."
Chung Yun-hsi poured ginger water over the fish fillets and said with a smile, "Western-style grilling and salad dressing don't require too much thought."
"Then when you have time, how about you learn to make milk tea? That way I can drink it at home and won't have to go to Song Ji to buy it."
Zhong Yunxi: ...
"It's only a little over ten yuan, you should still go buy it."
Bai Yi suddenly fell silent for a few minutes. Zhong Yunxi, not knowing what she was thinking, asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
"So you don't want to put in the effort for me. You don't want to talk to me anymore."
Zhong Yunxi looked at her, she was so spoiled that she had no temper at all, and he smiled helplessly and coaxed her: "Okay, I'll go back and learn."
After frying the fish, Zhong Yunxi ladled a plate of it out and handed it to her, saying, "Try it."
Bai Yi said it was delicious, and then asked him, "Can you cook steak?"
Zhong Yunxi nodded: "I also cook when I'm abroad, and the dish I cook most often is steak."
"Make it for me when we go to Vietnam and Hong Kong."
Zhong Yunxi doesn't particularly enjoy cooking. He's not a picky eater, so it's hard for him to have any feelings for the kitchen. However, he's been cooking more often recently than he has in the past five years.
Moreover, Bai Yi is not a foodie who is good at giving feedback. Her eating habits are not good, and sometimes she only takes a couple of bites of what she makes, which is not very effective in arousing Zhong Yunxi's emotions.
He didn't particularly like something, and Bai Yi's feedback was unclear, making it difficult for him to patiently persist.
But he still promised Bai Yi that he would go back and cook it for her.
Zhong Yunxi had to return to Hong Kong in the afternoon. Not long after they finished eating the rainbow trout they had caught, the group started packing up.
Wu Cheng asked, "Can we have a few more days of holiday?"
Zhong Yunxi is still unsure, "Several projects have come together recently, and the fourth quarter is always busy."
Wu Cheng advised, "Once you're financially independent, do something you enjoy."
"How can anyone be as carefree as you?" Zhong Yunxi was quite envious of Wu Cheng. Wu Cheng really only did what he liked, while he couldn't, as if he had many responsibilities he couldn't let go of.
He has stayed in Vietnam and Hong Kong for many years, without returning to Beijing to further expand his resources and climb the ranks, which has already freed him from many invisible shackles.
*
Bai Yi slept the whole way back. When we got home, I carried her upstairs, and she was still asleep. I doubt she'd wake up before dinner.
He changed his clothes and went downstairs to the multi-functional table in the living room to review his emails. Aunt Wu asked him what he wanted for dinner, and he said he would just cook some home-style dishes, and make a few steamed buns.
Half an hour later, he instructed again: "Aunt Wu, prepare a small piece of steak. I'll fry it tonight."
He messaged Xue Meng, asking him to contact the owner of Song Kee Dim Sum and arrange to meet him at the East Tower on Hong Kong Island.
He put down his phone and went back to work.
Aunt Wu brewed him some tea and brought it over, pointing to two egg-shaped nightlights on the tea island in the living room. "The things you bought arrived yesterday, sir. I opened the box and checked them; they're fully charged."
Zhong Yunxi nodded, took a sip of tea, and got up to take it to the bedroom on the second floor.
Bai Yi was still asleep, so Zhong Yunxi adjusted the nightlight to a lower setting and placed it on the low table by the bedside.
When dinner was almost ready, Bai Yi woke up and called Zhong Yunxi from upstairs, asking, "Where are you?"
As Zhong Yunxi went upstairs, he replied, "Did you wake up hungry? I'm preparing dinner for you."
Bai Yi huddled under the covers: "What food?"
He pushed open the bedroom door, the phone still ringing: "Didn't you want the steak I made?"
Hearing the door open, Bai Yi peeked out and saw Danzi on the bedside table. She smiled and asked, "Did you steal this from my room?"
Zhong Yunxi hung up the phone, patted the night light twice, and adjusted it to level three, making the room much brighter: "It's newly bought."
Bai Yi grabbed one and rubbed it.
"You've been sleeping since this afternoon. Shall we go downstairs and get something to eat?"
She rolled around on the bed twice: "I'm still so sleepy."
Zhong Yunxi said helplessly, "You slept too long. Go for a walk after dinner and get some exercise."
Bai Yi reached out for him to hug her: "I've exercised enough these past two days, so I'm going downstairs to watch you cook."
Zhong Yunxi bent down and picked her up, laughing as he said, "Then eat more for dinner."
Aunt Wu watched them go into the kitchen, then went to tidy up the dining room and brought over the prepared dishes to set them out.
Bai Yi watched as Zhong Yunxi placed olive oil and steak into the pan one after another. Under the influence of high temperature and oil, the steak gradually released a rich aroma of meat, and she felt extremely hungry at that moment.
Zhong Yunxi was dressed in casual clothes with his sleeves rolled up, looking focused and serious; he treated cooking like a job.
The caramelized layer looked beautiful. He put in a piece of butter, turned off the heat, and waited for another ten seconds before taking it out. He asked Bai Yi, "Should I cut it now or do you want me to cut it myself?"
Bai Yi leaned close behind him and said, "Go ahead and cut."
Zhong Yunxi smiled, wrapped the steak in foil and let it rest for two minutes, then cut it, plated it, sprinkled it with black pepper and sea salt, picked up a piece and fed it to her: "Try a bite, it tastes best now."
Bai Yi grabbed his wrist and caught it in her mouth. Ever since the steak went into the pot, she had been craving it. The aroma of the meat filled her mouth, greatly satisfying her taste buds. Her eyes lit up: "Delicious, even better than your wonton noodles."
"Western-style grilling is simpler, just a few steps. If you like it, I can make it for you often."
She nodded, picked up the plate of steak, and went to the table, like a possessive puppy, not letting him have a single bite.
Zhong Yunxi asked Aunt Wu to make her a salad to eat with.
She ate happily, and under the table, she took off her shoes and stepped on Zhong Yunxi's instep, her toes rubbing against his ankle.
Her little gestures often leave Zhong Yunxi stunned without him noticing. No one is better at being coquettish than her; her subtle and unintentional flirting is the most deadly.
She ate half of it and then stopped, pushing the rest onto him.
Zhong Yunxi looked at her: "You can't finish it, so why are you taking it all? Let it cool down and give it to me to eat?"
Bai Yi picked up a piece and held it to his mouth: "You made this. I was originally going to finish it. If you don't want it, that's fine. I'll reheat it tomorrow and eat it."
Zhong Yunxi: ...
I knew I wouldn't actually let her eat leftovers.
"Eat up, I've been feeding you. My arms are tired from holding it up."
This is too much of a blatant attempt to shirk responsibility. Zhong Yunxi was so angry he laughed: "If you could even finish it, would it be my turn?"
Bai Yi stomped on his foot to show his displeasure.
Eating her leftovers wasn't for nothing; Zhong Yunxi only ate each piece of steak after being fed by her. Bai Yi felt that Zhong Yunxi also loved to bargain with her.
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