Chapter 26 Testing the Waters "And, I also want to confirm it."...
There was only one narrow path leading to Xing Ze's house, which was too narrow for large SUVs and RVs to drive through. So the group had to park their vehicles on a flat area where they wouldn't get in the way and move the ingredients inside first.
Huang Jing looked up and said, "This little building is actually quite nice."
Wang Jiale, carrying large and small bags, passed by her and said, "Miss, if you're going to sigh later, could you lend me a hand?"
"Oh well, the capable should do more," Huang Jing said, taking a bag from his hand as a formality and patting him on the shoulder. "What's the use of all those muscles you've built up by spending money at the gym?"
"I've been incredibly busy lately, I haven't had time to go." Wang Jiale gave her the middle finger and walked on.
Mu Tingyu arrived before them and called into the house, "I'm back!"
There was no response from the kitchen, so Mu Tingyu guessed that Xing Ze might be upstairs. She put the things at the door and turned back to help.
Everyone followed her example and piled their things on the ground. Shaoyue peeked into the room and asked, "Tingbao, isn't your landlord here?"
"They're probably upstairs," Mu Tingyu clapped her hands. "Where's Xiaoyu? Xiaoyu!"
Hearing her call, the puppy barked and ran from the backyard, tripping and falling as it stopped in front of Mu Tingyu.
Mu Tingyu squatted down and rubbed its fluffy head, both amused and exasperated: "Why did you run off in such a mess? Come on, play with your older brothers and sisters for a while!"
"What an adorable puppy!" Cao Yaxi squatted down as well. "Can I pet it?"
"Yes, yes!" Mu Tingyu said proudly, as if introducing her own child. "It's very well-behaved and affectionate!"
The puppy wasn't afraid of strangers at all, squinting its eyes and rubbing against Cao Yaxi's hand.
The girls simply couldn't resist this adorable creature, and soon let out a series of sounds of being completely charmed.
Wang Jiale stood with her arms crossed and asked Mu Tingyu, "How come we have the same name?"
Mu Tingyu explained with a smile, "The landlord found it on a rainy day, so he named it Xiaoyu (Little Rain)."
"Oh, this light rain."
Mu Tingyu stood up: "Please wait a moment, I'll go upstairs and call him..."
Before he could finish speaking, he heard footsteps coming from the stairs.
Everyone looked up and saw Xing Ze's figure appear on the escalator.
He was dressed all in black as usual, tall and long-legged, with a strong and upright physique, exuding an air of nonchalance. Yet, his features were strikingly defined, carrying a hint of fierceness that made him impossible to look away from.
Huang Jing gasped, grabbed Cao Yaxi's arm abruptly, and screamed in a low voice, "Yaxi! I like this!"
Cao Yaxi patted her hand and laughed, "Have you met your true love again?"
"Holy crap, look at that face! That body!" Huang Jing was incredibly excited, shrinking behind Cao Yaxi and shaking her hand vigorously. "He's so handsome! All the guys I dated before were ugly!"
Mu Tingyu, unaware of the commotion behind her, walked over and asked, "What are you doing upstairs?"
"Didn't your friend want to have a barbecue? There's a grill upstairs; it should still be usable."
Mu Tingyu looked at him with some surprise: "How come you have everything in your house?"
Xing Ze didn't answer, but looked at the people behind her. Mu Tingyu then introduced them to him one by one.
When he wasn't smiling, he exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay. Although the others were not young, they still had an undeniable scholarly air about them compared to him.
After Mu Tingyu finished introducing him, he nodded slightly: "Xing Ze."
Zhang Xin stepped forward and extended his hand: "Hello, Brother Xing, I'm sorry to trouble you."
Xing Ze shook his hand lightly: "You're welcome."
Although his "You're welcome" was delivered with the same imposing and intimidating aura as "You guys figure it out yourselves," Huang Jing still let out a soft "Oh!" and said, "He's so unique, I like him."
Cao Yaxi looked at her, both amused and exasperated: "Calm down."
Mu Tingyu stroked her chin, looking at Xing Ze's rather indifferent expression with some curiosity.
It's been a long time since I've seen him with that expression on his face; I have to say, it's quite captivating...
She asked him, "Shall we move the ingredients inside?"
Xing Ze hummed in agreement.
"You don't need to cook lunch today, aren't you happy?"
"..." Xing Ze glanced at her, then turned and walked towards the kitchen.
Looking at him like this, Mu Tingyu felt a strange excitement welling up inside her, and murmured, "He's quite aloof..."
She beckoned the group into the kitchen, and as she bent down to pick up some things, she heard Wang Jiale ask her, "Where do you live?"
“The second floor,” Mu Tingyu said, picking up several bags of ingredients and pointing laboriously to the stairs, “but it probably can’t be visited.”
"Who said we were going to visit?" Wang Jiale asked. "Then where does your landlord live?"
"The third floor," Mu Tingyu looked at him with a puzzled expression, "What's wrong? You want to stay here?"
"Oh," Wang Jiale responded without replying.
Huang Jing quietly moved closer to her and asked in a low voice, "Hey Tingbao, can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Well," Huang Jing said, a rare hint of shyness on her face, "do you know, um... does your landlord have a girlfriend?"
Mu Tingyu paused, then looked at her: "I don't think so."
"That probably won't work, we need to check," Huang Jing leaned against her, winking mischievously. "Can you help me find out? You're the best, Treasure!"
Wang Jiale pouted: "Huang Jing, what's wrong with you? Didn't you just break up?"
"Will this delay my search for the next one? No, it won't. Such a handsome encounter is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Huang Jing shrugged nonchalantly. "Let Bao ask around for me!"
Cao Yaxi laughed at her from the side, "Why don't you go and ask yourself?"
"Oh, I'm just being modest."
Shaoyue's gaze swept over the group, and she called out, "Tingbao?"
"Hmm?" Mu Tingyu smiled at her, her expression seemingly unchanged. "What's wrong?"
Shaoyue hummed in agreement: "It's alright, let's go."
.
Fortunately, the kitchen table wasn't too small; it could barely seat seven people.
Apart from Shaoyue, who wasn't very good at cooking, most of them knew a little bit about cooking. Zhang Xin was an excellent cook, making several impressive dishes that were highly praised by everyone.
He scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly: "It's just that this pot is a bit big, I'm not used to it, and the fish got a little burnt when I was frying it."
Everyone exclaimed, "The burnt ones are delicious, the burnt ones are delicious!"
Xing Ze remained silent at the table. Mu Tingyu had already explained to the others on the way here that he was just not talkative, it wasn't directed at anyone, and he would be better once they got to know him.
Zhang Xin called out to him, "Brother Xing, I see your kitchen is so well-equipped. Do you usually cook for yourself?"
Xing Ze hummed in agreement.
Mu Tingyu added for him, "He's a very good cook."
Zhang Xin's eyes lit up: "Then when, um, can I try your cooking?"
"Zhang Xin." Huang Jing called out, both amused and exasperated, and said to Xing Ze apologetically, "He's been obsessed with cooking lately, don't mind him."
"It's nothing." Xing Ze picked up a piece of fish and gave a token compliment, "Your cooking is pretty good."
Zhang Xin, however, was somewhat dissatisfied: "I feel the fish is a bit overcooked and not tender enough. But I don't know what the problem is."
"You need to use high heat when frying the fish and when seasoning it at the end," Xing Ze said calmly. "If you want the fish to be flavorful, you have to simmer it over low heat. Otherwise, the fish will become tough."
Zhang Xin scratched his head: "Can't we balance the two?"
"When frying fish, add spices to fry until fragrant, and season with rice wine and light soy sauce for better flavor."
"Oh! Rice wine!" Zhang Xin's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Which spices are best to add?"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Seeing that the dinner table was about to turn into a cooking seminar, Wang Jiale quickly called for a halt. "Let's eat first, let's eat first."
Zhang Xin scratched his head sheepishly: "Okay, I'll ask you for advice after dinner, Brother Xing."
Xing Ze nodded slightly.
Over there, Mu Tingyu was struggling with boiled shrimp, peeling off the shells from the front with her mouth, but the tails were difficult to peel and pick up with chopsticks, so she had to pull them off with her hands.
Xing Ze sat down next to her and casually handed her a tissue.
Mu Tingyu took the tissue without even looking up.
While burying her head in her rice, Shaoyue's eyes darted between the two men.
— To say that the two are dating doesn't seem like it at all.
There were hardly any intimate gestures between them, and Xing Ze seemed to speak very little, his attitude towards Mu Tingyu being at most somewhat mild.
But that's the problem.
Why is it that the interaction between these two is so natural, as if they've been living together for a long time?!
She remembered that Bao Cai had been here for less than a month, right?
When Mu Tingyu entered the kitchen, she saw the leftover porridge in the pot and said without turning her head, "I want to drink seafood porridge tonight."
Shaoyue thought she was talking to herself, but Xingze followed behind her and then hummed in agreement, clearly knowing that she was talking to him.
Their tone and demeanor were so natural that they gave Shaoyue the illusion of an old married couple.
She was quickly horrified by the idea.
What kind of "old married couple" is this?! No way! Absolutely not!
Although Xing Ze is indeed quite good-looking, he really can't do without money! He needs to have a job at least! Is he planning to do nothing and live off a woman?!
Shaoyue shook her head in her mind and decisively rejected him.
A man who lacks ambition is not worth having!
-
After the meal, everyone cleaned up the table together. Zhang Xin pulled Xing Ze aside to ask him for cooking tips, while the remaining five played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would wash the dishes.
Unfortunately, Mu Tingyu was the unluckiest one.
She stared at her palm, utterly bewildered: "Why can a game like rock-paper-scissors, which involves probability, end up with four scissors and only one paper for me?"
Wang Jiale mocked her: "Still want to sell fabric?"
Shaoyue couldn't help but laugh: "Don't cry, Tingbao! I'll help you!"
"It's alright, a bet's a bet," Mu Tingyu said with a smile. "These are just a few dishes, I can wash them in no time."
She sent everyone back to their seats, then went back to the sink and took out a hair tie to tie her hair up.
Zhang Xin huddled up to Xing Ze and found out the specific recipe for braised crucian carp. He carefully wrote it down on his phone and then asked, "Brother Xing, what do you think of the sweet and sour pork? Is it a bit too sweet?"
"good."
"Is there anything else that needs improvement?"
"If the batter isn't evenly distributed, the texture will be different."
"Oh, oh!" Zhang Xin scribbled.
He looked up, ready to ask about the third dish, but found that Xing Ze's gaze was fixed on the sink.
"Then Brother Xing..."
Xing Ze casually waved his hand at him: "Later."
"Huh? Oh, okay."
Zhang Xin put down his phone and watched Xing Ze get up and walk towards the sink.
He walked over to Mu Tingyu and took the plate from her hand.
He whispered something, and Mu Tingyu seemed to turn her head away, not wanting to listen.
From Zhang Xin's perspective, Xing Ze's profile showed a hint of helplessness as he said something, his expression softening completely, unlike his previous coldness.
Then Mu Tingyu finally moved aside, stood to the side, and watched Xing Ze start washing the dishes.
Sunlight streamed in through the glass window in front of the sink, falling on their hair and bodies, giving them a faint golden hue.
The sky outside the window was a clear, deep blue, as clear as a painting.
The scene was surprisingly harmonious.
.
After a short rest to digest their food, the young people, unable to stay still, decided to go to the beach to play in the water.
They were very well prepared; there were several uninflated swimming rings in the trunk, and they even brought a beach volleyball.
Mu Tingyu was also getting restless.
After asking Xing Ze, the girls took their backpacks and followed Mu Tingyu to the second floor to change clothes.
Huang Jing said with some regret, "Actually, I brought my swimsuit, but unfortunately there are no tourists here. It's so deserted, and I feel a bit strange being the only one wearing a swimsuit."
Cao Yaxi also said, "Yes, this place is so beautiful, why hasn't anyone thought about developing tourism here?"
“The location might be a bit out of the way.” Mu Tingyu pulled a pair of shorts out of her small suitcase. “Besides, the village isn’t very wealthy, and there’s probably no one to take the lead.”
"It's a real shame," Huang Jinghao waved his hand dismissively, "I'll ask the younger students in the School of Media Studies to help spread the word!"
“The villagers are all busy going to the beach or doing farm work, they probably can’t handle it all,” Mu Tingyu said, closing the door and starting to change her clothes. “Besides, there are no guesthouses or restaurants here, so tourists can only look at the sea, and they might even bring trash with them…”
"Too."
As soon as Huang Jing finished speaking, her gaze was suddenly drawn to the other side.
She exclaimed in amazement, “Tingbao, how come your legs are so thin! So thin, white, and straight!”
Mu Tingyu deftly slipped on the shorts and replied with a smile, "Hehe, it's the original."
"Oh my, I'm so envious~" Huang Jing stepped forward and hugged her, "How come your waist is so thin? With such a great figure, why do you wear T-shirts every day? Let me get you a small top to wear!"
Huang Jing took a piece of cloth out of her backpack and handed it to Mu Tingyu: "Try it, try it!"
Mu Tingyu tugged at the tiny top that resembled a child's dress, and opened her mouth: "It's so small, I can't fit into it."
"It's stretchy, you're so thin, you can wear it!" Huang Jing continued to complain, "I don't know what's wrong with women's clothing these days, the sizes are getting smaller and smaller, this one is actually a size L! Heaven know, I used to wear a size S, okay!"
The three girls surrounded Mu Tingyu, making her dizzy and disoriented. She was practically forced to put that little top on.
Cao Yaxi stepped back a bit to take a look: "Tingyu has a great figure, you really can't tell normally."
Shaoyue said helplessly, "She just loves wearing T-shirts and shorts; her closet is almost entirely filled with them."
Mu Tingyu tugged at the tight fabric around her, feeling a little uncomfortable. "It's... a bit tight..."
"It'll be fine in a little while!" Huang Jing hugged her tightly, "Oh my, our Tingbao is so beautiful, I wonder who will snatch her up in the future!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Tingyu's expression became somewhat subtle, and he unusually did not respond.
The girls changed their clothes and came downstairs. Two boys were sitting at the door playing with the puppy. They had also changed their clothes. Wang Jiale was wearing an open floral shirt, boldly showing off the chest and abdominal muscles he had worked out to the point of spending a lot of money.
When Wang Jiale saw them come down, her eyes immediately fell on Mu Tingyu, and she couldn't help but whistle: "You're dressed so beautifully."
Mu Tingyu paused, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
Huang Jing raised her voice and said, "Who are you praising? Can you include the subject?"
"Okay, okay," Wang Jiale conceded, "You all look very beautiful."
"Hey," Huang Jing looked around, "Where's Xing Ge? Isn't he going?"
"He doesn't seem to be going anywhere. He just went upstairs. He's probably tired of the beach, sitting here every day." Wang Jiale shrugged. "Let's go."
As the group left, Mu Tingyu lagged behind and quietly said to Shaoyue, "Shaoyue, I forgot to bring something. You guys go ahead."
"Then I'll wait for you..."
Mu Tingyu made a "shh" gesture and winked mischievously: "You go first."
Shaoyue instantly understood her meaning and watched as Mu Tingyu turned and went upstairs.
She subconsciously bit her finger.
Oh no, something really seems wrong.
Who is Mu Tingyu?
She's an amazing person who managed to stay single throughout her four years of university despite a constant stream of suitors. She once had the record of being stopped three times in one day to confess her feelings in public, and the love letters she received could probably fill an entire crown cookie tin.
Shaoyue was almost inseparable from her, and watching her change from "Hmm? Do you want me to give this to someone?" to "Thank you, but I'm not planning on dating right now" when faced with a love letter, she felt quite gratified.
At least she didn't accept any love letters or get close to any boys, which made the hearts of many men feel a little more at ease.
Although she always has a smiling face, her behavior is actually very measured and her attitude is very clear, never leaving any room for speculation.
It could be said that Shaoyue had never seen her be so intimate with a man before.
But now, she has obviously gone upstairs to find Xing Ze.
"A-Yue? Where's Tingbao?" Huang Jing called out to her.
Shaoyue snapped out of her daze: "Ah, she forgot something. Let us go first."
"Okay, let's go then!"
-
Mu Tingyu quietly tiptoed up to the third floor and first took a look at the balcony.
If no one is there, then they must be in the room.
She reached out and knocked on the door.
Soon, footsteps could be heard from inside.
The door opened, and Xing Ze's figure, slightly damp, appeared in the doorway.
He seemed to have just taken a shower, as he opened the door wearing a bathrobe and a towel draped over his head, water droplets sliding down his hair and leaving a small damp patch on the silk bathrobe.
The steam made his eyebrows and eyes appear even darker and more defined, losing their sharpness and instead revealing a lazy air about him.
The words Mu Tingyu wanted to say caught in her throat, and she asked a pointless question: "You...you took a shower?"
Xing Ze raised an eyebrow: "Otherwise?"
Mu Tingyu's gaze fell on the collar of the bathrobe. The overlapping fabric covered his chest completely, and only the undulating muscle lines and a small section of his collarbone could be seen underneath.
She was somewhat annoyed and preemptively said, "Why didn't you ask who it was before opening the door?"
"Who else would go up to the third floor besides you?"
As Xing Ze spoke, his gaze fell on her, paused for a moment, and then quickly looked away.
Mu Tingyu noticed and asked him, "How are the clothes that Sister Xiaojing changed for me?"
Xing Ze turned his gaze back.
She was wearing a black, tight-fitting, round-neck top with the neckline extending below her collarbone, adorned with a layer of white lace trim. Her exposed shoulders and neck were beautifully defined, a snow-white expanse, and the tight fabric accentuated her curvaceous figure.
Xing Ze frowned: "Isn't it too small?"
"?"
"—Little?" Mu Tingyu looked down at it with some suspicion, then looked up and asked in a questioning tone, "Really?"
Xing Ze realized what she was talking about and paused for a moment: "...I was talking about clothes."
Mu Tingyu: "..."
"It looks very tight, isn't it uncomfortable to wear?"
Mu Tingyu: "..."
Straight men are so annoying.
Undeterred, she asked again, "Is this the style? Does it look good?"
Xing Ze looked at her and said in a flat tone, "Beautiful."
Mu Tingyu persisted: "You're just giving me the runaround? You didn't even look closely."
Xing Ze's eyes flickered for a moment, as if he was trying to suppress the urge to look down. He clicked his tongue and asked, "What are you doing up here?"
Mu Tingyu then remembered her important matter: "Aren't you coming to play with us?"
"I'm not going."
Mu Tingyu's eyes crinkled into a smile: "Why? The weather's so nice today, let's go soak up some sun!"
"......"
“Come on,” Mu Tingyu subconsciously reached out, wanting to grab his sleeve, “I wanted to learn to surf with you…”
Before I even touched the fabric, my wrist was grabbed with a "snap".
Xing Ze tilted his head to look at her fair fingertips and the bathrobe sash a centimeter away from them, then lifted his eyelids and asked, "What do you want?"
"Sorry, I'm just used to clutching my clothes." Mu Tingyu apologized sincerely, but her fingers twitched restlessly. "You've tied it so securely, it won't come undone if I touch it, right? Why are you so nervous?"
Xing Ze released her hand and gently pushed her forehead: "Stop making a fuss."
"Did you hear what I just told you?" Mu Tingyu puffed out her cheeks. "I want to learn to surf."
Xing Ze looked at her helplessly: "I just took a shower."
“Why are you taking a bath in broad daylight?” Mu Tingyu scolded him. “Take another bath at night.”
Xing Ze looked at her bossy little face and chuckled helplessly. He gently pushed her out of the door frame and said, "Go out, I'm going to change my clothes."
Mu Tingyu looked at the door closing in front of her, scratched it with her paw, and shouted, "We're all family, why are you being so formal? Is there anything I can't see?"
Xing Ze ignored her.
After a while, he opened the door again, dressed in all black.
Mu Tingyu glanced at him and pressed against his shoulder to prevent him from stepping out of the door: "Weren't you naked when you were surfing the other day?"
“…” Xing Ze glanced at her, “What’s wrong with you today?”
"No," Mu Tingyu said innocently, "Surfing will get you wet anyway, and then you have to wash yourself, it's too much trouble."
"Throw it in the washing machine."
Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, Mu Tingyu had no choice but to turn around angrily and go to get the surfboard that was placed in the corner.
Xing Ze walked over: "Can you swim?"
"Yes!" Mu Tingyu, clutching the surfboard, urged him quickly, afraid he might change his mind, "Let's go, let's go!"
The girl had long, straight legs, and her exposed skin was a dazzling white. Xing Ze asked her, "Did you put on sunscreen?"
"Too lazy to apply, it's too sticky."
"It's sunny."
"It's okay, I'll just play for a little while." Mu Tingyu tugged at the tight fabric around her stomach, still feeling a little uncomfortable.
Xing Ze followed her downstairs and asked, "Would you like to change into some looser clothes?"
Mu Tingyu stopped and turned to look at him: "Will these clothes affect surfing?"
Just as Xing Ze was about to speak, he heard her mutter in a low voice, "Why do you want me to change it? Doesn't it look good?"
“…” Xing Ze sighed softly, “I was just worried that you might be uncomfortable wearing it. As long as you’re happy.”
-
The two arrived at the beach, where Shaoyue and the others had already taken off their shoes and were playing in the water.
The sky was clear, with only a few wisps of clouds drifting by. The sunlight poured down without obstruction, but it wasn't intense, bringing a refreshing feeling.
White waves crashed against the light yellow sand, their gentle sound mingling with the girls' cheerful laughter.
Huang Jing noticed them first, waved and shouted, "Here!"
As they approached, everyone crowded around. Wang Jiale pointed to Mu Tingyu's arms: "A surfboard?"
Mu Tingyu said with a smile, "Yes."
"You can surf? I didn't know that!"
"It's not that I know how, it's Xing Ze. Let him teach me."
Huang Jing looked at Xing Ze in surprise and asked with a smile, "Brother Xing, you can surf?"
"I know a little bit," Xing Ze replied calmly, then turned to Mu Tingyu and asked, "Shall we learn now?"
"Now, now!" Mu Tingyu excitedly kicked off her shoes and hopped barefoot on the beach.
Xing Ze took the surfboard from her and walked ahead first.
Mu Tingyu jogged to catch up, turned around and waved to them: "You guys play first, I'm going to conquer the sea!"
"Wow!" Huang Jing exclaimed excitedly, "This is the first time I've ever seen surfing in real life!"
"What are you so excited about?" Wang Jiale asked, holding a beach volleyball. "Surfing is pretty easy; you can learn it in no time."
"You can do that too?"
"I've studied this before; it costs 2,000 yuan per hour."
Everyone gasped in astonishment: "So expensive!"
"I don't remember what awards the good coach they hired had won."
Cao Yaxi smiled and asked, "How's your learning going? Can you still do it now?"
“What’s there to not know?” Wang Jiale squinted at the two people walking towards the waves. “It’s just like swimming; once you learn it, you won’t forget it.”
"Really?" Huang Jing crossed her arms. "Will you show me later? I want to see how you compare to Xing Ze."
Wang Jiale scoffed, "What's the point of comparing? Let's play ball."
Mu Tingyu followed Xing Ze to a spot near the edge of the waves, where the waves washed over her feet, bringing a slightly cool sensation.
Xing Ze placed the surfboard on the beach and gave her a brief explanation of the key points of beach surfing.
"We'll go into the sea later, walk until the water is up to our waist, and then wait for the waves."
“Waves are divided into green waves and white waves,” he said, pointing to the undulating waves on the sea surface. “Green waves are the less noticeable undulations further away, while white waves are the white spray that forms when the waves are about to hit the beach.”
As he spoke, he squinted his eyes and said, "You had a good day today, and you were quite eager to learn."
Mu Tingyu asked, "Why wait for the waves to come?"
"White waves are simpler. When the wave comes close, lie on the board and use the force of the wave to stand up."
Mu Tingyu only vaguely understood: "That green wave..."
"Learn to run before you can even walk?" Xing Ze said with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Let's go." He bent down and picked up the board.
"They're going into the sea already?"
"I'll demonstrate it for you."
The seawater slowly rose above my calves, then to my knees, and then to my thighs. The waves were already soaking the edges of my shorts.
Xing Ze glanced at her: "Aren't you afraid of choking on water?"
"I'm not afraid!" Mu Tingyu answered loudly with a smile, clearly very excited. "I'm a very good swimmer!"
The two continued walking for a while, and when they reached their destination, Xing Ze held down the tail of the surfboard and waited for a white wave to pass by.
He looked at the distant waves and whispered to Mu Tingyu, "Watch."
The waves rippled gently, and a wave began to rise, slowly rolling towards us.
He gripped the sides of the surfboard with both hands, and as the wave formed a white line approaching the tail, he deftly pushed off, leaned forward, and lay prone on the board. Using the momentum of the wave, he pushed himself up smoothly with his arms and stood up, gliding forward with the wave.
Mu Tingyu stared without blinking at Xing Ze, who was walking back towards her from below the board: "It looks pretty simple."
Xing Ze's black T-shirt was soaked, the fabric clinging to his body and revealing his obvious muscle lines.
He reached up and brushed a few strands of hair from his forehead, then patted the surfboard: "You give it a try."
Mu Tingyu mimicked him, gripping the edge of the board with both hands. Xing Ze reached out to help her hold on, saying, "You can lie down first."
"No need." Mu Tingyu observed the waves that were about to crash in.
"You're just starting out, you might not be able to get on the board right away, you should..."
Before Xing Ze could finish speaking, a white wave rushed towards them. Mu Tingyu braced herself with both hands, stood up on the board in one smooth motion, and then, somewhat unsteady on her feet, was swept away by the wave.
Xing Ze raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Mu Tingyu returned excitedly: "How was it? Aren't I amazing! Aren't I talented?"
"Yes." Xing Ze nodded. "You've studied this before?"
“No,” Mu Tingyu scratched her cheek, “but I can skateboard, so it seems like we have something in common.”
Xing Ze reached out and naturally tucked a strand of wet hair that was standing on her cheek behind her ear.
"I'll try again!"
Mu Tingyu tried facing the waves a few more times, her movements becoming more and more skillful, and her posture becoming more and more stable.
Xing Ze stood in the seawater with his arms crossed, watching her excitedly run ashore to share the good news with her friends, and chuckled softly.
After a while, she came back, tilted her head to look at him, her eyes sparkling: "Where's Green Wave! I want to try Green Wave!"
Xing Ze smiled helplessly: "Does he only feel happy when he chokes on water?"
Mu Tingyu got a little cocky, tilting her nose up: "Is it really that exaggerated? Someone like me, a surfing prodigy—"
Ten minutes later, the surfing prodigy clung to Xing Ze, nearly choking to death.
"Why, why, clearly, cough cough cough, clearly Green Wave looks easier, cough cough—"
Xing Ze patted her back helplessly: "Don't speak yet. Green Waves wasn't something that was easy to achieve in the first place."
"It's so salty, ptooey!" Mu Tingyu coughed for a while before finally calming down a bit. "I, I'm not convinced—let me try again!"
"Let's rest for a while."
"No!" Mu Tingyu pushed Xing Ze's chest with her hand, wanting to get back on the surfboard.
Xing Ze frowned as he looked at her eyes, which were red from choking, and put his hand on her waist: "Be good."
Mu Tingyu struggled with her small arms and legs to no avail and was brought back to the shore by Xing Ze.
"Tingbao, are you alright? It looks like you just fell into the water," Shaoyue asked with some concern.
"It's alright!" Mu Tingyu waved her hand. "Let me rest for a bit before we fight again!"
Huang Jing leaned closer and asked, "Tingbao, is it difficult? I want to learn too!"
"It's not difficult! You can learn if you want!" Mu Tingyu took her hand and said with a smile, "Let Xing..."
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he changed his mind and said, "Let me teach you!"
"You just learned it, and you're already trying to teach others?" Wang Jiale chuckled and patted her head. "You don't even know how to play Green Wave."
Mu Tingyu instinctively shrank her head, but still couldn't dodge. She took a step back with a natural expression: "Who are you underestimating?"
Suddenly, a hot wall pressed against her back. Without turning her head, she knew who it was. Then she said to Wang Jiale, "I heard from Sister Yaxi that you can surf too. Why don't you give it a try?"
“Sure,” Wang Jiale smiled, looked up at Xing Ze who was almost touching Mu Tingyu, frowned slightly, but still smiled and said, “Brother Xing, want to borrow the surfboard?”
Xing Ze raised his chin: "Use it."
Wang Jiale grabbed his surfboard, took off his floral shirt, and walked shirtless towards the beach.
Huang Jing pouted: "Show-off."
Cao Yaxi said with a smile, "He spent a lot of money, so let him show it off for a bit."
Xing Ze looked down at Mu Tingyu and saw that she was staring at Wang Jiale's naked back.
"......"
His dark eyes narrowed, and his brows furrowed.
Just as he was about to speak, Mu Tingyu commented, "So-so, not as good a figure as yours."
"......"
The pent-up anger vanished inexplicably, like a punctured balloon.
He couldn't help but ask, "When did you see it?"
"You were surfing on my first day here." Mu Tingyu gave him a strange look. "You forgot?"
Where did you see it?
Mu Tingyu pointed behind her: "Up there."
Xing Ze looked in that direction: "You can see that far away?"
"Whose eyesight are you underestimating?" Mu Tingyu turned her head. "Not only did you see it, but the other young men from the village saw it too."
"......"
Very well, they've been provoked.
Xing Ze narrowed his eyes unhappily, put his hand on Mu Tingyu's neck, and looked at Wang Jiale who was surfing on the green waves not far away, saying meaningfully, "Is this one of the 'world's best pectoral and abdominal muscles' that you've touched?"
Mu Tingyu flinched at the warmth of his palm: "Can we even get past this part? You know perfectly well I'm talking nonsense."
Xing Ze chuckled softly, but his voice was devoid of warmth: "I don't know. I take every word you say seriously."
Mu Tingyu: "..."
Apart from the two of them, everyone else stood by the waves watching Wang Jiale surf.
There were only the two of them on this small stretch of beach. As soon as Xing Ze finished speaking, the temperature around them seemed to rise suddenly.
The two stood quietly for a while. Mu Tingyu's ears felt a little hot, her eyes darted around, and she slowly said, "Xing Ze, there's something I want to ask you."
Xing Ze lowered his eyes to look at her: "...What?"
Mu Tingyu looked into the distance: "Sister Xiaojing asked me to ask you if you have a girlfriend."
"......"
Xing Ze's gaze fell on her still slightly damp hair, then slowly moved away.
The girl's cheeks were fair and delicate, her long eyelashes were still damp with moisture, and her lips were even redder than usual.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a low voice, "Don't you know whether I have it or not? Why do you still need to ask?"
"She said she wanted to confirm it." Mu Tingyu turned her gaze back to him and met his eyes.
"And I'd also like to confirm this."
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