Chapter 248

She used to look at the free people in anime and real life. But now, she saw the sea too. Something she had only ever seen on computers and phones, she could now see with her own eyes. Hua Xin felt she had grown a lot during this time. She was no longer easily swayed by anything, because she was already at the lowest point in her life; even if things got worse, she couldn't possibly crash through the bottom and fall into hell, right? But this hateful man beside her had brought her a different life. Why hateful... the girl thought carefully. Perhaps, maybe, possibly, it was because Xia Yan's inexplicable gentleness and indulgence towards her made her subconsciously consider him her only true brother, so she had to cherish him. This kind of gentle man was the type Hua Xin hated most in anime and movies. That kind of aura that could easily attract the female protagonist to his side, leading to a predictable life of success, surrounded by beautiful women—where was the ordinary person's role? So it wasn't their youth that was problematic, but Hua Xin's youth! For a nobody like Hua Xin, living in a private residence, being a "real-life social butterfly" is her lifelong enemy. It was quiet all around. Hua Xin patiently watched the waves crashing back and forth, finding it utterly unexciting. After taking photos with Xia Yan, they had crossed the railing and sat together on a large rock. A few other young people were doing the same not far away, but for the off-season, it was rather deserted. "Where do you want to go later?" Xia Yan asked, a blade of grass he'd somehow acquired dangling from his mouth, looking relaxed at the endless sea. He and the girl had spent over an hour sitting there quietly, letting their minds wander. Without phones or computers, the time didn't seem so unbearable. "I don't know. Aren't you the route planner? I'm just following you; everything else is up to you," the girl said casually, picking up a small pebble and tossing it into the sea. Unfortunately, the pebble was too small, and the girl's energy was too weak. It didn't even make a ripple on the water's surface, quickly disappearing without a trace, as if it had never existed. Hua Xin suddenly seemed to understand what it meant to be a drop in the ocean. Wait, a millet? Is a chestnut related to millet? Hmm... she suddenly felt a craving for roasted chestnuts. She thought she smelled the aroma of roasted chestnuts when she passed a certain street last time, but unfortunately, she was short of money and didn't bother to go closer. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to resist buying some to try. But now, in this carefree travel phase, spending a little money wouldn't hurt... "So, you know what to eat later, right?" "..." The thoughts in her mind paused briefly, then keywords took over, and countless foods and delicious ideas flashed through the girl's mind. "Anything." "Besides, I'm not hungry right now." Although she knew there was nothing new about what she was saying, Hua Xin had to correct Xia Yan's habit of always using food to tempt her. Did he really think she was a foodie?! Xia Yan gently tossed the foxtail grass he was carrying onto the sea, then slowly stood up, bent down, and extended his hand to the girl, his eyes conveying the unmistakable meaning of "Princess, please rise." Counting the time, they had already sat there for quite some time. The two of them, who hadn't even had breakfast, had rushed off on their journey, wasting enough time here. Many more beautiful sights awaited them; the first day of their trip had only just begun. Thinking of this, Hua Xin no longer felt so melancholy about the time that had slipped away so quickly. Watching the sea with Xia Yan felt wonderful. She didn't have to think about anything, ponder anything, worry about anything. They just needed to enjoy this moment; what choices they would make after the trip, what disagreements might arise—those were things that would happen later. The girl also extended her hand and placed it in Xia Yan's. With a gentle pull, he easily lifted the slender girl to her feet. Hua Xin casually brushed the dust off her pants; the stones were still quite dusty. She then turned and, with agility, swung over the not-so-high railing, securing herself with both hands. "Hey, don't fall!" "I can't swim. If you fall in, we'll have to reenact Titanic." Hua Xin, already on edge, stretched out her small, white hand, her feigned concern and tone clearly a petty act of revenge against Xia Yan for luring her with food earlier. "Hmm... I think the probability of that happening is probably very small." "If I fall in, I think I can climb back up myself, and I can swim you up too." Xia Yan also easily stepped over the railing, but when he landed with such a large movement, a slight splashing sound could be clearly heard. He paused for a moment, then winked at the girl again and said softly, "I'm a pretty good swimmer. Do you want to come with me to the beach where you can swim later?" The girl knew Xia Yan's intentions perfectly well. She was about to say something sarcastic, but after hearing the voice coming from Xia Yan, a strange look appeared on her face: "Why do you carry that with you?" "Coins?" "You really don't mind the weight, do you... you're a caveman!" "..." Xia Yan paused for a moment, not expecting the girl to ask. He then scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and subconsciously turned around, putting one hand behind his back and saying awkwardly, "I remember you really like playing claw machines." "So... I thought I'd bring some coins when we go out." "That way, if we run into a claw machine again, it'll save us from having to exchange for coins..." The girl's expression froze, her eyes flashing with several emotions in an instant. Then, looking at Xia Yan's seemingly innocent high school student appearance, she burst out laughing. Her unrestrained laughter, like the tinkling of silver bells, made Xia Yan even more helpless. It shouldn't be a big deal, right? But these days, very few people carry coins. Hua Xin wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, whether from laughter or something else, and boldly walked to Xia Yan's side, putting her hand into his pocket. She would never have been so bold as to do this to Xia Yan before. Her fingertips touched a pile of cold coins, and Hua Xin tried her best to pick them out with her small hands. Not one, not two. Was he clever or stupid? This question seemed somewhat contradictory to Xia Yan's usual image of resourcefulness and thoroughness. For the girl herself, carrying a lot of things when going out felt like a hassle. Not to mention sometimes having to carry a backpack and other items; a trip is supposed to be relaxing, bringing unrelated things is just making things difficult. Since Hua Xin had always lived alone, she mostly thought from her own perspective. As for considering others' perspectives, she probably only occasionally predicted the enemy's movements while playing games. They didn't plan to go too far today, and they had an electric scooter to get around.