"Wu Xi Ze!!" He bellowed. "Explain why the whole gang is here."
Xi Ze smiled sheepishly and said "I might have accidentally told Sun Qian BUT...I told her it's your idea for this getaway and if she is keen, she needs to check with you. She must have contacted Justin on her own and—Ouch!!"
Jia Qi who was awake by now, smacked her boyfriend hard on his chest. "Idiot! Sun Qian does what she pleases. Didi, I'm so sorry. Since there is nothing we can do about it now, why not just take it as a group outing? It might be fun!"
Didi still had a scowl on his face when Yue touched him lightly on his shoulder. "Hey, Jia Qi is right. We can still chill out on our own. Remember we are supposed to stay awake the whole night?"
He turned towards her as she smiled warmly at him, evaporating any kind of anger in him. He sighed a loud breath. "Wu Xi Ze, you pay for lunch today. You owe me."
Xi Ze held his hands up "Okay, anything! Come on, they are waiting for us."
When they got down the car, they pretended to be surprised to see everyone. "Wow, is China so small? What a coincidence!" Didi said sarcastically. He really could not help himself.
Sun Qian and Chao Yue laughed. "Come on Didi, we can have our own fun on the other side of the beach if you don't welcome us." teased Sun Qian.
Didi glared at her. "That sounds good."
Kang put his arm around his shoulder. "Hey buddy, sorry we barge in like this but Tantou Island trip is too good to be passed. Sun Qian and I had always wanted to come. Kuan too."
Chao Yue raised her hand. "Me too! I even bought a new tent for this trip!"
Seeing everyone's excitement, Didi decided to let things go. After all, Yue was right. They could find their time together tonight.
"Okay guys. Just be sure you don't tag along in my honeymoon next time. Don't blame me if I become Hulk!" he warned.
They laughed. Sun Qian turned to Yue. "Yue, where are you guys planning for honeymoon?"
"Sun Qian!" Kang exclaimed and dragged her by her shoulder. "It's time for you to talk less and eat more." Kuan and Xi Ze nodded in agreement.
Justin went over to Didi, looking apologetic. "Sorry Didi, I thought you knew the rest are coming so I made the arrangements. Had I known..."
"It's okay buddy. Thanks for doing this. How long more do we need before we can get to the island?"
"35 minutes from the harbour by fishing boat. I'm planning to get some seafood for BBQ tonight too. They sell fresh seafood wholesale here."
Didi's eyes widened in excitement. "Do they have squid?" Justin nodded.
"Definitely. Hey, Yue loves squid too. Am I right, Yue?" Calling Yue who was talking to Jia Qi, next to him. "Didi loves squid just like you do!"
What a coincidence.
He glanced over to where she was as she called back "I can get some ingredients to make the secret sauce for the squid after lunch!" She then met his eyes and winked at him.
Maybe this was not as bad as he anticipated after all. What else could go wrong?
Wholesale seafood market
Their Lunch
Overlooking Shipu Village
He pulled his head up, and leaned his back on the side of the boat, defeated. The roiling sensation engulfed him like the waves surging and crashing on the rocks, ten minutes after he stepped onto the boat. This was the third time he emptied out contents from his stomach.
"Didi, stop feeding the fish." Yue said, handing him a paper bag she got from Justin.
He groaned and sat down. "How can you joke at this time?"
She chuckled. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to look so serious. It's normal to be seasick. I should have gotten you something from the pharmacy earlier."
He waved his hand. "I never knew I was seasick. I had been on a speedboat and it was fine."
"I don't blame you. The sea is pretty choppy today." She said, looking out of the waters.
The sun was right on top of them but instead of hot and dry, it was breezy with spring air. She pulled her cardigan close.
"Sorry, I should be taking care of you. I must look like a mess." He said softly, watching her. He felt a little better, as he kept swallowing his saliva to counter the vomit effect.
"You are such a pretend, sometimes Wang He Di. Must you always be on top of things and not to mention looking fashionable and shuai? I'm longing to see the real you. So this," she said, with a mischievous smile on her face, her eyes running all over him, "is good. Now I know—"
"Know what?"
"Wang He Di still looks shuai even after a vomit episode. Happy?"
The side of her eyes crinkled up as she burst into laughter and seconds later, he joined her. How can he not? She had the most infectious laugh he had ever heard.
"But his breath smells bad." He added.
"Don't mind. I got mint for you." She responded, staring at him, thinking about the alcohol and mint smell on his breath the first night they kissed. And after that when she kissed him in his sleep. The third time they kissed, he tasted like a mixture of apple cider mocktail and takoyaki.
I wonder what he would taste like if I'd kiss him now. She licked her lips unknowingly.
"Yue." He started, his voice was low. "What are you thinking of?"
She jerked her head away, "Nothing. Just random thoughts." But her face was flushed.
Didi smiled. Was she thinking about their first kiss?
They felt the boat suddenly slowing down as the boatman maneuvered it cautiously through the shallow waters. They looked up and saw the shoreline of Tantou Island, guarded by lush green mountains and clear, sandy beaches.
Yue leaned forward, over the boat and squealed. "We are here!!!"
She grabbed Didi's wrist, pulling him up from his seat, her eyes were bright and shinning. Didi had never seen such excitement since their concert date.
"I don't know why but I feel mommy and daddy here. I was six the last time I was at the seaside with them."
To his surprise, she leaned and gave his waist a squeeze with both her arms. Then, she shouted "Here I come!"
Can anyone else be as precious as her?
The boys carried the heavy stuff while the girls went ahead excitedly to the beach front and started frolicking along the shore, kicking the sand and water.
"Come on in, Kang!" Sun Qian shouted. Her boyfriend shook his head.
"Girls! Why are they not helping us?" He complained.
Kuan laughed. "You should be glad that they are not interrupting our work here."
Xi Ze nodded. "Agree. Let's start with setting up the tents first. Then, we can play some beach volleyball before setting up our BBQ."
The rest agreed and they all started to move their hands. Didi chose a red tent and set it up at the end of the beach. By that time, the girls were ready to keep their belongings in the tent.
Tantou Island
Yue glanced at the tents in front of her. She turned to Didi. "Which one is mine?"
He pointed to the blue one next to his. "That. You are sharing with Jia Qi."
Jia Qi and Xi Ze, who were just outside the blue tent overheard. "Erm..sorry guys, we are sharing a tent. I promised Jia Qi that we need some time together during this trip." Jia kept looking shyly at Xi Ze.
Didi groaned. "Come on guys, it's just for a night."
Jia Qi pouted. "It's hard to get Xi Ze to take leave. Sorry Yue! Why don't you ask Chao Yue to share with you?"
"Okay! I get that." Yue nodded, as she turned towards Chao Yue's bright pink tent. Didi went with her.
"Chao Yue! Can you share a tent with Yue? I can take yours". Didi offered, his eyes inspecting her single-person tent.
Chao Yue looked flabbergasted. "You! In my new tent? No way! I'm not having your smell all over it."
Didi snickered. "Don't be silly. Just for your info, I smell good."
On this, Yue could not deny. She almost wanted to nod in agreement but stopped herself. She continued to observe the two.
Chao Yue laughed. "No, Didi, you used to have a strange smell on you. Did I ever tell you that?"
"What strange smell?"
"Like an old wood smell. Maybe it's the mansion you stay in. I never told you."
"Gosh, Chao Yue, since when are you so petty? And what about you? You and your extremely gagging perfume. I could barely breathe when you sat next to me in class for the whole year!"
"Hey, Wang He Di, you have crossed the line!! Well, at least I smell good. You smell old." She stuck her tongue out at him.
"I wondered why I agreed to date you!"
"You were too chicken to say no. And I was naive to think I was in love with you."
"You were too aggressive!"
"Are you guys flirting???" Yue asked loudly, with a poker-face look.
Both of them startled and looked at Yue in surprise. They had forgotten they had a spectator. Didi's ears were all red.
Chao Yue laughed. "Yue, sorry, we fight like kids. But I really can't share a tent with you nor allow Didi to sleep in mine."
She paused and a slow smile spread across her face. "Why don't both of you share the same tent? It's just for sleeping only."
Didi shook his head "I don't think Yue feels comfortable with that arrangement. I will rent a new tent and that will solve the problem."
"I can share the tent with you, Wang He Di." Yue suddenly said, forcing a smile. "Chao Yue is right. Plus, we are staying awake to watch the sunrise, right? Why waste money to rent another one?"
She gave one last glance at Chao Yue before turning towards their red tent.
Is Yue angry?
Didi could not read her expression. He turned and glared at Chao Yue. "You are just impossible."
Chao Yue came forward and patted his arm. "Wang He Di, I have set the perfect plan for you. Don't screw it. You got one night."
"Yue is not that type of girl. And me neither."
"Oh! But when two hot-fleshed bodies lie down next to each other, after a drinking session, under the picturesque moonlight, the sighing of the spring breeze and gentle rolling sounds of waves, fireworks happen. Pow!!! You won't be able to stop yourself from grabbing each other!" She cackled with laughter, clapping her hands, "You should look at your face, Didi. It's all red! Some things never change."
"You are so sick in your mind, Chao Yue."
He felt himself warm. Not by embarrassment he felt but by the truth of the words she said.
With Yue, he always and almost wanted to act impulsively. It was hard to be in control of his body responses when she was near him.
He looked at his old friend and said "When it comes to Shen Yue, I respect her. I hope you will too."
"Hey, I was just teasing you, Didi! Why so serious?" she shouted as he turned away.
Didi did not hear. His eyes were locked on a figure in front of the red tent.
She was wearing a black swimsuit, with a pair of red shorts, her hair free and easy, her eyes sparkling with joy as she gazed at the water.
Even from a distance he saw her signature smile, shining like a pearl in the ocean.
What a beautiful angel.
His core tightened and his mouth was dry as a burnt toast. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, trying to produce saliva to wet his throat. Somewhere down there, he felt something else hardened.
He turned his body around, and breathed heavily.
"What's wrong with you, Didi?" Xi Ze asked, who happened to come out of his tent.
His eyes scanned downwards, "Didi, what the heck! It's the middle of the day and you are already in trouble!"
"Shut up, Xi Ze!!!" he hissed.
Trying to change the atmosphere, he turned to the other boys and shouted, "Time for beach volleyball!!"
It was going to be a long, long night for Wang He Di.
Author's notes:
Camping time! I love anything by the beach. So, many things can happen tonight. What do you think will happen when Yue and Dylan share a tent? Or rather what would you like to see happening? 😂
Sorry guys, I didn't much editing with this one. A little stucked / anxious as the next few chapters will conclude the first half of this fiction and I am too eager to jump over them to the other side. Gambate!!
💜💛 Hsien
4.4.2020