On the way back, Er Yu fell asleep. Qi Yufeng awkwardly carried him. The afternoon sun was still overly bright, scorching their backs. Sometimes, I think about how happy I am at this moment, as if the vast world had shrunk to just three people, a small path, two trees, a little house ahead – my home, and the waves crashing behind, with tiny grains of sand sticking to our toes as we walked, all of us treading carefully, everything so quiet.
After settling Er Yu, I carried a basket of clothes to the garden to dry. Suddenly, there was a snap behind me. Turning around, I saw Qi Yufeng had opened a can of Coke. He leaned against the door frame, casually licking the Coke dripping down his wrist, drops falling from his half-wet hair, sliding down his forehead, neck, and strong, tanned chest, leaving only a faint water mark…
“Ha, you think you’re in an ad?” Uh-oh… he’s looking at me… did he hear that? Oh dear, if I don’t speak, no one will think I’m mute, but he caught me blushing and my heart racing, how embarrassing…
Feeling a chilling cold on my back, he pressed against me, can and all, nearly making me jump. He held me in place, teasing with the cold can, laughing as we ran around. I threatened, “When it’s not cold anymore, you’re on your own! You’ll dry the clothes yourself!” “You mean those clothes? Let them be, I’ll stay a few more days and take you back.” He said he’d take me back…
I kept laughing, playing along, pretending not to hear, until I laughed like a fool, and his face turned serious, his voice low and resentful. “I’ve always had the ability to get what I want, to protect what I want to protect, but you never believe in me. Sometimes, I feel like you see me as a burden, wishing I would disappear forever! But why do I still want to do foolish things for you? With all those women in the past, I know I was bad, but I care about your gaze, I really do! Even if I’ve restrained, changed, given, you don’t care at all! I just want you to see… but you won’t look…”
