Chapter 246: Summer, Beach, Fireworks, and a Confession

"The college entrance exams are over, so we can finally relax for a bit. I was thinking we could take a graduation trip. I already talked it over with Yuanyuan and the others. I kept it from you because you seemed a little distracted lately, and I didn’t want to give you anything else to worry about," Chen Mo said, looking at Su Yuqing with a gentle smile.

The tree-lined path under their feet blocked out most of the noise, leaving only the faint cheers in the distance and the clear droning of cicadas nearby.

Sunlight filtered through the layers of plane tree leaves, casting small, dancing flecks of gold on the ground that swayed gently with the breeze.

The air was filled with the scent of grass, earth, and sun-baked leaves, carrying a tranquility and laziness unique to summer.

The suggestion of a graduation trip felt like the natural next step.

"Where are we going?"

"It’s summer, so the beach, of course. We can relax. I heard Bikong Island nearby is holding a fireworks festival to celebrate the start of summer. There are no fireworks regulations over there, so we should be able to see a really spectacular show. What do you think?"

When she thought of the beach, Su Yuqing’s first thought wasn’t of the sand or the fireworks. Her mind subconsciously jumped to swimsuits, to bikinis, to the thought of appearing before Chen Mo wearing so little.

Her heart skipped a beat, then began to dance like a small boat bobbing on the waves. A flutter of shyness and secret anticipation spread through her chest.

She could even imagine the sea breeze caressing her skin, the feel of fine sand between her toes, and... Chen Mo’s gaze.

"Okay!" she nodded enthusiastically, trying to make her voice sound natural, as if she were simply happy about the trip itself.

However, the fingers hidden behind her back悄悄 twisted the hem of her shirt, betraying the small ripples of emotion inside her.

Chen Mo saw her sparkling eyes and the faint blush on the tips of her ears, and his smile widened a little.

"Then it’s settled. Yuanyuan, Huang Mao, and the others are all going. We’ll leave the day after tomorrow, stay on the island for two nights, and we’ll be just in time for the fireworks festival."

The sea breeze, the beach, being alone together far from familiar surroundings... Countless romantic scenarios that had been repeatedly sketched and crossed out in her hardcover notebook instantly and vividly flooded her mind.

"But before we go," Chen Mo added with a smile, a mischievous glint in his eye, "we have to buy swimsuits first. My mom happens to be going shopping tomorrow. Since we’re going to the beach, why don’t you have her take you to pick out a couple?"

By now, Su Yuqing was very familiar with Chen Xi. Although she called her "Auntie," their relationship was almost like that of a mother and daughter.

So, she was okay with Chen Xi helping her pick out a swimsuit.

She nodded, her face turning a little red...

The next afternoon, an enthusiastic Chen Xi pulled Su Yuqing into a bright and fashionable swimsuit store downtown.

A dazzling array of swimsuits hung from the racks, a dizzying variety of styles and colors.

The air was filled with the mixed scent of new fabric and fragrance.

When it came to picking out a girl’s swimsuit, it wasn’t appropriate for Chen Mo to tag along. Besides, he wanted to maintain a sense of anticipation.

He was looking forward to the stunning sight of Su Yuqing appearing before him in a swimsuit.

"Come on, come on, Qingqing, let Auntie help you pick something out!" The moment they entered the store, Chen Xi was like a fish in water, her eyes shining as she weaved through the racks like a professional personal shopper.

She scanned the racks quickly, analyzing everything with a practiced eye. "For pictures at the beach, the color has to be bright! High saturation, so it pops in photos... As for the style, it needs to be pretty and suit your personality. But most importantly—it has to be comfortable!"

Su Yuqing watched as Chen Xi picked up one swimsuit after another—some sexy, some cute, some retro—and held them up against her. Her face was flushed the entire time.

Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, especially when Chen Xi picked up a pale pink bikini. The design was simple and elegant, but it had a subtly alluring open back with crisscrossing straps.

"Auntie... isn’t this... a little... too..." Su Yuqing’s voice was barely a whisper, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her shirt.

"Too what? Too beautiful?" Chen Xi raised an eyebrow, grinning like a sly fox. "This style is a classic, the color complements your skin tone, and look at this cut..."

She pointed. "It’s so flattering—it really accentuates your collarbones and the line of your neck and shoulders!"

Without giving her a chance to object, Chen Xi thrust the pale pink bikini into Su Yuqing’s hands, then grabbed two different one-piece swimsuits and a cover-up. "Go try them on! You’ll never know until you see it on! How can you tell just by looking?"

Inside the fitting room, the delicate fabric clung to her skin, outlining her increasingly graceful curves.

Su Yuqing looked at her reflection in the mirror, wearing the pale pink bikini, and her heart was pounding.

This bikini was just too sexy. The bottoms were a side-tie style, and the top only covered the essential areas in the front. The strappy design on the back added a hint of tantalizing allure that made her feel both shy and a little thrilled.

She took a deep breath, trying to force the blush from her cheeks, and pulled open the fitting room curtain.

"WOW—!" Chen Xi exclaimed without reservation, her eyes sparkling as she circled her. "Perfect! It suits you so well, Qingqing! Innocent with a hint of sexy. It’s perfect! If Momo were to see this..."

She deliberately drew out her last word, only stopping with a mischievous smile when she saw Su Yuqing’s face instantly turn beet red. "Ahem, I mean, he would definitely think it looks amazing! Come on, try on the others."

Soon, Su Yuqing had tried on a few more, including a light green one with a more youthful, innocent style.

There was a lavender one that was more alluring.

There was also a one-piece. Although it covered more, it was so form-fitting that it accentuated the lines of her entire body exceptionally well.

"We’re getting them all! Consider it a small gift to celebrate you finishing your exams!" Seeing that Su Yuqing was a perfect clothes horse who looked good in everything, Chen Xi couldn’t bear to leave any behind and decided to buy them all.

"Auntie, this is too much, I brought money..." Su Yuqing had originally intended to pay for them herself.

"Too much? Nonsense! It makes me happy! Besides, we’re family. There’s no such thing as ’too much.’ From now on, don’t talk like we’re strangers, got it?" Chen Xi waved her hand dismissively, leaving no room for argument, and crisply called the salesclerk over to bag everything up.

That line, "don’t talk like we’re strangers," made Su Yuqing too embarrassed to say another word. At the same time, a special kind of sweetness bloomed in her heart.

As she was paying, Chen Xi leaned close to Su Yuqing’s ear and lowered her voice, speaking with the warm, knowing smile of someone who’s been there before. "Remember, at the beach, there’s nothing wrong with confidently showing off your beauty. The important thing is that you feel comfortable, confident, and happy. As for the rest, just let it happen naturally."