Early in the morning, Fang Yang simmered the preserved egg and lean pork congee over a low flame. Seeing that he still had some time, he went out to the entrance of the community and bought some crab roe soup dumplings and sesame seed cakes, which he then carried home.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw Zhou Xin in her pajamas peeking out from the kitchen doorway. She smiled and said, "You're up! Did you sleep well last night? Go wash up, dinner will be served soon!"
"Mmm, it'll be ready soon. The aroma of this porridge is so enticing, it smells delicious."
Fang Yang held up the bag in his hand, "And there are crab roe soup dumplings that you like."
Zhou Xin turned around happily and headed towards the washroom, "It'll be ready soon, but don't sneak a bite!"
Fang Yang smiled and agreed, then turned and went into the kitchen. He stirred the porridge and saw that it was almost done. He wrapped the handle with a dishcloth, picked it up and placed it on the tablecloth. He then went back to the kitchen to get two sets of bowls and chopsticks, waiting for Zhou Xin to finish washing up.
After breakfast, Fang Yang carried a few changes of clothes and bags of snacks he had bought the day before, while Zhou Xin pushed a suitcase piled high with changes of clothes. Fang Yang was puzzled; why bring so many changes of clothes for just a few days at sea? And why pack them in such a big suitcase? Women are truly strange creatures!
They hailed a taxi at the entrance and headed towards the dock rented by the boat rental company. It was Zhou Xin's first time at sea, and she chattered incessantly, asking Fang Yang about the sea conditions along the way.
Fang Yang was also confused. He had never been to sea before. Although he had always lived by the sea, he had no memory of ever going out to sea. He could only change the subject and talk about his feelings about eating snacks last night.
Upon arriving at the pier, Fang Yang paid the taxi fare and got out. He saw only a few yachts docked there, which made sense, since it was already October 2nd and most of the yachts had already left the port, leaving very few behind.
They searched one by one and soon spotted the Queen, a two-story luxury yacht painted entirely in white. It was about twenty meters long and five or six meters wide, with the Queen's name painted in red on its side, making it easy to spot.
A dark-skinned middle-aged man was standing in front of the boat deck, smoking a cigarette. His eyes kept glancing towards the dock. He must be the captain of the Queen. Fang Yang remembered that Fan Guangming introduced him yesterday and said his surname was Xie. He fixed his eyes on Fang Yang and his companion as they approached.
"Are you Captain Xie? We are the tourists from the Queen Mary! My surname is Fang, Manager Fan should have already told you, right?"
"Hello, Mr. Fang. Manager Fan told me about this, so I've been waiting for you here since early this morning. However, according to procedure, I need to verify your identity. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause!"
"Of course, Captain Xie is very diligent. We will do everything you say to cooperate!"
After putting down his bags, Fang Yang took out his ID card and handed it to Captain Xie. Captain Xie didn't say anything more, carefully checked the ID card, and then helped Fang Yang carry the bags onto the yacht.
Fang Yang took Zhou Xin's suitcase, carrying it in one hand and holding Zhou Xin's small hand in the other, and followed Captain Xie onto the boat. The boat was wide and the ride was very stable, quite nice, very different from the swaying and rocking that Fang Yang had imagined.
Unlike fishing boats, this yacht is extremely luxurious. Upon boarding, you'll find a large hall that occupies almost 90% of the space, with several leather sofas, coffee tables, a bar, and a kitchen arranged in an orderly manner, just like a living room at home!
Once inside, one can have an unobstructed view of the sea through the transparent glass walls on all four sides. After crossing the hall, the two followed Captain Xie into the first floor.
The entire first floor has three bedrooms: one for the captain, one for the sailors, and the largest one is reserved for Fang Yang and his companion. Fang Yang was surprised that there were only three bedrooms and looked around, feeling extremely embarrassed!
After Captain Xie delivered their belongings to the bedroom, he introduced, "This is your room. There's a bathroom over there where you can take a shower, and a walk-in closet over here where you can put your clothes. Please rest for a bit. The yacht will set sail soon. If you're bored, you can go up to the lobby or go up to the rooftop canopy to enjoy the breeze!"
Fang Yang thanked the captain and watched him leave before awkwardly saying to Zhou Xin, "I really didn't know there was only one bedroom. Why don't you sleep here and I'll squeeze in with the others?"
Zhou Xin looked at the luxurious double bed, her face flushed, and she stammered, "Never mind... never mind, it's not good to bother others. The bed is so big, as long as you behave yourself, it's fine!"
Fang Yang raised his hand and swore, "Don't worry, I'm always a very well-behaved sleeper, I would never cross the line!"
Zhou Xin rolled her eyes at Fang Yang. "You go upstairs first. I need to get my clothes ready."
Fang Yang felt relieved upon hearing this and went out the door to enjoy the scenery upstairs.
Sitting on the sofa in the living room, the soft fabric immediately sinks into a deep crease, so comfortable that it makes one groan and not want to move at all.
The yacht gave a jolt, then slowly started up, leaving the dock and gradually accelerating in a southeast direction, leaving a white line in its wake before disappearing into the distance!
It is estimated that the yacht is equipped with a gasoline engine, so the noise is not very loud. After leaving the dock, it gradually accelerates and the noise gradually increases. Even through the glass, you can feel the increased vibration.
Fang Yang was bored while waiting, so he took out his phone and started watching a TV series that he had downloaded earlier. Fang Yang didn't watch much TV on weekdays, so this was a good opportunity to learn from it.
The story is set in the Republican era, and tells the tale of a young man and woman from two rival families. Ironically, they have been classmates since elementary school and have grown up together. As they grow up, they develop feelings for each other, but their relationship is met with strong opposition from both families. Thus, a melodramatic love-hate relationship unfolds!
After watching just one episode, Zhou Xin packed up her things and came upstairs. Seeing Fang Yang watching TV on his phone, she joined him. The two heads were pressed together in front of the small phone screen, completely absorbed in watching TV, creating an indescribable harmony.
When the ship stopped for lunch, Captain Xie came in to call for food and saw the two men sleeping side by side on the sofa with their heads touching, their phones placed between them. He was conflicted, wanting to call out but not knowing how, caught in a dilemma!
It was Fang Yang who noticed Captain Xie's unusual behavior. "Captain Xie, is something wrong?"
"Uh, it's lunchtime. If there's nothing else, I'll go to a restaurant for a simple meal, find a place to go fishing in the afternoon, and then we can have seafood for dinner."
Putting away their phones, the two followed Captain Xie to the restaurant. Sailors were carrying plates out of the galley. Fang Yang pulled out a chair for Zhou Xin and peeked inside; the lunch was quite lavish.
A plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, a plate of braised pork, a plate of stir-fried beef, a serving of green vegetables, a bowl of stir-fried shrimp, and a few bottles of beer—it looks and smells delicious.
Captain Xie smiled and said, "These were all brought from the shore. We'll get more seafood this afternoon. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality!"
Fang Yang laughed and said, "This is already a very generous meal. Captain Xie is too kind. These dishes look like they are cooked by a skilled chef. It seems we are in for a treat this time!"
"Come on, have some drinks. They're just out of the fridge. It gets hotter and hotter as soon as we get to the open sea. Let's have some ice-cold beer to quench our thirst!"
Fang Yang took the beer. The freshly frozen bottle brought a refreshing coolness, making him feel cool from head to toe, even in an air-conditioned room!
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