Cheng Jinlan received a video call from Shao ChengZe and was a bit surprised. She apologized to everyone and told Cheng LiQi that she needed to take a phone call outside and asked her to stay with Grandma.
Cheng LiQi obediently nodded her head. Her bright eyes were filled with mischief, and she knew without looking that it must be her dad who called.
Cheng Jinlan walked out of the lively house and found a relatively quiet corner to sit in a beach chair and answered the call, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
It should be two or three in the morning over there.
Looking at the woman on the screen, Shao ChengZe spoke in an even lower voice, as if whispering right next to her ear, "Missing you."
His deep gaze was too focused. Cheng Jinlan unconsciously avoided his eyes and looked out at the boundless night sea. She only gave him a glimpse of her fair neck and softly replied, "Then you can only miss me."
"What are you doing?" Shao ChengZe's voice grew lower.
Cheng Jinlan tucked the hair brushing her cheeks behind her ears. "The neighbors on the nearby island are having a party and invited us."
"Is it fun?"
Cheng Jinlan nodded. She looked completely relaxed. "It's quite interesting."
"That's good, have fun then." Shao ChengZe was half sincere and half perfunctory.
"Okay, you should go to sleep too. You have to get up early tomorrow." Cheng Jinlan was about to hang up.
"MiaoMiao," Shao ChengZe stopped her.
"Hmm?"
"Where's the necklace?"
Cheng Jinlan looked down. She had taken off the ring and necklace when showering and forgot to put them back on when going out.
Cheng Jinlan replied, "Forgot to wear it."
Just as Shao ChengZe was about to say something, a man's voice came from the distance on his end.
"Lan, what are you doing out here alone? Come back and dance."
Without even looking at the man, Shao ChengZe could tell from his voice that he was likely a very young man with a foreign accent.
Cheng Jinlan waved her hand at the man. "Go first. I'll be right there."
Seemingly casual, Shao ChengZe asked, "A friend? His Chinese is pretty good."
Cheng Jinlan was too lazy to expose the undisguised sourness in his tone. "The host's son. A sunny, handsome boy. Very cute."
Shao ChengZe was silent for a second. "I thought you don't like puppies."
Leaning on her chin, Cheng Jinlan lazily tapped her cheek with her index finger. "I suddenly realized that occasionally changing tastes isn't bad either."
Shao ChengZe knew she was doing it on purpose, yet he couldn't help his changing expressions.
Cheng Jinlan got up from the beach chair. "Alright, it's late. Go to sleep. I'm going to dance now."
The video was disconnected and the screen went pitch black. Shao ChengZe's face darkened as he rebooked the flight ticket he had just booked.
Last night's party ended very late, but Cheng Jinlan and her mother returned early. Young children sleep early, and Cheng LiQi was especially drowsy last night. Before eight o'clock, she rubbed her eyes and said she was sleepy, probably worn out from running around the beach all day. But when they got back to the villa, the sleepy girl suddenly regained her spirit and pestered her mother and grandma to watch an animated movie before going to bed.
Vacation was all about relaxing. The three generations slept until noon every day before getting up. Cheng Jinlan woke up a little early today. She seemed to smell food cooking outside, but her mother was sleeping in bed, and the housekeeper usually didn't come until the afternoon. So who was cooking?
Cheng Jinlan shuffled out in slippers and slowly wandered over. Opening the door, she saw the person behind the bar and was pleasantly surprised for a moment.
Cheng Shanhe was frying eggs. Hearing the door open, he turned and saw it was his daughter. He smiled gently, "You're up so early? Did I wake you?"
Cheng Jinlan shook her head. "Dad, when did you get here?"
Yesterday, Little LiQi video chatted with Grandpa. He said he was going to Lin City today to investigate a project. How did he appear here as soon as she woke up?
Cheng Shanhe turned off the stove and said to his daughter, "I had your brother go for me. Although Shao ChengZe is the same age as your brother, he already shoulders the Shao family business alone. I'm at retirement age now, it's time to let go. I plan to have your brother take over for me by the end of this year. Then your mother and I can travel the world."
Cheng Jinlan gave her dad a thumbs up. "Great idea, Mom will be thrilled."
Cheng Shanhe took a peek inside the bedroom. Leaning in, he quietly asked his daughter, "Did your mom have fun last night?"
Now Cheng Jinlan seemed to understand why her dad showed up here so early in the morning. There was a fleeting trace of amusement in her eyes as she replied, "She had a great time. She and the host's son opened the party with a dance that brought down the house. Afterwards, men lined up to ask her to dance."
Cheng Shanhe coughed. "Your mother has always been a great dancer."
Cheng Jinlan nodded in agreement. "It's just that Mom was wearing a ring, otherwise someone would have asked her out to dinner tonight."
Cheng Shanhe asked, "Are they hosting another party tonight?"
Barely containing her laughter, Cheng Jinlan took a sip of water. "No more parties."
Cheng Shanhe was a little disappointed that he didn't even get a chance to stake his claim.
Cheng LiQi was overjoyed to see Grandpa when she woke up. Fei Zuhui was also in a good mood seeing her husband.
The atmosphere was great until lunch when Cheng Shanhe mentioned someone he ran into on the plane. Fei Zuhui's expression immediately changed. With her daughter and granddaughter present, she refrained from leaving the table but put down her chopsticks and refused to eat another bite of the meal he had cooked.
Cheng Shanhe noticed his wife's displeasure but didn't realize what he had done wrong. The person he mentioned was a close friend of Fei Zuhui's. As far as he knew, the two had a good relationship. They happened to be on the same flight and her seat was next to his, so they chatted for a bit.
Cheng Shanhe looked to his daughter, but Cheng Jinlan was also unclear about what had happened. She only knew that Madam Liu, whom her dad spoke of, used to visit her mom quite frequently in recent years until she suddenly stopped appearing at their home. Judging by her mom's reaction, something must have happened between them.
After the meal, Cheng Jinlan tentatively asked Fei Zuhui a couple times but didn't get any clues. She wanted to help her dad but didn't know where to start, since her mom was quite upset this time and wouldn't even speak to him. After swimming with Little LiQi in the pool for a few laps, she went to take a nap, leaving Cheng Shanhe alone in the pool to reflect on which of his words had triggered his wife.
Cheng Jinlan had been sleeping very well these days. Not feeling sleepy in the afternoon, she strolled along the beach, picking up pretty seashells to later play with Little LiQi after she woke up.
The sandy beach was soft and silvery. She had unknowingly walked quite far, around to the backyard of the small island. The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the sea breeze was mild. Falling asleep here also seemed like a nice idea. Cheng Jinlan sat on the dock by the seaside, dipping her feet into the cool water. She lined up the collected seashells from biggest to smallest, a very boring thing to do, yet she somehow found it quite amusing.
The screen of her phone sitting next to her lit up and she smiled, picking it up to answer. "MiaoMiao, look up," said the person on the call.
Cheng Jinlan looked up blankly. A yacht appeared in her line of sight, heading toward her on the azure surface of the sea.
She was momentarily speechless. "Don't tell me you're on that yacht?"
The yacht approached swiftly atop layers of waves and stopped next to the dock. The person standing on the deck immediately confirmed her guess.
Cheng Jinlan craned her neck to look at him. Dressed in black beach pants and a white shirt, his sharp, chiseled features seemed even more handsome and ethereal in the sunlight. She thought she must be dreaming.
The gangway was directly across from Cheng Jinlan. Shao ChengZe walked over and held out his hand to her. "Come aboard?"
Cheng Jinlan’s mind went blank when he pulled her onto the yacht, and she gradually came to her senses. “What are you doing here?”
Shao Chengze put his arm around her and walked her towards the helm. With one hand wrapped around her waist and the other steering the wheel, he turned the direction and said, “I’ve been here for a while, arrived at the airport around the same time as your dad.”
Shao Chengze saw Cheng Shanhe at the airport exit. Cheng was ahead of him, but they flew in from different places and landed around the same time.
“Then where have you been all morning?”
“Next door.”
“Hmm?”
Shao Chengze leaned in and pecked her lips. “You have two neighbors. The one who hosted the party last night was your neighbor to the west. I'm your neighbor to the east.”
...He somehow always ended up as her neighbor no matter where she went.
“When did you buy it?”
What she really wanted to say was if he had money to burn.
She didn't say it out loud, but Shao Chengze could tell what she was thinking from her expressive eyes that made him unable resist the urge to kiss her this instant without waiting another minute.
Shao Chengze accelerated the yacht to full speed and barely docked at the pier on the eastern neighboring island. He picked her up in his arms, answering her previous question, “Strike while the iron is hot. To pluck the moon, I need to build several pavilions along the water.”
Cheng Jinlan wrapped her arms around his neck, lips brushing past his ear, and scoffed softly, “I think you're just crazy.”
Shao Chengze turned his head to kiss her snow-white neck, his footsteps unhalted as he carried her below deck to the cabin, “When it comes to certain things, I'm very willing to go crazy.”
It was true insanity. The moment his breath fell on her, Cheng Jinlan knew this would be the end today.
She pushed him while retreating to the corner of the bed. “I have to go back at three o'clock. Liqi will wake up around then and look for me.”
Shao Chengze raised his wrist to check his watch. There were still two hours before three o'clock. He ripped open the buttons on his shirt, revealing his toned abs, and pulled her ankle to drag her back under him. “I’ll definitely let you go back at three.”
Cheng Jinlan was truly afraid. She took the initiative to lean in, her lips brushing against his bobbing Adam's apple. Her voice was blurred and soft. “Shao Chengze, you have to be gentle.”
All the blood in Shao Chengze's body instantly surged towards his lower abdomen. He suppressed his ragged breathing, supported her waist with his arm, and slid his hand up her smooth calf. She was wearing a black strap dress that facilitated any of his actions. His voice was hoarse as he assured her, “I will be very gentle.”
And he was gentle indeed, so gentle that Cheng Jinlan wanted to die. Her dress was bunched up at her waist as she lay prone on the bed. The person behind her had hot, heavy breaths that slowly travelled down from her shoulders, leaving a moist trail that seeped into her pores and teased every nerve ending with an unbearable tingling. Her muffled whimpers grew louder as she groped behind her, trying to catch the culprit wrecking havoc on her body, but her limbs were limp and powerless.
“Shao Chengze,” she sobbed his name.
“Hmm? Do you want me to be even more gentle?”
Cheng Jinlan was at a loss for words.
Hearing no response, Shao Chengze’s breath continued its descent. He grabbed her hand resting by her side and interlaced their fingers. “Do you like sunny boys or do you like me more?”
She remained silent, so Shao Chengze switched from licking to nibbling. Cheng Jinlan suddenly shuddered, and her muffled whimpers on the bed grew louder.
He asked again, “Do you like sunny boys or do you like me more?”
Cheng Jinlan’s voice trembled as she answered him. Her delicate voice contained defiance and grievance. “You.”
“Do you want to try something new?”
Cheng Jinlan shook her head.
Having obtained the answer he wanted, Shao Chengze naturally did his utmost to please her with all the gentleness he could manage.
The weather at sea was unpredictable. The previously sunny afternoon suddenly turned windy, and the yacht rocked with the waves. He rocked along with the boat’s rhythm, shallow then deep. Cheng Jinlan was neither able to live nor die. She felt suspended in a breath away from death, yet the next second she feared being tossed into the deep sea waves.
Lightning split the clouds where the water met the sky, followed by the deafening rumble of thunder. Cheng Jinlan’s muffled moans were intermittent between the thunderclaps, sometimes loud, sometimes soft.
Only when a rainbow appeared across the horizon did the cabin finally quiet down. Cheng Jinlan was drenched in sweat as if she had been caught in the rain. Her damp hair clung to her forehead.
Although annoyed, the cathartic perspiration left an indescribable comfort despite the lingering soreness. So she couldn’t muster the same righteous anger to make frivolous demands, only asking him to fetch her some ice water since she was hot and thirsty.
What he brought back was warm water. Cheng Jinlan didn’t want to drink it. She wanted cold water, not warm water. Shao Chengze brought the cup to his lips and took a big gulp before leaning in to feed her. Cheng Jinlan dodged and refused. Between the chase and evasion, their breathing grew ragged again.
The phone on the nightstand buzzed. Cheng Jinlan stopped him with a look. Shao Chengze rolled over to lie beside her and pulled her into his embrace without further mischief. He even handed her the phone.
It was Jiang Jiang. Cheng Jinlan cleared her throat to make her voice sound normal before answering. “Jiang Jiang, what’s up?”
“Jinlan, are you free tomorrow night? I want to take you out for dinner.”
Cheng Jinlan pressed down the wandering hand on her waist and replied, “I’m out traveling with Liqi these days. I can’t go home for a few more days. How about I find you when I get back?”
“I’ll probably be gone by then. I can only make plans again the next time I come back.”
Cheng Jinlan sat up in bed. “Where are you going?”
Jiang Jiang said, “Our company is setting up a new department in South America. They want me to go over there and I agreed.”
“Why so suddenly when you just got back?”
“It’s not really that sudden. I’ve been debating it for a while and finally decided to take another shot at my career. The sense of security a career provides is irreplaceable.”
Since she had made up her mind, Cheng Jinlan didn’t say anything more. “When are you leaving?”
“Early morning the day after tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll go back tomorrow. I can make it home tomorrow night.”
Jiang Jiang panicked, “No need for that. Don’t disrupt your plans because of me. I’m not leaving forever. Once things stabilize over there, I’ll come back at least once a month. We can have dinner then.”
Cheng Jinlan had wanted to ask if her brother or Fei Zuhui knew she was leaving, but felt it wasn’t her place to ask. Since Jiang Jiang chose to leave, she should want to break free of the past and start anew. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for someone to decide to abandon the past and restart. The other two would probably move on slowly as well.
After hanging up, Cheng Jinlan stared blankly at her phone screen.
Shao Chengze slowly approached her from behind. “What’s wrong?”
Cheng Jinlan sighed lightly. “I just feel it’s a pity, a pity for all three of them.”
He naturally knew who the third person in the trio was, but Shao Chengze didn’t want to hear another man’s name in his bed. He sealed her mouth to cut off any more discussion of other people’s love and strife that had nothing to do with them.
When Cheng Jinlan woke up again, it was almost midnight.
She was startled awake and seemed to remember taking a groggy call from Liqi. She got up and put on the fresh set of clothes on the bedside, but even the slightest movement made everything ache. She couldn’t help letting out a soft moan.
Hearing the movement, the man outside walked in and sat on the bed to help her get dressed. “Don’t rush. You already told Liqi on the phone to let grandma know you went ashore to see a friend and wouldn’t be back until late.”
Cheng Jinlan was surprised she had come up with an excuse for her daughter even in her semi-conscious state during the day’s debauchery. Although full of holes, her mother usually wouldn’t expose her lies and would even help cover for her.
“Are you hungry? I'll bring food in.”
“I don’t want to eat. I need to go back.”
“I’ll start the boat. Go eat something on the couch. It won’t make a difference waiting this bit longer.”
Even in a hurry, Cheng Jinlan knew she couldn’t instantly fly back. She really was hungry, and he sailed very steadily, allowing her to eat comfortably. So when the boat docked at the pier where it had stopped at noon, her attitude towards him had slightly improved.
"Drive slowly when you go back," she instructed him and prepared to get off the boat.
Shao ChengZe reached out to hug her, "Let me take you back."
"No need."
Cheng Jinlan had just put one leg down the gangway when she froze, the pain between her legs was really unbearable. She couldn't help but glare at the man behind her, this madman.
Shao ChengZe knew he was in the wrong, so he picked her up horizontally, "I'm sorry, I lost my composure."
Cheng Jinlan bit his neck viciously, to let him feel some pain too, only then did she feel a little better balanced inside.
He had been here before, completely familiar with the place. Without her telling him, he knew which room was hers. She didn't allow him to come in through the front door, that would surely wake up her parents. She told him to come in through the window.
Shao ChengZe had just put her down on the bed when Cheng Jinlan pointed at the half-open window and said, "Leave."
She wouldn't let him touch the bed again.
Shao ChengZe kissed her lips, "Don't be angry anymore. When you wake up tomorrow, think about how to punish me, I'll accept whatever punishment you decide."
Cheng Jinlan didn't want to hear him talk right now, "Go quickly, don't wake up my parents."
Shao ChengZe didn't dare make her angry again. He helped tuck her in and then turned to leave the same way he came.
But just as he was about to climb down from the window sill, he heard some noise from the corridor. He looked over.
Cheng Shanhe, who had just been locked out of the bedroom by his wife before managing to coax her to sleep, was about to sneak back into the room through the window.
In the darkness, at each end of the corridor, one person was jumping out the window while another was climbing in.
When the two made eye contact, they knew how awkward this was.
