Lu Lin didn't speak again, raising the harmonica to his lips, his gaze still fixed on Yan Heqing. After a moment, a gentle and melodious tune filled the quiet deck.
Yan Heqing He listened quietly.
He quickly realized it.
I used to hear this song played a lot over the school radio when I was in high school, but I don't know the title.
I only remember one line from the lyrics.
[You are clear and mysterious, like the By Lake Baikal.]
A breeze seemed to blow, causing the hanging lamp to sway slightly, casting light and shadow on Yan Heqing's profile. Suddenly, he took a breath, staring ahead, holding his breath.
Cool water splashed onto my cheeks.
The harmonica continued, Yan Heqing's hands trembled slightly. He raised his hand and suddenly grabbed Lu Lin's hand, holding it tightly.
The music abruptly stopped.
The next moment, Yan Heqing spoke, " Lu Lin, it's a whale."
Lu Lin followed Yan Heqing's gaze and looked to the side. In front of the deck, a whale was resting in the water, making a pure, baby-like call and gently spouting water.
Under the light, it was pure white.
A beluga whale.
Chapter 69
This was the first time Yan Heqing had ever seen a real whale.
It was far more impactful than any documentary.
A spirit from the seabed.
It was so friendly, swimming freely in the water without making a ripple.
Yan Heqing slowed his movements and silently pulled Lu Lin to the guardrail, leaning his upper body out slightly and focusing intently on the beluga whale.
Lu Lin was looking at him.
He stared at the hand that wasn't particularly smooth, but was slightly cool and dry.
The beluga whale passed under the ship, and the ship suddenly rocked. Yan Heqing leaned forward and was about to step back when a hand grabbed his waist.
Still so thin.
Even through her cotton-padded coat, one could feel the contours of Yan Heqing's waist—slender and delicate.
The beluga whale suddenly turned around and swam back, causing the boat to rock and sway with the ripples once more. Yan Heqing was pulled back in its circle and crashed heavily into Lu Lin's arms.
At the same time, Yan Heqing heard a crisp sound, and a flash of light appeared before his eyes, thrown over the railing.
He reacted quickly and grabbed it.
Lu Lin also noticed the item in his breast pocket fly out. He dropped his harmonica to grab it, but was a step too slow and grabbed Yan Heqing's hand instead.
His hands were a size larger than Yan Heqing's, just right, perfectly enveloping Yan Heqing's hands.
The two were now embracing from behind, with Yan Heqing's waist encircled by Lu Lin, pressed against his chest, his hair occasionally brushing against Lu Lin's lips, while Lu Lin's other hand gripped his hand tightly.
Yan Heqing had a faint scent of soapberry powder on him; it was clean and refreshing.
She tightened her grip on his waist a little, then released his hand.
Yan Heqing was still watching the beluga whale.
The suddenly appearing sprites, just as they had come, silently roamed, gradually disappearing into the sea amidst the light and shadow.
The beluga whale is gone.
Yan Heqing withdrew his gaze, then looked down, opened his hand, and there was a coin against his palm.
One-yuan coin.
His long eyelashes trembled slightly as he turned and handed over the coin.
Under the lamplight, Yan Heqing's gaze was clear, seemingly unaware of the intimacy of their posture. He didn't push Lu Lin's hand away, but simply smiled calmly, "Your coin."
Lu Lin's eyes darkened slightly. He took the coin, then released Yan Heqing, stepped back a few paces, and said after a few moments of hesitation, "Next time, be careful not to stick your head out too far over the railing."
Yan Heqing nodded, then squatted down again, picked up the harmonica, wiped it with his fingertips, stood up again, and handed it back to Lu Lin, saying, "You played very well."
Lu Lin took it, his fingertips brushing against Yan Heqing's slightly cool fingers. He casually put it back in his pocket, walked back to his chair, where a long cotton coat was draped over the back.
The style is a bit outdated, but it's incredibly resistant to the cold; Lu Lin always takes it with him when he goes out to sea.
He tossed the fish to Yan Heqing lightly, "Take your time fishing, I'm going to sleep now."
Yan Heqing caught the clothes. "Okay."
Lu Lin went upstairs and left. Yan Heqing stood quietly for a while before putting on his coat. It was almost two sizes larger than him, and it wrapped him up in a very reassuring way, just like Lu Lin had hugged him earlier.
Lowering his head, Yan Heqing coughed softly and buttoned up his coat one button at a time.
Lu Lin returned to his room, didn't turn on the light, and went to the window.
Outside was an endless expanse of darkness, and no sound could be heard, but the sea flowed on and on without end.
He raised his hand.
His fingertips still remembered the touch of the boy's waist; his body temperature was clearly icy cold, yet it was so hot that he almost lost control.
A few minutes later, Lu Lin changed into a diving suit.
We went diving at night from the other end of the boat.
*
The next day, we spent another morning at sea, had lunch, and then returned to port.
The boat was driven by Lu Lin.
Upon learning that they had seen a beluga whale the previous night, Chu Ziyu grumbled all morning, "I'm so unlucky! I should have known better than to sleep! I've been out to sea a hundred times and dived hundreds of times, and I've never even seen a whale's tail! Xiao Heqing saw one on her first visit, what kind of fate do I have!"
Xie Yunjie quipped, "If you want to see the whale's tail, then you'll see the whale, won't you?"
Chu Ziyu rolled her eyes at him, "The important part is later!" She then looked at Yan Heqing, her face instantly changing to a smile, " Xiao Heqing, you're lucky! Next time you go out to sea with me, I'll ride your coattails!"
Xie Yunjie then complained, "I think you'd be better off rubbing your head against someone's."
Chu Ziyu grinned, "How could I possibly use Xiao Heqing's brain? He's Beijing University. Even if I went back to school for ten thousand years, I still wouldn't be up to that level."
They learned this morning during a casual chat that Yan Heqing was studying at Beijing University. For wealthy young men like them, a prestigious university wasn't much, but they still admired a truly talented student.
"Sigh." Chu Ziyu remembered something else, "Last time A-Lin went to the driving range, was it to take you driving practice?"
At that time, he didn't know that Lu Lin was pursuing Yan Heqing, so he wondered why Lu Lin, with his driving skills, would go to practice driving.
Yan Heqing nodded.
Chu Ziyu calculated the time, "Then you'll be taking your driving test (Part 2) soon, right?"
"I've finished the exams." Yan Heqing took the fourth part of the driving test on the same day he finished the second and third parts. "I'll get my license next week."