Travel · Qiongzhou Arc (7): Let's Go for a Ride Sometime!

Midnight.

Generally speaking, the girls who have been playing all day should be going to sleep by now, because only with sufficient rest can they have more energy to enjoy the fun tomorrow.

However, for some girls, this period of time is a hard-won opportunity to be alone, as seen in examples like Aemeath to eat.

Unfortunately, they are not the main characters today.

In the still of the night, a blonde, sexy woman was tiptoeing along the villa's corridor.

After walking for a while, she suddenly stopped in front of a bedroom, looked around, listened to the corner of the wall, and after confirming that no one was around, she gently knocked on the door a few times.

Thump, thump, thump-thump-thump.

The ceasefire signal, a secret code used in shooting games, was tapped repeatedly on the door by Lynae; it was a private signal she and Xiao Ling had agreed upon.

After a moment, Lynae heard rustling footsteps behind the door. The footsteps grew closer and finally stopped just a door away from her.

Then, the door was gently opened from the inside, and she met Xiao Ling's gaze, who looked helpless.

"It's midnight now," Xiao Ling announced the time. "You really know how to pick your time, sneaking me out in the middle of the night. You must have done this quite a few times back at the Star Torch Academy, right?"

"At the academy, I'd be asleep by this time. My schedule is packed, I don't even have enough time to sleep. Why would I go out and play at this hour?" Lynae retorted righteously. "But in some special circumstances, I might bypass the security cameras and go outside..."

Xiao Ling naturally understood what the special circumstances she was referring to, but she simply changed the subject casually.

"So, what's our plan for tonight?"

"Plans aren't important, we'll just go with the flow."

"Okay, whatever you say, what hot girl?"

Call me Lynae!!!

As for why Lynae suddenly dragged Hajiling along for a drive, we have to go back to the time when they had just met in the real world.

"Hey, Xiao Ling, wanna go for a drive sometime?" Lynae invited enthusiastically.

"Going for a drive?" Xiao Ling teased with a smile, "You're not going to speed and then suddenly brake and fishtail, injuring my kidneys, are you? Let me tell you, if you did that to my slender frame, I'd probably have to restart the car right there."

"Oh dear, that was an accident last time!" Lynae looked embarrassed for a moment, then quickly waved her hand and said, "I promise, there won't be any mistakes this time."

"You promise?"

"I promise!" Lynae immediately gave Hajiling a proper salute.

"There's no need to be so formal..." Xiao Ling smiled helplessly, "Alright, then I'll wait for your invitation to go for a drive?"

Back to the present.

"I've imagined many different scenarios for a drive, but this is the first time I've ever seen someone drag someone out for a stroll in the middle of the night instead of sleeping," Xiao Ling said with a smile. "So, what are you thinking?"

"I already told you to call me Lynae!" Lynae explained angrily, "Besides, think about it, if I took you out alone right under Aemeath's noses, they would definitely come and ask me everything."

"Wow, it's that serious?" Xiao Ling exclaimed in surprise. "But it's alright, after all, we're brothers who've been through thick and thin together, it can withstand scrutiny."

Who wants to be your brother...?

Lynae secretly thought to herself that Hajiling was a pure-blooded straight man, but her face was still full of smiles.

"Let's not delay any longer, shall we set off now?"

"You're in charge of the steering wheel today, I'll go with you."

"Then I'll gladly accept your offer?" Lynae tossed the helmet to Xiao Ling, then put on her own helmet and straddled the driver's seat. "Let's go, let's set off now!"

The beach was deserted at midnight. After all, no one would be foolish enough to come out and play at this time. It would be dangerous, and there wouldn't be any good scenery to see. Nor would anyone be as reckless as a fool, riding a horse at breakneck speed, chasing the wind and singing songs.

But for a free-spirited person like Lynae, this kind of atmosphere is exactly her comfort zone; not being defined is her style.

After arriving at the night market near Yalong Bay, with the sea breeze blowing all the way, Lynae immediately took Xiao Ling for a ride on her electric scooter.

Compared to the quiet seaside, this place feels more lively. Many night owls take advantage of this time to come out in search of food. The sizzling skewers, the fragrant seafood, and the pedestrians weaving between the stalls all contribute to the bustling atmosphere of the night market.

"Want to get something good to eat?" Lynae gestured towards the steaming stalls around them.

Are you hungry?

I'm hungry.

"Okay, it's on me." Xiao Ling walked to the front without further ado.

Lynae was overjoyed to have gotten a free meal and followed behind with light steps.

The two strolled along the night market stalls, and Lynae, with her sweet tooth, bought some snacks along the way to tide her over.

"Here, have some too!" She scooped a spoonful of coconut milk into Xiao Ling's mouth.

Xiao Ling didn't stand on ceremony with her and swallowed it in one gulp.

Is it delicious?

"How could food fed by a beautiful girl be unpalatable?"

"Xiao Ling, you're really good at making girls happy," Lynae complimented, then casually scooped up another spoonful of coconut milk and put it in her mouth.

Wait, something seems off? Didn't Xiao Ling just use this spoon?

Before Lynae could even feel shy after realizing this, Xiao Ling led her to a barbecue stall.

"Shall we eat this?"

"Huh? How did you know I wanted to eat this too?" Lynae asked with a smile.

"We're practically inseparable, aren't we?" Xiao Ling said with a smile.

The two chatted and laughed as they walked to the barbecue stall and began carefully selecting various skewers, preparing for a hearty meal.

"You want to drink?" Xiao Ling frowned slightly as she looked at the chilled cocktail Lynae brought over.

It's not that drinking is some heinous crime, but the saying that drinking can lead to trouble is no exaggeration; see Roccia for details.

"Hmm... just a little bit shouldn't be a problem, right?" Lynae said with a bright smile.

(The last person who thought that way has already failed.)

Xiao Ling wanted to continue trying to persuade him, but seeing that the other party had already excitedly opened a bottle of cocktail and started drinking it heartily, she could only give up.

Finally, he opened a cocktail for himself, and the two of them drank fruit wine and ate barbecue, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

As the saying goes, people become much more open and generous after drinking alcohol. Even the most shy and reserved girl will show her true self after drinking.

Surprisingly, Lynae didn't change much after drinking, except that she interacted with him more intimately, such as feeding each other and chatting about trivial, blushing topics.

The two had drunk a few rounds of drinks—well, not really, since Lynae was doing most of the drinking.

She stared intently into Xiao Ling's eyes, burped twice from the alcohol, and after a long while, mumbled something incoherently:

"Brother, brother, you smell so good..."

"Hmm?" Xiao Ling looked up at Lynae, whose cheeks were already flushed. "What did you just say?"

Lynae stared at him with a smile for a long time, leaving Xiao Ling somewhat confused and a little flustered.

Then...

Splat

"Hmm?" Xiao Ling looked at Lynae, who had fallen asleep on the table, and tentatively poked her twice. "Lynae? Lynae?"

After confirming that Lynae had completely fallen asleep, Xiao Ling sighed helplessly, "Sigh, even with cocktails, you can't overindulge..."

After paying the bill to the owner, he easily hoisted Lynae's arm onto his shoulder, then moved with her away from the barbecue stall, returning the way they came.