Chapter 127 Final Chapter 2
"Brother Youhan, our wedding was held on Easter Island. Do you know Easter Island? It's in Chile. Well, I think you know it too. The weather there is unpredictable, and although it often rains suddenly and heavily, when it is sunny, it is the most beautiful place in the world, with the most beautiful sunrise and sunset. We were so lucky that every day was sunny during the few days we were on the island. Only on the last day before we left, a rainstorm suddenly came, but fortunately, it stopped in just thirty seconds. We were all wet, and you kissed me in the rain. When we left, two rainbows appeared in the sky - have you ever seen a double rainbow?"
·
When he went to the cemetery to visit Ning Shu again, the sound of the white doves flapping their wings reminded Ye Kai of the sunshine when he first came here, and the drowsiness he felt in the golf cart at that time. At that time, Chen Youhan asked him where he wanted to get married, and he answered that he wanted a place with the best sunshine.
The place I like is actually southern Italy or southern France. Every villa around Lake Como seems to have come out of a fairy tale. I have even started to entrust wedding agencies to inquire about the schedule and check the historical weather.
The change of mind happened in an instant, that wonderful moment when Teacher Du Tang handed me his latest translation, "Selected Latin American Poems" in a Japanese tavern. When I opened the title page, the first poet I read was of course Neruda.
"I remember when I met you in Tianyi, you were still in the second year of high school, and you liked the line 'You are my daily dream'," Du Tang said with a look of nostalgia, which was fleeting. "This is my republished collection, maybe you will like it."
Ye Kai took it, and Du Tang turned to Chen Youhan: "Are you preparing for the wedding?"
Chen Youhan took a sip of sake and said, "Yeah, Italy. We're still choosing a place."
Du Tang raised his eyebrows in surprise: "Because I will be in South America."
"He wants the sunniest spot."
Du Tang asked in a matter-of-fact tone, "Where else is there more sunshine than in South America?"
Ye Kai was flipping through the book and asked casually, "Why South America—" His voice suddenly stopped. In Neruda's chapter, "You are the last rose in my land" was printed alone at the beginning.
Du Tang smiled slightly. "In the 1960s, Neruda and his wife Mathilde traveled on Easter Island for ten days. In the next decade, he wrote 25 poems with this abundant love and the sunshine of Easter Island. Chile is full of poetry, not just sunshine. Just like what the Nobel Prize citation for him said that year, he revived the destiny and dream of a continent."
Ye Kai stared at him intently, his hand holding the spine of the book feeling numb in waves.
He later wrote a thank you letter to Du Tang:
Teacher Du Tang:
Ever since I heard you mention Neruda in the pub last time, I couldn't calm down. In my dreams day after day, I repeatedly recited the Chilean sun, rain and forest, and thought of his "I want eternity and happiness on earth." Your words and translations not only took me to the warm South America, but also washed me on the beach where Neruda walked in my dreams. Brother Youhan canceled the reservation in Italy, and he joked that the penalty should be paid by you. In any case, please give us this opportunity so that we can thank you in person on Easter Island. "
A gold-stamped velvet invitation card had the names of Ye Kai and Chen Youhan printed on it.
·
Easter Island is a truly isolated island. From here, you have to go 3,500 kilometers east to reach Chile, sail 7,500 kilometers west to reach Australia, go 5,000 kilometers north to reach the southern United States, and trek 4,500 kilometers south to reach the more secluded Antarctic continent. The nearest inhabited island is 3,000 kilometers away. In other words, within a range of 3,000 kilometers, Easter Island is isolated from the world and wrapped in complete loneliness.
To reach Easter Island, you can only take a five-and-a-half-hour flight from Santiago on Chilean Airlines, or depart from Tahiti, 4,000 kilometers away. What's worse is that there is only one five-star resort on this isolated island with an area of only 167 square kilometers, and although it is five-star in name, it is only five-star in name.
In order to solve the guests' travel and accommodation problems, Chen Youhan directly chartered a cruise ship.
Gu Xiu finished the calculations and was shocked to the point of numbness. Yes, he knew that every summer there would be cruise ships departing from Tahiti to travel around the French Islands, and he also knew that these guests would of course stay in luxurious five-star hotels, and he also knew that chartering flights was very time-consuming and laborious... But he didn't expect Chen Youhan to directly charter a cruise ship.
The cost soared directly into eight figures.
"No, this ship has a thousand guest rooms." Gu Xiu hesitated to speak.
"I know."
"But you have no more than two hundred guests."
Chen Youhan raised his wrist to check his watch and hurriedly said, "Thank you for reminding me - has the project team arrived yet?"
"Right away - the cruise line emailed me back today. If you're sure -"
"Sure."
Gu Xiu was speechless, his three views had been washed away by the mudslide for a long time, and he had not recovered until the meeting started.
Ye Kai also thought the plan was absurd. Easter Island was indeed his favorite choice, but his idea was just to charter a plane. Guests could fly to Los Angeles or Atlanta, transfer to San Diego, and then take a special plane to the island. As for accommodation, the five-star resort on the island could accommodate two hundred guests. Although it was not as good as a real luxury hotel, it was actually not bad.
The expenses were paid by Chen Youhan himself, and he didn't even blink. Before going to bed at night, Ye Kai grabbed his collar and lay in his arms, whispering, "What a waste."
"No." There are many people in the circle who spend millions of dollars on fireworks for weddings, and he added a cruise ship to his charter, and also contributed to the cause of eliminating smog. Chen Youhan let him rest his head on his arm, calmed down, and spoke the truth: "Baby, we only have this one wedding in this life."
Ye Kai raised his face, and the colorful neon lights of Ning City outside the floor-to-ceiling window were reflected in his eyes, making his eyes look clear and bright even in the dark night.
Chen Youhan lowered his head and kissed the corner of his lips: "Don't leave any regrets. You won't have to make choices in this life."
·
The special plane broke through the clouds over the South Pacific.
Looking down from the sky, Easter Island looks like a triangle. The flight attendant rolled up the window for them and introduced: "Easter Island was formed by the eruption of three submarine volcanoes. If you have time on the island, you can also see the three craters located at the three corners." She even joked: "The triangle is the most stable shape in geometry, which means that Easter Island will never collapse."
Neruda is a well-known romantic master in Chile. The flight attendant said proudly: "There is only one white sand beach on the island. The palm trees there were specially transported there by the Chilean Navy. The great poet Neruda once left his footprints there."
She noticed the closeness between the two and smiled, leaving champagne and roses: "I wish you two gentlemen a happy honeymoon."
Speaking of honeymoons, my mind recalls the sea and moonlight of Fiji, flower petals scattered on the big bed, and the elegant blessings of the British butler and the German captain. The corners of his lips curled up: "Brother Youhan, our honeymoon has long been overdrawn."
Chen Youhan was probably thinking the same thing as him at that moment, so he reacted immediately and asked in a doting and joking manner: "That's enough, let's part ways in peace?"
Ye Kai hummed, and said as a matter of course: "Compared with two, three, or ten lifetimes, it's enough. When we die together, of course we can part ways in peace."
Last time, he read a report about an elderly couple. One of them passed away first, but the other seemed to have a premonition. After calmly handling the funeral, he also passed away without any warning. He died of natural causes. He didn't know where the naive obsession came from, but he stubbornly believed that he would also end his life in this way. Chen Youhan hugged him and coaxed him at that time: "How could it be? When we are all dead, you will be the longest-lived and most powerful head of the Chen and Ye families. Everyone loves and fears you. You are the one who has the final say, and they all listen to you."
Ye Kai laughed so hard, and felt that this old age life was very attractive. But there was a missing corner in his heart, and he didn't say it out loud. He wanted to ask, Brother Youhan, what if I turned around to find you, but found that you were gone? I looked for you in every room, and you would feel sad when you saw me. Since you feel sad, why not take me with you. Just like when we were children, just like we always have been.
They landed on the island first, followed by the wedding team. Ecuador, a South American country located on the equator, has abundant sunshine for up to twelve hours a day and produces the best roses in the world. All the flowers used in the wedding were picked from here and then airlifted to the island.
Easter Island is so small that you can drive around it in two hours. After landing, Ye Kai took Chen Youhan to rent a car. There are not many car rental companies on the island. Unlike Saipan and Cuba, which are full of colorful and passionate antique cars, most of the cars here are old and on the verge of retirement.
Ye Kai picked a white one. The owner of the car dealership said, "This is the longest-serving car we have here."
Chen Youhan sneered lazily, holding a cigarette in his mouth: "Pretty, you really know how to pick."
Ye Kai said stubbornly: "You don't understand, only the oldest one has meaning."
Chen Youhan clapped his hands lazily, "Okay, it has a meaning, you go ahead."
...and it turned out to be a manual transmission.
Ye Kai can't drive a sports car, and the driver's license is an automatic transmission. After sitting in the driver's seat for three seconds in silence, he quietly got out of the car and walked back to the passenger seat: "...Dear Brother Youhan, please."
Chen Youhan put one hand on the car door and bent over to look at him: "Call me husband."
He was wearing a linen white shirt, holding a cigarette between his fingers. He was tall and long-legged, and looked unrestrained and uninhibited. Even when he did bad things in the sunshine of the southern hemisphere, it was enough to make people bewildered.
Just shout, there are no Chinese people here anyway.
Ye Kai: "Husband."
There was no emotion at all, as if a poor student was saying hello to the teacher.
Chen Youhan said "good boy" to him and got into the driver's seat. It was indeed a bit old, even the smell was not right, and the leather on the gearshift had even fallen off. He inserted the key and started the ignition, and asked, "Have you bought insurance?"
It was just an unnecessary question. Who wouldn't buy insurance? Ye Kai honestly said, "No, the boss said there is no such thing as insurance here, because the most dangerous driving situation on this island is a horse suddenly jumping out, and the probability of this happening is about the same as a comet hitting the earth."
Chen Youhan: “…”
Forget it, if the car breaks down, I can afford to compensate, but if someone is injured... bah.
The engine sound was touching, full of the dedication of an elderly lung disease patient who coughed and returned to work. The wind rushed in from the half-open window, and Ye Kai reminded him obediently: "Brother Youhan, the boss said not to exceed 50 miles per hour, otherwise the car might fall apart."
Chen Youhan: “…”
Is he here to get married or to experience life?
The cigarette was so frightened that it fell off.
The car stopped halfway and Chen Youhan unbuckled his seat belt: "Come here."
Ye Kai was confused: "What?"
Since the man didn't move, Chen Youhan had to lean over, hold his face and kiss him.
After kissing for a while, they separated their lips and I heard him say half-seriously, "Who knows if anything will go wrong? It won't be a loss if I die after kissing you first."
That being said, the carefree and unruly spirit came up, and he accidentally sped up to 70 miles per hour. The wind blew towards him, bringing the warmth of the ocean. Ye Kai stretched out his hand from the car window, and the wind passed through his five fingers, just like five fingers passing through water.
"Brother Youhan, this is the loneliest place in the world, but the loneliness here is romantic."
Chen Youhan held onto the steering wheel and responded nonchalantly, "I'm still alive."
Ye Kai laughed and said innocently: "Well, I only have romance, not loneliness."
Endless volcanic grasslands sandwiched the straight road. Chen Youhan withdrew his gaze from the road ahead with confidence and turned to look at Ye Kai. It was a face filled with smiles, with the corners of his mouth raised sweetly. The sun shone on his fair skin, and his young face faced the sun without any shadow.
It is completely and brilliantly bright.
Chen Youhan confirmed his brilliant romance at the moment, and also confirmed the full meaning of her love for him.
·
There is only one small town, Hanga Roa, on the entire Easter Island. Driving northwest along the asphalt road, you will reach the only cemetery on the island - perhaps the most remote and loneliest cemetery in the world.
Between the repeated blue sea and green grassland, on the cliffs close to the sea, there is the only touch of other color in the 167 square kilometers, which is champagne orange, rich and colorful.
Chen Youhan thought it was a sea of flowers, or someone's flower garden, but after getting off the car he realized it was a cemetery.
Flowers are in full bloom, grass is growing, and rows of tombstones and crosses with strong stone and wood carving styles stand scattered around.
There was a crowd gathered in the cemetery.
People in Dong Province are superstitious, or they believe in feng shui, luck and taboos. If there is a funeral before the wedding, if it is for an elderly person, they will say it is unlucky.
Ye Kai stood quietly, feeling Chen Youhan holding his hand tightly. He turned his head and raised his eyes, curling his lips: "It's okay, Brother Youhan."
The islanders in beach clothes and T-shirts held guitars and ukuleles, and the small accordions played melodious songs like the wind - it turned out to be a funeral. But it was so joyful, singing, dancing, drinking beer, like a picnic party in spring.
The music stopped, and the man who had been playing the guitar just now slowly approached the tombstone - kissed it deeply and hugged it tightly.
The sound of the waves decently blurred all the crying, and in the silence, only the long and short chirping of crickets in the grass could be heard.
·
Ye Kai still remembered that he came to watch the sunset.
There are still hundreds of Moai statues in the whole Easter Island, and Ahu Tahai is the closest Moai statue to the town center. It is recognized as the most beautiful sunset in the world. In fact, you can walk there, but the two of them took a drive around and returned here when it was almost sunset. The car was parked casually on the side of the road, and there was no worry about blocking anyone's way or illegal parking. There was a kind of casual freedom.
The Moai statues are all located on the grassland. Walking from the roadside to the grassland by the sea, I saw the cows raised by the locals grazing with their heads down. Ye Kai finally avenged his revenge on the MacLehose Trail in Hong Kong:
"Hey, Chen Youhan, stop eating, look at you——"
Before he finished speaking, Chen Youhan said leisurely: "It is only natural for an old cow to eat young grass."
Ye Kai: “……?”
Why? After so many years, I still can't win the argument!
Furious and wanting revenge, Chen Youhan leaned over and plucked a light pink flower from the field overflowing with gentle vitality.
"Teacher Xiaohua, don't be angry. Look how beautiful you are today."
Ye Kai stared at him. Even if he was coaxed a thousand times, his heartbeat would still speed up, and the corners of his mouth could not help but curl up little by little. Chen Youhan thought he was cute no matter what. His willful and knowingly spoiled behavior was cute, and his easy-to-coax personality was also cute. With a large palm, he took Ye Kai's hand. Ye Kai held the little pink flower, and the two walked towards the depths of the grassland together.
After all, he still had revenge in mind. Seeing a sturdy stallion neighing and riding another mare, Ye Kai exclaimed in a pretentious manner: "Oh my God, Chen Youhan, you——"
He couldn't continue and fell down laughing. Chen Youhan pressed him into her arms and teased him. She asked with a mixture of love and hate, "What about me?"
Ye Kai laughed so hard that he couldn't breathe: "Help! I was wrong, wrong, wrong--"
Tourists from all over the world were waiting to watch the sunset. They sat on the ground, holding bottles of wine, and looked at them with amusement. Ye Kai felt his face burning. He didn't know if it was because of the sunset, but it was red anyway.
Not far from the Moai statues is a simple tavern. The natives are wearing straw hats and are playing their accordion. Chen Youhan bought two bottles of craft beer and sat down on the lawn with Ye Kai. The enthusiasm of South Americans is as deep as their skin color. While waiting for the sunset, they played guitar and sang. It was in Spanish. I couldn't understand it, but I felt that the melody was so catchy that it even floated into my dreams. In the South Pacific at night, Ye Kai often dreamed of this melody, and in his dreams, he was shrouded in golden light, just like at this moment.
Between 400 and 600 AD, Polynesians sailed from the Marquesas Islands to this rich island and began to build these huge Moai statues. Thousands of years have passed, the sun rises and the moon sets, the moon rises and sets, and the sunlight that shone on these statues back then is no different from that at this moment.
Ye Kai rested his head on Chen Youhan's shoulder and realized that it had been a long time since he had watched a sunset with him.
All busy. Busy with work, busy with studies, busy with socializing, busy with entertainment.
"Brother Youhan."
"Um."
"The evening is so beautiful." The beer bottles clinked together, making a crisp toast. Ye Kai took a sip, and the bitter taste rose to sweetness. "What will it be like when we are old?"
·
The sunset was majestic and quiet, and the grassland on the isolated island was filled with the sound of wind, which seemed to be singing. There were no trees higher than three meters here, and there was only creeping soft green grass spreading from the three craters to the cliffs by the sea.
"Come here, Teacher Du Tang. Is he on board?" The reception of the guests was done by the elders from both sides and Chen Youhan. He only invited some of his really good classmates and friends.
"on board."
Ye Kai was relieved for only a second before his heart skipped a beat: "It's over... Shi Yi is also on the boat."
Chen Youhan looked at him helplessly: "You just discovered it?"
Ye Kai had a blank expression on his face: “…I just realized it.”
"It all depends on fate." He said calmly, "There's no need to worry about Du Tang."
Two backpackers passed by them and their English voices drifted into their ears.
"I heard there was a wedding on the island."
"Where?"
"On the beach, I guess. Do you see those roses?"
They used the word "fabulous" to describe the wedding and the roses. Ye Kai listened to them discussing their wedding quietly, like a bystander, with a wonderful feeling in his heart. The two British people must not know that the protagonist of "fabulous" was walking by them hand in hand.
·
Staying at the only resort on the island at night, Ye Kai taught Chen Youhan the original name of Easter Island.
"RapaNui."
The pronunciation was awkward, so Chen Youhan didn't bother to pay attention to him and just read out the standard Chinese translation: "Rabenui."
"Amazing." Ye Kai floated, his chin resting on his arm as he lay on the pool. His black hair was wet in the moonlight.
"Du Tang taught me."
Ye Kai said jealously: "Did he teach you by the way? The literal translation of Rabenui is weird - Navel of the World, which means 'the navel of the earth'."
Chen Youhan was sitting on a beach chair, still handling official business on his phone. After listening to this, he couldn't help but laugh distractedly: "Teacher Xiaohua really knows a lot."
"From the perspective of the universe, Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean does look like a small belly button." He added, "That's what a NASA astronaut said." He supported himself on the edge of the table and rose lightly from the water with a splash. "Brother Youhan, we are getting married on the belly button of the earth."
After I finished speaking, I laughed to myself, and felt that it was strangely cute.
He thinks Easter Island is cute, and Chen Youhan thinks he is cute.
Cuteness is dangerous.
The waves of the Pacific Ocean repeatedly beat against the cliffs and reefs. The cooing of night owls could be heard in the night. The lovely person was caught off guard by Chen Youhan and picked up horizontally. He heard him whisper in an obscene voice in her ear: "The earth's belly button is used for marriage. What about yours? Hmm? What is Teacher Xiaohua's belly button used for?"
The owl turned away its wide eyes.
When I was wet from the cumshot, I vaguely knew the answer.
...Cuteness is so dangerous.
·
The old antique car was almost scrapped. Considering that they had to drive to see the sunrise, they finally replaced it with a newer one, but it was not much better. In addition, there were not always roads on the island, but mostly gravel roads and night roads. Ye Kai had a sore back from sitting there, and his eyes were full of pity and anger when he looked at Chen Youhan.
Chen Youhan tapped his head affectionately with the hand holding the cigarette: "Why are you looking at me, weird car."
Ye Kai: “…”
Too much!
After watching the sunrise, we went out to Orongo Village. Ye Kai pointed to the cone-shaped island in the distance and said, "August and September every year is the breeding season for the black terns here. All the tribes will gather here to hold the birdman competition together."
Chen Youhan: "...Birdman?"
Ye Kai laughed, "It's a title for a hero. Only one hunter from each tribe can participate in the competition. He has to go down to the sea from the cliff and swim to the island over there to look for bird eggs. Whoever finds it first will tie the egg to his forehead, then swim back to the island, climb up the cliff, and return to where we are standing. In this way, he will be the 'Bird Man' for the year."
It is a thrilling event with a desperate cliff of more than 300 meters and dangerous sea areas with frequent sharks.
Chen Youhan asked in a flattering tone: "Then may I ask Teacher Xiaohua, what are the benefits of becoming a 'birdman'?"
It was really a tone of coaxing a child, and when he said the word "birdman", he couldn't help laughing.
Ye Kai snorted and said seriously: "Of course there is. He will be worshipped as a god by all the islanders, enjoy supreme power, and can do whatever he wants."
"Do whatever you want?" Chen Youhan repeated.
Ye Kai nodded, and Chen Youhan said nonchalantly: "Okay, I want to marry the most beautiful daughter of the chief in the tribe."
Although she said she was her daughter, her eyes were looking at Ye Kai.
He doesn't need to climb rocks with his bare hands or dive into the deep sea, because a huge cruise ship will carry his love across the ocean.
The clouds pressed towards the sea, and his eyes were dazzled by the midday light and the waves on the sea. His vision was filled with spots of light, and in the moment when he could not distinguish between dreams and reality, Ye Kai thought for a moment that he saw a mirage.
The huge white hull and the iconic red chimney stand in the middle.
Chen Youhan stood up and whistled calmly, "We're here."
When the ship docked, tourists rushed to take photos. It was as tall as a building. Ye Kai heard the little girl cheering for the ship. Her mother bent down, looked along her little fingertips, and said gently in Japanese: "It's amazing, isn't it!"
The same-sex marriage between the Chen and Ye families was not suitable for publicity. Those who came were trustworthy relatives and friends, not all of whom were from the wealthy circle, but Qu Jia and Ye Jin took care of everything, making everyone feel at home and not feeling restrained or nervous. All the facilities on the ship were operating normally. After sailing for four or five days at sea, the signal was sometimes good and sometimes bad, and a group of people had nothing to do and almost emptied the store. The lights in the casino were on 24 hours a day, and the dealers and mahjong machines were running non-stop. The plays in the theater were also performed normally, and the children loved them. As for how many romantic encounters took place in those executive suites - or reunions after a long separation, it is even more unknown.
Even the dogs had a successful meeting.
Two Alaskans, one was pampered in Vancouver, the other was pampered in Ning City. They fought as soon as they met, but finally reconciled after smashing two cabinets of wine glasses. They stayed together affectionately all day long, even swimming together. Jia Jia was a young and beautiful girl, and Lie Lie was older, but he was handsome and domineering. Chen Fei couldn't help asking Lan Man, was Jia Jia sterilized?
...and ended up being sterilized.
The two families laughed so hard that the two dogs tilted their heads in confusion.
Banquets were held one after another, from brunch to afternoon tea to dinner, and the customary captain's ball was more lively than the usual sailing days. ... In the end, the two protagonists of the wedding had the quietest time, while the others treated it as a vacation and only reluctantly took the time to remember to attend the wedding when the ship docked.
When the sun sets, the place looks brand new. The banquet hall was decorated in sync with the wedding scene, and was prepared on the first day of the ship's voyage. It was only more gorgeous than Ye Kai's eighteenth birthday. The sunset trailed a winding tail, the sunlight dimmed a little, the stars rose a little, the sea breeze cooled down, and the lights on the ship lit up gradually. Everything seemed like a magic. The alternation of day and night was infinitely slowed down here.
After nine o'clock, the ball officially began, and everyone attended in dinner attire. The senior crew members were also invited to attend, all in white uniforms, standing out among the black tuxedos. The captain was from Sweden, and he had just met the person who chartered the cruise ship on this day. He felt that Chen Youhan was a gentleman, and no matter how gorgeous the crystal chandelier was, it was not enough to drown out his aura. After all, his posture holding the champagne glass was so suave and calm, as if he was born to be the center of attention.
The ship's routes are among the most luxurious in the world. During its five years of service, it has welcomed and sent off countless honeymoon couples, but this is the first time it has hosted a wedding.
Ye Kai held Chen Youhan's hand as they performed one ballroom dance after another, and his waist was held gentlemanly under his broad palm.
The lighting was gentle and ambiguous. Ye Kai thought of something funny and smiled with his head lowered and lips curled.
Sixteen-year-old Wan Hao from Xilin Road, Ning City, pretended that he couldn't dance and stepped on him eleven times. The Juliet fragrance that permeated the vast sea of lights in Ning City that night was exactly the same as that tonight.
Chen Youhan knew what he was laughing at, and pinched his waist calmly: "Little liar."
"Brother Youhan, your heart beat so fast that night." He remembered it clearly. It was the only layer of clarity left in the confusion caused by the smell of perfume - why was Chen Youhan's heart beating so fast?
Chen Youhan whispered in his ear, "How fast?"
"As fast as now."
Both of them looked extremely calm, and no one knew that beneath their serious expressions they were saying dirty words that were so sweet that they were sickening.
The Ye family was traditional in nature. Following the old rule that newlyweds were not allowed to meet and live together for two days before the wedding, they arranged separate rooms for Chen Youhan and Ye Kai. As if they were afraid that the two would sneak into each other's house at night, they arranged one at the bow and the other at the stern, so they had to walk several hundred meters to meet each other.
Ye Kai took a shower and went to the terrace with a glass of sparkling wine. The dry sea breeze during the day was completely invaded by humidity, and the wind carried the moisture of the Pacific Ocean, soaking his clothes and his breath. He took a puff of cigarette, and under the upside-down starry sky, the tension of the night before the notarization was reproduced, even more nervous.
He recalled the morning when he hurried to the coffee shop, the surging crowds, the streets shining in the sun, the lush bougainvillea, and the flower fragrance that was unique to Ning City amidst the hustle and bustle. When the lights turned green, the boy crossed one zebra crossing after another with brisk steps, cursing Chen Youhan for being such a troublemaker, but at the same time he was helpless about his uncontrollable heartbeat.
The closer I got to the coffee shop, the faster I danced.
It was not until the moment I pushed open the door and saw him sitting on the sofa that my heart inexplicably calmed down. I raised my hand and greeted him calmly.
"Brother Youhan"
I sent a WeChat message and received a reply soon, "What's wrong?"
"Are you nervous?"
Chen Youhan replied: "A little bit."
When he finished, he opened the balcony door, leaned his elbows on the railing, and forced the sea breeze to blow away his restlessness.
The charming words could not be spoken, and all turned into silent tenderness, floating secretly in the heart on this magnificent night. Ye Kai curled his lips, "What a loser."
He disappeared the next day, and no one knew where he went except Ye Jin who kept the secret.
He asked Ye Jin to bring diving equipment, and found the local diving guide who spoke fluent English and had been booked in the town, and went to 30 meters underwater.
He has been diving all over the world since high school, including Semporna, the Philippines, Fiji that year, Palau which Chen Youhan later fulfilled his promise to do, the Caribbean Sea in Cancun, cave diving in Yucatan, and even Lake Baikal which was frozen solid at minus 40 degrees Celsius in winter.
The dive guide had learned about his deep diving experience in advance, and after listening to him, he said honestly: "The underwater world of Easter Guide is not outstanding. The biggest surprise is the stone statue that sank into the sea, and the other is the large cliff, but this large cliff is incomparable to Semporna."
Ye Kai zipped up his diving suit and pressed down his goggles. "It's okay."
Be the first to jump into the sea.
Easter Island is a cliff island. Except for three beaches, the rest of the coastline is surrounded by cliffs, and the highest point is even more than 300 meters from the sea. The dive guide was right. The seabed here is more desolate than on the island. Not only are there few marine life, but even the coral reefs are dull in color. The dive guide took him to the cliff, slowed down, and followed behind him. At a distance of one or two meters, the huge cliff had no end, and the endless blue seemed to swallow him, but his posture was slender and calm, with an indescribable elegance.
In the absolute silence of the seabed, Ye Kai could only hear his own breathing and the sound of air bubbles. He was completely focused on the white bubbles and the endless deep blue, but the image of Chen Youhan was always in his mind, as if it existed naturally - it was an instinctive existence.
It’s not that he didn’t encounter dangers when diving deep. It was not until Sipadan that he almost died in a jackfish storm because of running out of oxygen. It was the dive guide who found him in time and noticed his abnormality. At that time, he was almost in a coma. In the silent death-like silence, the complicated pictures were like a revolving lantern, but no matter how hard he tried, why, why was there no Chen Youhan’s face?
Artificial respiration and cardiopulmonary resuscitation were accompanied by the Southeast Asian man's chaotic footsteps and shouts. He regained consciousness, and hot nosebleed kept flowing. He covered his nose and frantically looked for his mobile phone. He made a video call and wiped the blood from his nose, calling him Brother Youhan.
Chen Youhan couldn't tell anything was wrong with him because he was smiling and his voice was calm, but his lips were pale and his nosebleed was smeared all over the lower half of his face.
A line flowed out and was quickly wiped away.
Ye Kai stared at the screen with bright eyes and called out "Brother Youhan" again in a cheerful voice.
He frowned, "Why is your nose bleeding?"
And he continued to wipe it off with his diving suit as if nothing had happened: "I got angry."
It was not until 35 meters underwater that Ye Kai saw the Moai statue. It was lying on its back, its body and face covered by corals, with clownfish and seaman occasionally coming in and out, becoming the only bright color in the cold blue.
He unzipped his wrist bag and pulled out a ring.
The platinum ring is completely plain, with only a circle of letters engraved on the inner ring.
"227°S109°W, YKlovesCYH"
He closed his eyes, kissed the ring gently, and then placed it among the corals on the statue's body.
Metal is a natural thing. The dive guide watched it all and did not stop it.
·
The moment he surfaced, he took off his diving goggles and breathing mask, and climbed onto the yacht using the gangway. Ye Jin was hiding from the sun in the cabin, wearing sunglasses and a straw hat tightly, and applying layers of sunscreen on his hands. Seeing Ye Kai coming back, the eldest lady slowly half-hooked down her sunglasses and said, "Brother, you are so non-mainstream."
Ye Kai was freezing to death. He stripped off his diving suit with great effort. Only when the sun shone on his body did he feel alive again. He glanced at her again and said with a half-smile, "Don't be envious."
Ye Jin snorted and threw the hot bath towel to him: "Does Chen Youhan know that you have such a sense of ritual?"
"He doesn't need to know."
Ye Jin sat down again with her legs crossed, the fashion magazine trembled, and she said coldly: "The dog man is so lucky."
Ye Kai laughed out loud and thought, of course, he also felt that Chen Youhan was lucky.
·
Although the entire cruise is booked, the cruise line still provides the latest daily sailing report, listing every detail of the daily program arrangements on the ship, which is delivered to each room by the butler when beds are made before bed every night.
That night, everyone saw the following words written on the ship's newspaper:
The wedding day
It's the first time in history.
·
The two backpackers guessed wrong, the wedding was not on White Beach, but at Ahu Akiwe.
This is the most famous group of Moai on the island, with seven in a group and a line of 33 meters long. According to legend, it represents the seven explorers who first crossed the sea. All other Moai on the island are located on the coastline but facing away from the sea, only Akiwe faces the sea.
The wedding day was the spring equinox of this year, March 19, five days before Ye Kai's birthday. The aboriginals' astronomical attainments were revealed here, and on this day, Akiwe would face the direction of the setting sun accurately and precisely.
Magnificent and beautiful.
When Chen Youhan walked out of the lower deck of the cruise ship, the lawn was filled with applause and whistles. He was quite comfortable with it, and only smiled and warned: "Don't get me drunk tonight."
Qiao Chu shouted the loudest: "I know, I know, there is something important to do."
Chen Fei stood on one side with the help of a cane, his back and waist were straight, and the way he walked did not let people see the inconvenience of his right leg which was eroded by rheumatism. Although he was old, he was still very dignified and did not even let his secretary Zhao Conghai support him.
Chen Youhan took his hand and got into the car with him.
Under the shirt, closest to the heart, the golden pocket watch guards the small portrait of Ning Shu. The metal is warmed by the body temperature, and Chen Feiyi never takes it off except for taking a shower. Ning Shu's photo is smiling, and she can hear Chen Feiyi's words, and hear his words "Youhan is very good".
Unlike the suit he wore during the notarization, this dress was made by Lan Man herself, from measuring the body to designing, cutting and sewing. She did it all herself, and her bony hands were still very steady in cutting. Ye Kai put on the suit and looked at himself in the mirror. This was his first time wearing a white suit, and thinking that brides usually wear white at weddings, he lowered his eyes uncomfortably.
When I was young, I didn’t know much and I always talked about being Youhan’s brother’s bride.
It turned out that this was a good spell, which had gently entangled his fate long ago.
"Is Brother Youhan also white?" he asked Lanman.
Lanman helped him tie his tie and said with a smile, "Keep it a secret."
He and Chen Youhan haven't seen each other for two days. It's really strange. When they are in a long-distance relationship, sometimes they can't spend time together for a month. Here, it's only two days, but it feels like two years.
It’s like a long-distance race has come to an end. The closer the finish line is, the more anxious you become.
The stylist Maggie was there too. She had heard of Lanman's fame a long time ago, and was a little reserved when she was styling Ye Kai, fearing that she would waste her work. Ye Kai asked Maggie, "What kind of suit is Brother Youhan wearing?"
Maggie glanced at Lanman and said sensibly, "I can't say."
But there is always something to say.
"Anyway...very handsome."
Ye Kai chuckled. Of course he knew this.
When Qu Jia came in, Lan Man was helping him to straighten his shoulders. The first thing she saw was Ye Kai's thin and broad shoulders, which looked like an adult. When he half turned his face to Lan Man and talked and laughed, his delicate profile was exposed, from the brow bone to the tip of the nose, from the tip of the nose to the jaw, it was seamless and there was no mistake, as if Gene had a ruler in his hand that was more accurate than Lan Man's tailor's ruler. When he spoke, the voice vibrating from his Adam's apple was calm and calm, with a little smile.
Qu Jia was wearing glasses, and in a trance, she seemed to be unable to find the child she was when she was little.
After a moment's hesitation, Ye Kai leaned over and hugged Lan Man. His slender hand, which was obviously that of an adult male, patted his grandmother's shoulder in a soothing manner: "Thank you, grandma."
Qu Jia took off his glasses and touched his cheek with his fingertips, which felt wet and slippery.
Lan Man said gently: "Look, your mother is crying."
Ye Kai then turned around and saw Qu Jia: "Mom." He called her and held her thin shoulders with both hands.
"Don't cry, don't cry." Lan Man held Qu Jia's hands, coldly, and teased her in a doting voice, "Jia Jia, don't cry - Okay, come on," holding two tissues in her hands, tears gently seeped into them, and soon wet them into a soft piece. She had no choice but to hold Qu Jia in her arms, patting her shoulders again and again, just like how she coaxed her to sleep many years ago: "Silly child, you are already a few years old, and you are still crying. Okay, it's time for Xiao Kai to set off."
Her curly hair was still as soft as ever, and although it had turned from black to silver-white, it still had the familiar scent that Qu Jia was familiar with.
After leaving the cloakroom, many people stood in the long golden corridor. Grandpa stood in the front with a cane. Ye Kai shook his hands tightly, thinking that grandpa had lived a life of luxury and had calluses on his palms. Grandpa Qu Zhongli stood on the other side, still as elegant as an old gentleman, and his hand trembled a little as he patted Ye Kai's shoulder.
Ye Jin changed into a champagne gold high-end dress, half exposing her long legs in high heels, so delicate that her collarbones were glowing. She didn't say anything, but just smiled at Ye Kai, and when he glanced at her, she nodded slightly, as if to say: Go ahead.
Ye Zheng stood at the end of the corridor, looking elegant, waiting for Ye Kai to approach. He wanted to hold Ye Kai's hand from here, walk down the gangway with him, get on the wedding car, and hand his hand to Chen Youhan in the golden wind.
The crowd crowded out of the corridor, and from the cloakroom came a burst of crying and repeated calls of "Mom is here".
The sports car was almost glowing in the sunset. Uncle Lu waited on the side and opened the door for their young master from the Ye family. On the grassland away from the sea, the wind blew in the face, bringing the dryness and warmth of the sun. In the distance, seven Moai statues appeared on the horizon, as if they were watching the arrival of the distant guests.
This distant visitor was clothed in the rays of the setting sun and blessed by all the divine powers on the island.
A tall rose wall stood on one side, and the fragrance of Ecuadorian roses gently and domineeringly permeated the sea breeze. Under the flower wall, the sound of music drifted away.
Ye Kai was slightly stunned. Why were there so many people?
It turned out to be a steady stream of tourists and residents from the small town. At dusk, the passionate skirts of South America were flying, and tourists wearing beach shirts and orange garlands were singing and dancing.
The car stopped and he bowed to get out. The moment he looked up, he heard the blessings, whistles and applause that almost drowned out the live band. Ye Kai even saw the owner of the car rental company, who was holding his rusty accordion and winking at him.
Chen Youhan was standing under the flower wall, holding a bouquet of flowers that Lan Man had made herself.
It turned out that he was also wearing a white suit. He didn't often wear white. Ye Kai silently exclaimed in his heart and looked at him from a distance of fifteen meters. He was tall and handsome, standing out from the crowd. An indescribable sense of pride surged from the bottom of his heart - well, from now on, he could finally tell the world that this person belonged to him.
Ye Zheng raised his arm, Ye Kai took it, and walked towards Chen Youhan step by step.
The sunset is at its most beautiful moment. The golden sunset paints all the light and shadows. When the shutter is pressed, the picture is as beautiful as an oil painting.
The journey is short, but the time is long.
He walked towards him, with the stumbling steps of learning to walk for the first time, the stumbling steps of running while holding on to a balloon in Disneyland, the lighthearted longings of his boyhood, and the calm steps of his adulthood.
All the guests stood up from their chairs and applauded. Yu Guangzhong saw Qiao Chu, Shi Yi, Teacher Du Tang, Gu Xiu, and many familiar faces, all watching him tenderly with every firm step he took.
When he got to him, he saw Chen Youhan let out a barely noticeable sigh of relief, stretched out his hand, and took the hand that Ye Kai extended to him.
They are all cold.
I don’t know who is so useless that his fingertips can’t stop shaking.
Ye Zheng intertwined their hands and shook them tenderly: "Youhan."
He choked up, and all the words were in the word "Youhan". Chen Youhan responded in a deep voice, his voice connected with the vibration of his heart: "I will."
Turning around, the pastor with a wreath of flowers holding a Bible said, "Mr. Chen Youhan, are you willing to be with this gentleman in front of you, whether rich or poor, sick or healthy, happy or sad, you will always love him and cherish him, for the rest of your life, forever."
Chen Youhan looked at Ye Kai, just as he had stared at his sleeping face under the moonlight in Fiji many years ago, and answered in his heart and voice at the same time: "I do."
The pastor turned to Ye Kai and said, "Mr. Ye Kai, are you willing to join this gentleman in front of you..."
Ye Kai had heard these cliché lines from childhood, at other people's weddings and in movies, and he listened carefully word for word. How could he not want to? Even if he had to promise to do it for the next life, or the next life, he would still say without hesitation, "I do."
·
As the sun set, the lights came on along with the stars.
Golden starlight wraps around the pistil and the flowers bloom in the crystal ball, like an eternal being frozen in ice.
The land where the poet strolled is no longer barren. As the wind blows, roses bloom all over the mountains.
·
"Brother Youhan, what will it be like when we are old?"
"Skiing in winter, diving in summer, until you can't play anymore. Drinking tea on the balcony full of Juliet trees in spring, watching every sunset with you, playing rock-paper-scissors, if you win you can have a bite of ice cream. The kids all laugh at you, because how come this grandpa is greedier than them?"
"Yeah," Ye Kai answered as a matter of course, "because it's sweet."
——End of the full text——
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