Chapter 281: THE FOREIGNERS COMMUNITY

Liuxian nodded; it was best to let it go to avoid any further questions.

"Where’s there only one serving? Mr. Liu is quite stingy."

Guiying’s lips twitched; what was Fu Pei up to now?

"It’s for the love of my life; no one else deserves a taste."

Guiying stood up, pulling Liuxian along with him.

"My husband made dinner only for me. If you’re hungry, ask Uncle Li, but if you want to challenge me, try touching my plate."

"Whoa, chill, I’ll back off. You have fun with your man."

Guiying watched Fu Pei retreat toward the kitchen, muttering something under his breath about stingy married couples, before the front door finally clicked shut behind him.

The living room fell quiet once more.

Only then did Guiying turn back towards Liuxian, amusement still lingering in his eyes.

"I think he was genuinely hoping you’d share."

Liuxian reached over, gently straightening the slightly crooked collar of Guiying’s sweater before letting his hand fall naturally to his side.

"He should’ve lowered his expectations."

Guiying laughed.

"I’ll remember to warn him next time."

"You should."

Liuxian’s expression remained composed, though the corners of his lips had softened considerably.

Watching Guiying laugh so freely was still something he found himself lingering on, as though a part of him feared the smile might disappear if he looked away for too long.

Guiying noticed this hesitation.

"What?"

Liuxian shook his head.

"Nothing."

"I just..."

His voice trailed off for a brief moment before he met Guiying’s gaze once more.

"There was something I wanted to tell you."

Guiying tilted his head, curiosity replacing the amusement on his face.

"What is it?"

Liuxian glanced towards the staircase.

"Let’s go upstairs first."

He reached for Guiying’s hand without thinking, their fingers naturally intertwining as they began climbing the stairs together.

Neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.

If anything, it felt strangely peaceful after everything that had happened over the past few days.

By the time they reached the second floor, the evening sun had begun slipping behind the distant skyline, bathing the corridor in a warm amber glow.

Liuxian slowed outside their bedroom, one hand resting on the doorknob as he looked at Guiying.

"I have something to tell you."

—————

On the other side of the world.

A passenger aircraft descended through the clouds before touching down smoothly on the runway.

As the cabin doors opened, a warm breeze carrying the scent of the sea drifted inside.

Xue ShangYan stepped out of the airport with a single travel bag slung over his shoulder.

Y Island.

Compared to the bustling metropolises he was accustomed to, the island felt almost untouched by time.

There were no towering skyscrapers dominating the skyline, nor were there endless streams of traffic weaving between elevated highways.

Dense forests surrounded much of the island, broken only by narrow roads that wound through quiet towns and modest buildings.

The air itself felt different.

They were cooler and cleaner.

For a moment, ShangYan stood outside the terminal, silently taking in his surroundings.

Then, almost instinctively, he slipped a hand into the inner pocket of his coat.

A photograph rested there.

Twenty-three years had passed since it had been taken.

The once-crisp edges had softened with age, and the colors had long since faded, yet the man in the photograph remained breathtakingly beautiful.

His features were elegant and refined, carrying a gentle smile that seemed capable of calming anyone who looked at it.

ShangYan’s fingertips lightly brushed across the worn surface.

It was the only thing he had.

No clue where the man had gone after it was taken.

He had spent years following every lead that surfaced, only for each one to end in disappointment. This island was simply the latest destination that faint traces had brought him to.

Whether it was another dead end...

Or the place where everything finally began...

He had no way of knowing.

ShangYan slipped the photograph back into his pocket before making his way towards the row of waiting taxis.

An elderly driver rolled down his window with an easy smile.

"Need a ride, young man?"

ShangYan nodded and placed his bag into the trunk before settling into the back seat.

The driver started the engine but didn’t pull away.

"So, where are we heading?"

The question lingered inside the car.

ShangYan looked out through the window at the unfamiliar streets beyond the airport entrance before lowering his gaze.

"...I’m looking for someone."

The driver glanced at him through the rear-view mirror.

"A local?"

"I don’t know; he might be."

That answer earned him a puzzled look.

"You don’t know?"

ShangYan let out a quiet breath before taking the old photograph from his pocket once more.

"This is all I have."

The driver accepted it carefully.

His weathered eyes studied the handsome young man captured in the faded photograph before handing it back.

"Quite the good-looking fellow."

ShangYan smiled faintly.

"He is."

The driver scratched his chin.

"So... where was this taken?"

"I don’t know."

"His name?"

"Isabelle"

The older man blinked.

"Just having a name isn’t exactly enough to find him."

For the first time since arriving on Y Island, ShangYan laughed quietly, though there wasn’t much joy behind it.

"...I know, but I’m going to find him; I won’t leave until I do."

Silence settled inside the taxi.

After a while, the driver chuckled.

"You’ve certainly given yourself one difficult task."

He shifted the vehicle into gear.

"Still, Y Island may not be as modern as the mainland, but people here have long memories. If someone like this has ever been here, perhaps an old resident will remember. I will take you to where most foreigners live; anyone who’s anyone, you’ll find them there."

It wasn’t much.

But it was more hope than ShangYan had when he stepped off the plane.

"Then..."

He looked beyond the windshield at the winding road disappearing into the sea of trees.

"...let’s start there."

The man nodded, increasing the speed. They had to leave the mainland and go to the lowland if they wanted to see the foreigners.

"Our language here is quite hard to learn and understand, so over the years foreigners have formed a community. So most foreigners go there directly for easy communication. It’s been running for almost fifty years, so I’m sure the person you’re looking for, as long as they’re a foreigner they would be there."

The elderly driver smiled as he steered the taxi away from the airport, the quiet terminal gradually disappearing behind them.

"Our language here is quite hard to learn and understand, so over the years foreigners formed their own community. Most of them head there first because it’s much easier to communicate. It’s been around for almost fifty years now, so if the person you’re looking for ever settled on Y Island, that’s probably where you’d find your first clue."

ShangYan listened attentively, his gaze lingering on the endless stretches of forest beyond the window. The deeper they drove into the island, the denser the trees became. Towering pines and ancient camphor trees lined both sides of the narrow road, their canopies intertwining overhead to cast dancing shadows across the pavement.

"So there are many foreigners living here?" he asked.

"There used to be more," the driver replied. "Some came for work, some married locals, and some simply liked the peaceful life. The younger generation eventually moved to bigger cities, but quite a few older families stayed behind. They know practically everyone."

ShangYan gave a slight nod.

That was enough.

He didn’t need certainty.

He only needed someone who remembered.

The taxi continued down the winding mountain road before the dense woodland gradually gave way to a small coastal settlement. Compared to the villages they had passed earlier, this place looked noticeably livelier. Cafés with bilingual signboards stood beside bakeries and bookstores, while conversations in several different languages drifted through the open streets.

Children chased each other across a small square as older men gathered beneath the shade of enormous trees, leisurely playing chess as though time itself moved more slowly here.

The driver slowed the taxi.

"This is it."

ShangYan looked through the window.

Unlike the bustling business districts he had grown accustomed to, there wasn’t a single skyscraper in sight. The buildings rarely exceeded three stories, their architecture carrying influences from different parts of the world. Some had ivy creeping across stone walls, while others displayed colorful wooden balconies overflowing with flowers.

"This is nothing I’m used to," ShangYan murmured.

The driver laughed.

"Everyone who visits says the same thing."

He pulled the taxi to the side of the road before turning around in his seat.

"If I were you, I’d begin with the oldest residents. They may not remember every face they’ve met, but they’ll remember unusual people. A foreigner settling on Y Island twenty or thirty years ago would’ve stood out."