Chapter Ninety-Seven: Men's Views on Men
On the way back, Yao Fangfang switched to Theo and Mia's car, while Liam unceremoniously squeezed into Chen Guang's car and sat in the passenger seat that was originally prepared for Lin Yu.
Surprisingly, Chen Guang did not show the subtle territoriality he had displayed in the afternoon. Instead, he and Liam had a generous and friendly exchange about the differences between Chinese and American cultures, and they got along very well.
Lin Yu couldn't help but be curious about Theo and Mia's situation. She only knew that they were a couple, but knew almost nothing about their story.
It's hard to imagine how Theo and the outgoing Mia, who seem to be from two completely different worlds, got together.
When her friend was mentioned, Liam's eyes lit up, and she enthusiastically recounted how they met and fell in love. Lin Yu then realized that Theo, who seemed quiet, was actually a complete go-getter when it came to relationships.
The two met through a friend, but the initial connection wasn't in Theo's hands.
Theo's roommate is Mia's good friend. He originally planned to introduce Mia to another boy in their class and even dragged Theo along to help.
Little did they know that Theo overheard their conversation. He was usually quiet and reserved at school, but this time he went straight over and asked for Mia's photo.
I was instantly smitten and told my roommate, "Hold off on introductions, because I'm making my move."
"Wow, so brave!" Lin Yu exclaimed after hearing this. "Indeed, the brave are the ones who enjoy the world first!"
Upon hearing Lin Yu's words, Chen Guang's eyes flickered slightly, and his expression became less natural than before.
Although it was just a casual remark, it pierced his heart like a tiny silver needle, exposing the cowardice, hesitation, and anxiety hidden in his shadow.
When they returned to the hotel, it was nearly 6 p.m. The group was starving, so they agreed to each go back to their rooms to rest for half an hour before meeting up downstairs for dinner.
Lin Yu exchanged contact information with everyone downstairs, and then pulled Yao Fangfang back to the room.
She created a new chat group and added Liam and Yao Fangfang, among others, to facilitate future communication. Her gaze swept over Chen Guang's name in her contacts, and after a moment's hesitation, she dragged him in as well.
Lin Yu changed out of his soaking wet clothes, took a quick hot shower in the room, and sat on the edge of the bed wrapped in a towel to send messages.
With a light tap on the screen, I suggested in the newly created WeChat group that I could take everyone to try the food stall that Yao Fangfang and I visited last night. The food was very authentic and the owner was a very honest person.
Chen Guang's reply never appeared in the message list. It was as if he was hiding in the shadows, secretly watching everyone's every move.
Liam, on the other hand, and his friends Theo and Mia, were actively responding to her suggestions in the group chat.
Lin Yucai disregarded Chen Guang's opinion, happily arranged a dinner location with the others in the group, and then got out of bed. He wanted to take advantage of Yao Fangfang's shower to put on a different tourist makeup look for himself.
She pulled a blue eyeliner from her makeup bag, drew an upward-sweeping line in front of the mirror, and blended it out at the outer corner of her eye with a mermaid-colored eyeshadow.
Finally, she used glitter from the eyeshadow palette to add a silver mole under her eye, which, from a distance, looked like a mermaid's tear.
After finishing the drawing, Lin Yu turned around in front of the mirror, nodded in satisfaction, pulled off the bath towel, and took out a silver-gray shiny halter dress from the box, putting it on.
She let her long hair down, the ends still a little damp, hanging over her shoulders. Looking at herself in the mirror, she suddenly had a different kind of radiance.
The bathroom door opened, and Yao Fangfang came out wearing a bathrobe, drying her hair. She leaned against the door frame, looked at Lin Yu who was replying to messages, and laughed, "If Liam saw you dressed like this, he would probably be even more smitten."
Lin Yu looked up from the glow of her phone, her cheeks slightly flushed, but she still smiled and retorted, "That's just basic courtesy from international friends. Let's not be presumptuous."
"Really? I've seen Chen Guang circling around you like a puppy peeing on its lap this afternoon, as if afraid someone might try to take advantage of the situation."
Yao Fangfang's voice carried a languid quality, tinged with the languor of someone who had just showered, and her eyes, hidden beneath the towel, gleamed with a hint of mockery. "Men are never wrong when they look at other men."
"Why bring him up out of the blue?" Lin Yu paused as he replied to the message upon hearing Chen Guang's name.
"What did you two talk about this afternoon?" Yao Fangfang wrung out the water from the ends of her hair, threw the towel on the edge of the sink, and walked over. "The two of you were face to face, hugging each other, floating motionless on the water for half a day."
Chen Guang thought the atmosphere was right, but he took advantage of the situation and ended up parting on bad terms.
Lin Yu felt that the two men around her had probably muddled her brain lately, making her work and life a complete mess. Perhaps it was time to meet some new people and experience new things, instead of getting stuck in the old things that couldn't be changed every day.
Yao Fangfang didn't like wearing makeup. She simply dried her wet hair until it was half dry, then changed into a long red dress to cover her slender figure.
The deep V-neck design revealed a large expanse of her back as she walked, making her waist appear slender and delicate, as if it could be grasped with a single hand.
Before leaving, she took out two frangipani flowers from her bag and tucked them behind her and Lin Yu's ears.
When the elevator reached the hotel lobby, Chen Guang was already waiting there, casually fiddling with his lighter and chatting with two boys beside him.
He changed his outfit, wearing light beige casual pants with a bright red floral shirt, the collar slightly open to reveal a bit of his collarbone, exuding a touch of lazy Thai style.
His hair seemed to have grown longer. The night breeze swept through the hotel lobby, brushing against the strands of hair on his forehead and gently lifting his handsome eyebrows and eyes.
Out of the corner of his eye, he felt a familiar gaze. Chen Guang turned his head to look over while chatting and laughing, a smile still lingering on his lips. Just like that, he unexpectedly ran into Lin Yu's unfathomable gaze.
Chen Guang's heart skipped a beat, and the lighter he was spinning stopped.
“Wow! You two look amazing!” Liam, wearing a bright yellow Hawaiian print vest, praised the two ladies’ stunning outfits without reservation.
Theo laughed along, adjusted his glasses, and explained that Mia was still preparing in her room, clearly taking tonight's party very seriously.
Just then, a clear laugh came from behind them, and Mia ran towards them with light steps.
A floral print sundress draped over her body, highlighting her beautiful collarbones. To match the dress, Mia styled her hair in a fishtail braid, tied with a red ribbon at the end, which made her features appear even more delicate and striking.
She fluttered into the crowd like a joyful butterfly, naturally wrapped her arms around Theo's neck, and planted a light kiss on his cheek.
Theo chuckled and ruffled her hair, his eyes full of affection. Liam shrugged, unfazed, and gestured for the others to follow. The group chatted and laughed as they walked into the night.
Lin Yu and Yao Fangfang led everyone along the route they had taken yesterday toward the hotel. As they passed the open-air restaurant behind the hotel, they were drawn to the sound of cheerful music.
Following the sound, they saw several hotel staff members dressed in grass skirts dancing to the rhythm, enthusiastically performing samba, which attracted many guests to stop and watch.
Several foreign friends were so engrossed in watching that after a brief discussion, they decided to change their dining location to this place.
However, the restaurant was already full, and the few empty tables had "reserved" signs on them.
Just as Lin Yu was about to say forget it, he saw Chen Guang step forward and whisper a few words to the receptionist before leading everyone to an empty table by the sea.
The restaurant is built on the beach, right next to the hotel's private beach, and is simply surrounded by a low wooden fence.
The white tablecloth fluttered gently in the sea breeze, and the night air was warm and pleasant. As soon as Lin Yu sat down, he felt relaxed and comfortable.
"What did you say to them?" Lin Yu glanced at the removed "Reserved" signs and asked in a low voice.
Chen Guang sat down beside him, casually tucking a few strands of his slightly curly hair behind his head, and said with a sly smile, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed unless you have some secret to exchange with me!"
“I have no secrets.” Lin Yu slowly spread the napkin on his lap, his expression calm. “I’ve always been an upright and honest person, true to myself.”
Yao Fangfang sat to the side, constantly checking her phone and replying to messages between serving dishes.
The atmosphere between Chen Guang and Lin Yu eased a bit. He was in a good mood and teased Yao Fangfang, tilting his head, "Is your cell phone your artificial lung? Can't you breathe without it?"
Yao Fangfang looked up from the screen, her gaze sweeping over Chen Guang before finally settling on Lin Yu's face. "Zhang Yunzhou just sent a message saying he'll be there in two hours."
After a hearty meal, Mia pulled Theo to join the dancing crowd. Everyone danced joyfully around a realistic bonfire, while Lin Yu watched intently, his hands supporting his chin.
Chen Guang leaned back in his chair, a rare moment of relaxation, and casually rested one hand on the back of Lin Yu's arm as he sent her the video he had taken during the day.
Lin Yu was engrossed in watching the video when Chen Guang glanced up casually beside her and saw a mosquito perched on the back of her neck, poised to bite her fair skin and feast on her.
He reacted quickly, raising his hand before she could even process what was happening, and slapped her neck with a sharp pat, his fingers naturally forming a grip.
Lin Yu was startled when Chen Guang suddenly grabbed the back of her neck, causing her to turn around abruptly. Her lips inadvertently brushed against Chen Guang's cheek, sending a tingling sensation through her. She instinctively grabbed Chen Guang's wrist, frowning, and asked, "What are you doing?"
Chen Guang paused for two seconds before snapping out of his daze, stiffly withdrawing his hand and opening his palm to explain, "A mosquito!"
His voice was slightly hoarse, his gaze drifted unnaturally to the distant sea, and half of his face was frozen, as if countless ants were crawling in and out of his pores.
Lin Yu glanced at the lipstick mark left on Chen Guang's face, not emphasizing the accidental contact, but simply took two tissues, slowly wiping the back of his neck, and then handed another tissue to Chen Guang, indicating that he should wipe his hands and face clean.
Chen Guang lifted his eyelids to look at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, and naturally changed the subject. "These days, mosquitoes are all on silent mode."
Liam, unaware of their conversation, leaned closer, a sip of fries in his mouth, and chuckled indistinctly at Chen Guang's prized possession, saying, "All living things have souls... well, except for those damn mosquitoes."
She then grabbed Lin Yu's wrist and dragged him onto the dance floor without a word. "Let's go dance, just keep wiggling, it turns you into a mosquito's worst nightmare."
In the warm light of the campfire, Lin Yu stumbled a couple of steps as she was pulled back. She glanced back and saw Chen Guang still sitting there motionless, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the spot she had just touched.
"I can't!" Everyone in Lin Yu's social circle knew about her poor coordination. It wasn't out of shyness; she genuinely wanted to but lacked the ability.
Liam and Mia, however, each lifted one of her arms. "Go on, everyone can dance!"
After saying that, he led her to wiggle around the campfire. Their chaotic dance steps made Lin Yu laugh out loud, and he relaxed. The joyful atmosphere spread in the night.
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