Chapter 95 What, are you afraid of me...?
Xia Zhiyao hadn't slept so soundly in a long time. The whole night felt like she was immersed in a warm, silent body of water, and even her dreams were soft.
When she slowly opened her eyes, Zhou Yue was already awake, leaning against the headboard, his hair still damp with moisture, a few strands falling across his forehead. He seemed much calmer than the night before.
The faint light from the phone screen reflected on his fingertips as he looked down and scrolled through the page. His expression was no longer as cold and hard as before, but rather carried a hint of gentleness, as if he were carefully considering something small.
Before she could even speak, Zhou Yue closed his phone, looked up at her, his eyes filled with tender anticipation.
"Are you free this weekend?" he asked. "Let's go for a walk on the beach."
Xia Zhiyao was taken aback. Her thoughts instinctively drifted to the stacks of meeting lists, budgets, and emails, like piled-up walls. She opened her mouth, almost blurting out "too busy," but then suddenly remembered that her birthday was approaching.
The thoughts swirled in her mind as her gaze met his. His quiet, deep eyes suddenly softened with a gentle light: Zhou Yue probably wanted to celebrate her birthday with her. This thought, like a crack in the surface, gently tenderized her heart.
She instinctively took a deep breath, her nostrils filled with the morning light and his lingering scent, and the last bit of guardedness in her heart quietly dissipated. She softly hummed in agreement, her voice almost a whisper, yet filled with a long-lost sense of ease: "Okay..."
On Friday afternoon, the city's heat was rising from the asphalt roads.
Xia Zhiyao, unusually, tidied her desk at noon and closed her laptop early. She hesitated at the office door for a moment, then couldn't help but glance at her phone. A message from Zhou Yue: [I'm downstairs.]
She changed into casual clothes, carried a travel bag, and went downstairs. As she walked out of the office building, Zhou Yue leaned against the car door, also wearing a white shirt and shorts. Sunlight cast a soft glow on his shoulders, making him look clean and quiet.
He took the bag from her hand and casually put it in the trunk: "What did you have for lunch?"
"Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, sweet and sour pork, broccoli, a healthy work lunch." She couldn't help but smile, her old work routine gradually fading away.
The car sped along, the city's hustle and bustle gradually fading in the rearview mirror, the tall buildings receding behind like rows of glass curtain wall chess pieces, while the sky grew brighter and brighter.
As the Beijing-Harbin Expressway traveled eastward, vast green fields and low-lying villages slowly passed by outside the window. After exiting the expressway, Xia Zhiyao slightly opened the car window, and gusts of summer wind blew in, carrying a salty and humid atmosphere and the scent of grass and trees, causing strands of Xia Zhiyao's hair to float and gently brush against the side of her neck.
As she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she looked down at the navigation app. "It's been so long since I've gone out like this," she sighed with a smile, a relaxed feeling she herself wasn't even aware of.
Zhou Yue glanced at her, a slight smile curving his lips: "The last time... was probably in New York." His voice was low, as if he were casually picking up a memory, but afraid of disturbing Xia Zhiyao, he gently placed it in front of her.
Xia Zhiyao paused for a moment, not responding to his words, but turning to look out the window. The scenery along the way had changed from the grayness of the city to a vast expanse of green, with fields, shallows, and the occasional shimmering water, all slowly unfolding in the sunlight.
“This time it’s really casual.” She smiled and turned to look at him, a glint of light in her eyes. “I don’t even have to think about the itinerary.”
Zhou Yue reached out and grasped her fingers resting on her knee. His palm was slightly cool but firm: "Sometimes you should let yourself clear your mind."
The car approached the sea inch by inch, and a line of deep blue began to appear on the horizon. "Look..." Xia Zhiyao subconsciously pointed ahead, her voice filled with long-lost joy.
Zhou Yue looked in the direction she was looking and saw a silvery-white beach shimmering in the sunlight, with waves crashing in layer upon layer, the crests breaking into countless tiny white foams in the wind.
The wind rushed in, carrying the scents of the sea, sand, and unknown plants, making Xia Zhiyao's hair even more disheveled. She didn't bother to tidy it up, leaning forward slightly, her forehead almost touching the windshield, like a child seeing the sea for the first time.
Zhou Yue looked at her profile and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved up. In that instant, her eyes and brows were free of the weariness of the city and the guardedness of social engagements, only a clean and bright light, just like the expression she had when she watched the sunset on the balcony during her university days.
"It's even more beautiful than I imagined," she murmured.
"Shall we go down and take a look later?" Zhou Yue's voice was also low, but there was a sense of certainty in the silence.
The car drove onto a path near the beach, the tires crunching over the gravel. Further ahead was a parking lot and a path leading to a boardwalk. The wind carried a sweet, damp scent, gradually stripping away the urban atmosphere from them.
They opened the car door almost simultaneously, and the sea breeze immediately rushed into their arms, salty, cool, and full of the scent of life, pattering on their skin like countless tiny kisses.
The room Zhou Yue booked was extremely simple, with a large floor-to-ceiling window facing the boundless sea. The glass reflected a shimmering deep blue, and the white curtains fluttered gently in the wind. The sea breeze seeped in through the gaps in the window, carrying a touch of coolness and a damp, sweet fragrance.
Xia Zhiyao stood by the window for a long time before suddenly smiling. She turned to Zhou Yue and said, "It's been a long time since I've been out." Her smile was a little cautious, but it was more genuine and more fragile than the smiles she wore in the office or at the conference table.
The daytime sun shone on the beach as the two strolled side by side along the shore, their footprints etched into the damp sand, only to be quickly smoothed over by the crashing waves.
Zhou Yue would occasionally bend down to pick up small pebbles, swing his arm and throw them towards the distant waves. The pebbles would trace a silvery arc, splashing up tiny water droplets. His movements were youthful and energetic, like a silent game.
Xia Zhiyao was splashed with water and cried out as she raised her hand to block it. The next second, she raised her hand again and splashed water at him. The water droplets reflected tiny sparkles in the sunlight. Her laughter was drawn out by the sea breeze and mixed with the sound of the waves, indistinguishable from the rest of the sea, as if the whole sea was laughing with her.
As Zhou Yue watched her arched eyebrows, the corners of his mouth gradually turned up, and the ice that had remained frozen in his heart for years slowly melted away amidst the sound of the wind and her laughter.
At noon, they sat down at a small restaurant in a back alley of the town. The restaurant was small, the wooden tables were worn shiny by time, and faded old photos were pasted on the walls. The proprietress wore an apron and worked quickly, the sound of spatulas clattering mixed with the aroma of cooking oil.
When the fried sole was served, its golden-brown crust was still sizzling hot. A thin bite revealed a crispy exterior and tender interior, with the unique sweetness of the sea fish.
Xia Zhiyao's eyes lit up at the first bite, and she picked up the food much faster than usual, her eyes unconsciously revealing a small sense of satisfaction.
On a July afternoon by the sea, the sunlight was like a golden film pressing against the window, and the air was filled with heat. The sound of the waves came in through the glass, but was scattered into fragmented crashing sounds by the scorching wind.
Xia Zhiyao nestled on the sofa by the French windows, her legs curled up, scrolling through her phone while idly watching the sea. She flipped through a few pages of her phone, but her fingers were unconsciously fiddling with the edge of the curtains, her mind adrift.
Zhou Yue was half-lying on the headboard reading a book. His hair was still slightly sticking up because it wasn't completely dry. He would occasionally look up at her, a faint smile playing on his lips, but he didn't disturb her.
The two of them stayed quietly in their rooms, letting the sounds of the waves and cicadas fill the air, without going out for the entire afternoon.
In the evening, Xia Zhiyao stood on the balcony, her hands resting on the railing, gazing at the sinking sea.
The sun slowly sank below the horizon, its rays painting the entire sky a rose gold. The edges of the clouds were tinged with a thin layer of firelight. A breeze blew from the sea, carrying a cool and slightly salty scent, ruffling the strands of hair at her temples.
Zhou Yue leaned against the other side of the railing, his gaze not on the distant sea, but on her profile. Her face had a soft glow in the afterglow, and her eyes gradually softened from their previous intensity, like the receding tide.
"Zhiyao," he called softly.
She turned her head, and a gust of wind swept by, brushing a few strands of hair against her face. He reached out and tucked them behind her ear, his fingertips pausing briefly at her temple—a gesture that was both casual and slightly cautious.
Neither of them spoke; they simply stood side by side, watching the light on the horizon gradually dim, the waves lapping against the shore with a deep, rhythmic sound, as if slowly washing away the dust and noise of the city.
"Zhiyao," he called softly.
She turned her head, and the wind swept by, brushing a few strands of hair against her face. He reached out and tucked them behind her ear, his fingertips pausing briefly at her temple, a gesture of care and tenderness.
Neither of them spoke; they simply stood side by side, watching the gradually darkening rays of light on the horizon. The sun resembled a slowly sinking bronze plate, its rays stretched into long golden lines. Waves lapped against the shore, their low, rhythmic sounds like a gentle wash away of the city's clamor, quietly disarming them.
Zhou Yue finally spoke, his voice even lower than the sea breeze: "Let's go eat."
Xia Zhiyao turned her head to look at him, a slight smile playing on her lips: "What do you want to eat?"
"Let's have a seafood feast," Zhou Yue replied with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of youthful pride. He reached out to her hand, and she was startled for a moment, but she took it in return. The warmth of their fingertips and palms mingled in the night breeze.
Streetlights lit up one by one, and the sea breeze carried the salty, damp scent and the aroma of seafood. The two walked hand in hand to the entrance of the small restaurant. Several dried fishing nets and wooden floats hung on the signboard, and lanterns swayed gently in the wind.
Pushing open the door, the air is immediately filled with heat and aroma. There are glossy wooden tables, white porcelain bowls and plates, and handwritten menus on the walls, listing the day's fresh catch.
Xia Zhiyao smiled as she flipped through the menu: "I'll have a braised fish with cornbread, I loved this when I was little."
"One plate of grilled octopus, please," Zhou Yue added, "and a bowl of seafood served by hand."
The proprietress nodded and then recommended, "The swimming crabs are especially plump today, would you like a plate of spicy stir-fried swimming crabs?"
"Yes!" Xia Zhiyao's eyes lit up. "Add another serving of stir-fried clams and sea cucumber rice."
In no time, the wooden table was filled with plates of seafood. Xia Zhiyao picked up a piece of flatbread, dipped it in the braised fish broth, and took a bite. Her eyes crinkled with delight: "This taste is just like my childhood memories."
Zhou Yue peeled off a piece of crab meat and placed it on her plate: "Eat slowly, there's still plenty left." He then poured two glasses of beer and clinked them together with her glass: "A toast to our little escape."
Xia Zhiyao laughed out loud and gently clinked her glasses together: "Cheers." A small glint of light flashed in the corner of her eye, and her whole body relaxed.
Xia Zhiyao was engrossed in eating a piece of pancake soaked in soup, dipping it in the sauce of the braised fish, with a little sauce still on the corner of her mouth.
She glanced across at the other side and saw Zhou Yue turning to the side, touching his backpack, looking somewhat absent-minded.
"What are you doing?" She asked, her voice muffled but full of curiosity, with food still in her mouth.
Zhou Yue didn't speak, but a corner of a dark blue velvet box peeked out from his bag. At that moment, Xia Zhiyao's heart skipped a beat. Zhou Yue looked at her expression, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, and slowly took it out. It was a long, rectangular velvet box.
Xia Zhiyao paused for two seconds before she could see that there was a diamond bracelet lying in the box. The delicate chain shimmered under the light, like a small section of galaxy. She visibly relaxed and said, "You scared me."
Zhou Yue raised an eyebrow, teasing her deliberately: "What, are you afraid I'll propose?"
Xia Zhiyao looked down at the bracelet, her fingertips gently stroking it, a slight smile curving her lips: "How did you know I liked this?"
Zhou Yue rested his chin on his hand, a smile in his eyes: "Last time I saw you looking at your phone for ages, staring at this."
Xia Zhiyao was startled and looked up at him. In that instant, a strange mix of sourness and warmth welled up in her heart. She took the bracelet and put it on her wrist. The diamonds sparkled on her skin, and her whole being was softened by that halo of light.
Zhou Yue smiled, buttoned her clothes, and gently stroked her wrist with his fingertips: "I can give you anything you like."
Xia Zhiyao looked at him, her eyes filled with an undisguised smile and a hint of burning emotion.
As night deepened, the seaside town was as quiet as a slowly spreading watercolor painting. The two walked back along the path, and when they returned to their room, the view outside the French windows was a deep blue, with sparse starlight reflecting off the sea. The white gauze curtains fluttered gently in the wind, like a gentle wave softly lapping against the edge of the room.
Xia Zhiyao walked into the house and leaned against the window to look at the sea. Zhou Yue walked behind her, his footsteps light, carrying a hint of the cool evening breeze and a faint smell of the sea.
He reached out and gently pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder. His gaze followed hers to the distant sea, then he looked down at the bracelet on her wrist.
"Zhiyao." His voice was so low it was almost swallowed by the sound of the waves.
She hummed in agreement, turned her head to look at him, and the hair at her temples was blown by the wind, gently brushing against his lips.
"Happy birthday," he whispered in her ear, his voice as soft and slightly hoarse as the wind, the last syllable vibrating against her neck.
Xia Zhiyao realized that he had been waiting for this moment all along. From suggesting the trip to choosing the bracelet, from booking the room to arranging the time, everything revolved around her birthday.
A breeze blew in through the window cracks, ruffling the hair at her temples and disrupting her thoughts. A pang of sadness welled up in her eyes, yet she couldn't help but smile, the smile spreading across her lips like the evening tide washing over a beach: "Thank you."
Zhou Yue lowered his head and gently rubbed his head against her hair. He didn't say anything more, but tightened his arms and wrapped her up in his embrace.
The two stood side by side in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the waves of hair rise and fall in the moonlight in the distance, their breaths mingling in the wind, as if the entire night was speaking for them.
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