Chapter 248: Summer, Beach, Fireworks, and Confession

"Hey, there are crabs and shells over there! Get a move on, you two." Zhao Yuanyuan called out to them. They’d come all the way to the beach for vacation, yet the two of them were just lying on the sand. ’How is their relationship supposed to progress like this? It’s no different than being back at school.’

Watching Zhao Yuanyuan and Huang Mao crouching in the shallow pools, excitedly digging around as if they’d discovered treasure, Chen Mo and Su Yuqing shared a smile. They rose one after the other, patted the fine sand from their clothes, and headed in the direction Zhao Yuanyuan had pointed.

As they walked toward the area where reefs and shallow waters mingled, they found just what she’d described: fingernail-sized sand crabs scuttling sideways, and seashells of all shapes and sizes washed ashore by the waves.

Sunlight filtered through the clear water, casting shimmering patterns on the sandy bottom as tiny schools of fish darted past.

For Su Yuqing, the experience of strolling along the beach beside Chen Mo, clad only in her swimsuit, was both novel and sweetly thrilling. She relished the feeling of the cool seawater on her bare feet and the fine sand trickling through her toes.

The sea breeze swept unimpeded across her skin, carrying with it a sense of freedom, but it also made her acutely aware of just how close the two of them were.

As they walked, they naturally drifted closer to each other.

Every so often, their arms would brush accidentally, sending a subtle jolt of electricity through them.

Su Yuqing could smell his scent—a mixture of sunshine, seawater, and his own unique, clean fragrance.

It felt as if all they needed was a single excuse to let their hands naturally intertwine.

"Ah!"

Su Yuqing’s cry of surprise rang out as a small sand crab scurried away in a panic.

The little creature had appeared from nowhere, skittering across the bare top of her foot.

She instinctively took a step back, but the wet, slippery sand made her lose her footing.

Chen Mo reacted in a flash. Smiling, he reached out and firmly steadied her by the arm and waist. The instant their skin touched, they both felt a jolt of nervous energy spread from the point of contact.

Su Yuqing could clearly feel the warmth of his palm and his firm, supportive grip.

"Careful," Chen Mo said, his voice laced with amusement. His gaze lingered for a split second on the rather eye-catching result of her sudden movement before flicking back up to her face, now flushed red with a mixture of fright and embarrassment.

But then came the teasing whoops from Zhao Yuanyuan and a stifled snicker from Huang Mao. Even other beachgoers nearby cast them good-natured, amused glances.

Su Yuqing’s cheeks burned even hotter. As if they’d both received an electric shock, they simultaneously sprang apart.

A second later, with a silent, mutual understanding, they both bent down nonchalantly, pretending to be deeply fascinated by an ordinary-looking scallop shell in the sand.

"Ahem. The pattern on this shell is pretty unique," Chen Mo said, picking it up and examining it with an air of great seriousness.

"Um... yeah, it is," Su Yuqing quickly agreed, though her heart was still pounding in her chest.

Chen Mo seemed perfectly calm and composed after such an intimate moment in front of everyone, but Su Yuqing felt the heat in her cheeks refusing to fade. The embarrassment made her instinctively put a little more distance between them.

For the rest of the morning, the group of eight had a blast on the beach.

Zhou Hao and Lin Yu’an tried snorkeling in a slightly deeper spot. Though their technique was clumsy, they were both thrilled whenever they spotted a school of small fish.

Qu Danwan and Zhao Yuanyuan were on the quieter side, sitting under a beach umbrella and sipping iced drinks. Their gazes kept drifting toward the people who had caught their interest, and whenever they looked at each other, they would share a knowing smile.

Huang Mao, meanwhile, fully embraced his role as the group’s jester, constantly finding opportunities to splash and mess with Zhao Yuanyuan, earning him an endless stream of shrieks and playful curses.

After the "crab incident," an elusive distance returned between Chen Mo and Su Yuqing, but the subtle, charged atmosphere between them remained.

They searched for pretty seashells together, pointed out strangely shaped rocks, and waded in the shallows, watching the little fish swim around their feet.

They didn’t touch again, but their eyes met more and more often, filling the air with an unspoken sweetness.

They played until the sun was high overhead, and the midday heat grew scorching. Only then did everyone realize they were ravenous.

Putting their games on hold, they returned to the shade of the beach umbrellas to rehydrate and reapply sunscreen.

Chen Mo naturally picked up a can of sunscreen spray and motioned for Su Yuqing to turn around so he could carefully spray her shoulders, back, and arms.

The cool mist and the occasional brush of his fingers against her skin sent another slight shiver through Su Yuqing. She lowered her head meekly and let him help.

For lunch, they went to an open-air seafood restaurant on the island that they had booked in advance.

Under a massive canopy, a long wooden table was laden with freshly caught seafood: steamed grouper, scallops steamed with garlic and vermicelli noodles, salt-and-pepper mantis shrimp, simply boiled sea prawns, savory steamed egg with sea urchin, and a local specialty, seaweed soup.

A salty, savory sea breeze drifted past as they all sat together, feasting and sharing stories from the morning. The air was filled with constant laughter and the clinking of glasses.

Zhou Hao worked up the courage to peel several shrimp for Qu Danwan, who blushed and thanked him quietly.

Huang Mao, in his haste, pricked his hand on a mantis shrimp and howled in pain, earning a teasing laugh from Zhao Yuanyuan and sparking another round of boisterous laughter from the whole group.

Chen Mo carefully picked out the most tender piece of fish and nonchalantly placed it in Su Yuqing’s bowl.

Su Yuqing looked up at him, and he met her gaze with a gentle smile, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

A warmth spread through Su Yuqing’s chest. She lowered her head and took a small bite, unable to stop the corners of her lips from curling into a smile.

After their hearty meal, the afternoon’s agenda was to explore the island.

They rented a few tandem bicycles and set off along the road that circled the island.

The sea breeze blew against their faces, and the road was lined with swaying palm trees and blooming bougainvillea. The scenery was breathtaking.

Of course, Chen Mo and Su Yuqing shared a bike. He steered and pedaled from the front, while Su Yuqing sat behind him, her hands resting lightly on his waist, enjoying the pleasant feeling of the wind whipping through her hair.

Dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing across her fair arms.

They visited a small lighthouse museum on the island, listened to a local elder tell stories about it, and took a group photo in front of an ancient Mazu temple nestled among the trees. They even found a hidden cove where the water was even clearer and calmer than at the main beach, and a few of them couldn’t resist jumping in for another swim.

As evening approached, the setting sun painted the sky and sea in intoxicating shades of crimson and gold.

The group abandoned their bicycles to stroll barefoot along the shore at low tide.

The water lapped gently at their ankles, leaving a delicate line of foam in its wake.

Su Yuqing and Chen Mo lagged a little behind the rest of the group, their long shadows trailing behind them. The sunset’s afterglow outlined their silhouettes as they walked side-by-side, bathing them in a warm, golden halo.

Surrounded by the sounds of their friends laughing and joking, the cry of distant gulls, the gentle lapping of waves, and the horn of a fishing boat returning to harbor, Chen Mo and Su Yuqing felt as if the entire world was steeped in a beautiful, languid bliss.