Chapter 441 - 439 I’m Not Poisoned
After the waiter left, Xue Yang and the others brought their luggage into the suite. It was a two-bedroom suite with a living room, and the layout was similar to a large, single-floor apartment, spanning a full 300 square meters. The view was excellent; upon entering, you could hear the sound of crashing waves and see the light from a distant lighthouse. The sky, full of twinkling stars, seemed to welcome them home. Overall, the first impression was quite nice.
Zhong Hailan looked around and asked the question that was foremost on her mind, "Xiao Yang, staying here for one night mustn’t be cheap, right?"
Like most mothers, her question reflected a common worry. For some, hearing a high price would be enough to make them turn right back around to avoid wasting money.
Xue Yang placed his hands on Zhong Hailan’s shoulders. "Mom, we’re on vacation, so let’s not worry about money. The reason I earn it is to give you two a good life. As long as you’re happy, any price is worth it."
Xue Yuanqing also chided gently, "Exactly. It’s rare for us to get out and have fun, so why worry about the cost? You’re just putting a damper on things."
Hearing what her husband and son said, Zhong Hailan realized her worries were a bit unnecessary, so she dropped the subject.
Everyone took their luggage to their respective rooms. Since it was already past eleven at night, going for a swim was clearly out of the question.
"I’m getting a bit hungry. Let’s go try the seafood buffet here," Xue Yang suggested.
The four of them went to the buffet area on the fourth floor. The place was filled with a dazzling array of seafood that was simply overwhelming to look at. Many of the varieties were rarely seen on the market; the high cost of preservation drives up their prices, which in turn causes demand to drop significantly.
Lin Xi pulled Xue Yang along to get a variety of seafood, including mantis shrimp, several kinds of crabs, different sea snails, steamed scallops, and more. They placed everything on the table and sat down, ready to feast. Xue Yuanqing and Zhong Hailan also brought back plenty of delicious food.
At this point, Zhong Hailan had completely forgotten about the cost. There’s so much food here, and I can eat as much as I want. The room is great, too. No matter what, this trip is worth it.
Lin Xi picked up a large sea snail, extracted the meat, dipped it in their special sauce, and took a bite. "Not bad! This is tasty." It was a completely different experience from eating seafood that had been air-shipped to her home. Eating it here, right by the sea, was especially delicious and unique. So this is what coming to the seaside is all about.
"It’s good, but it still can’t compare to my cooking. I’ve decided: tomorrow, I’ll cook what we catch and show you all my skills," Xue Yuanqing declared, popping a giant mantis shrimp into his mouth.
Hearing his words, Lin Xi’s eyes lit up. "I’m already looking forward to low tide tomorrow!"
After the seafood buffet, the older couple, Xue Yuanqing and Zhong Hailan, went back to their room to rest. Xue Yang and Lin Xi, however, held hands and left the hotel for a walk on the beach. Although it was too dark to see the beach clearly, the sound of the crashing waves was very soothing. On the far side of the beach, a glowing blue line appeared along the coast.
"Xue Yang, look! The water over there is glowing!" Lin Xi exclaimed.
"Those are glowing jellyfish. You can’t get too close. Getting stung is very dangerous."
"Oh, I see. But they’re so beautiful! It’s such a shame you can’t touch them."
"The more beautiful something is, the more poisonous it tends to be."
Lin Xi blinked her big, beautiful eyes and said something that made Xue Yang not know whether to laugh or cry. "I’m not poisonous."
"Is that so? I’ll be the judge of that."
Before Lin Xi could react, Xue Yang leaned in close. The next second, her mind went completely blank.
"Xiao Xi, I love you."
Ever since that incident, their relationship had been in a strange place. They wanted to be closer but didn’t dare. Even though Xue Yang had rejected another girl right in front of her yesterday, she still felt like something was off between them.
Now, hearing Xue Yang’s words, all that uncertainty suddenly vanished into thin air. Coming to her senses, Lin Xi began to return his kiss. The waves crashed joyously against the shoreline, as if cheering for the loving couple. The stars winked merrily in the sky, trying to get a better look at the two sweethearts, only to be obscured by playful dark clouds.
***
The next day, Lin Xi woke up promptly at eight in the morning. She hadn’t forgotten what Xue Yang had said about the tide receding today. She had wanted to get up earlier to watch it go out, but she had gone to bed too late and missed it.
She pulled back the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside, the tide had already receded significantly, revealing a large, rocky expanse of beach. A number of seagulls were already feasting. Because it was the hotel’s private beach, there weren’t many people. Still, she could see small groups here and there, diligently searching for little sea creatures.
Lin Xi ran back to the bed and shook Xue Yang awake. "Xue Yang, Xue Yang, look! The tide is out! Let’s hurry over."
Shielding his eyes from the bright light, Xue Yang mumbled a sleepy, "Okay." He got up and put on some casual clothes. "Have you applied sunscreen? The UV rays at the beach are much stronger than elsewhere."
"Don’t worry, I’ve already put it on. Besides, I brought a sun shirt and a sun hat."
Xue Yang looked over and saw Lin Xi was already dressed in a Bohemian-style long dress paired with a pink sun shirt. Her silky hair was tied up in a bun, and she had already put on her hat—a wide-brimmed pink one with a bow, a perfect beach-going look. She handed Xue Yang a matching wide-brimmed blue hat and urged impatiently, "Xue Yang, let’s go!"
"No matter how much of a hurry you’re in, we need to have breakfast first. It’s eight-thirty now, and the tide will be at its lowest at nine, so we still have time."
"Oh." Lin Xi immediately hurried Xue Yang along to breakfast.
Having gone to bed early, Xue Yuanqing and Zhong Hailan had woken up early and already finished their meal. They were now selecting tools for sea foraging, waiting for Xue Yang and Lin Xi to join them.
At nine o’clock, the four of them set off for the beach. When Lin Xi had first woken up, there were hardly any people. But now that the tide was out, the beach had suddenly gotten crowded.
Carrying a bucket and holding a pair of tongs, Lin Xi stood at the water’s edge in her pink water shoes, looking somewhat at a loss. She had never really gone into the sea before.
"Come, take my hand. I’ll lead you in."
A familiar large hand appeared before her. Lin Xi looked up and saw Xue Yang smiling down at her. At that moment, Lin Xi suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of security. She placed her hand in Xue Yang’s palm and followed him, slowly walking further out onto the beach.