I deleted the first chapter again and wrote a new one. Since I did not like the first try, and maybe you like this style more.
-1- Finally holidays
The 26 year old Xiao Zhan is happy, because for the first time in four years he has a holiday. Right after graduation, he started working in a bookstore. In the beginning, the bookshop was nothing more than a small business with Zhan as a simple employee and his boss.
But after a year his boss had the opportunity to expand the bookshop. And in this case it meant moving to a new two-floor building. And from one employee, they became six employees. The problem was, it wasn't enough. Because if somebody wanted to take a vacation, there was always one employee missing in a shift.
But now, after much begging and pleading, Zhan and his colleagues have finally managed to persuade their boss to hire a part-time employee. And now, finally, Zhan and his colleagues can take turns, one at a time, taking vacation. And because Zhan is the employee who has been working there the longest, he was the first one to get holidays. A whole 10 days. So with the weekends he has 14 days off!
Although Zhan always had one or two days off in between, he never considered them as holidays, because he mostly used them to visit his parents in the country or to travel to Hong Kong to see his elder sister and his two nephews. However, this was not relaxation for him, but rather stress. No matter if it was the long trip to the country to visit his parents or the early flight to Hong Kong.
But Zhan didn't plan to visit his parents or his sister during his first real holiday, but simply did nothing. Well, not quite. Since his sister has given him a season ticket for the new water park as a gift, he wants to use it and spend his holidays in the water park from morning to the evening. He just wants to lie there in the shade, read a book or two and swim a few laps in between. But he had not planned more.
The day before his holiday, after his shift at the bookshop, Zhan went to the fashion store of his choice and bought a new pair of swimming shorts, a pair of short black pants and a matching black shirt. In the evening he put on his new clothes, took two of the snacks he had prepared for the next day and made a picture of it. He sent it to his sister with the words: "The holiday can begin."
His sister wrote him that the new clothes looked good on him. She also wrote him that he should not forget sunscreen and pack enough to drink. And, she also wrote him that he should not only stick his nose into a book, but also look up from time to time. Because he might see someone there and maybe fall in love.
Zhan laughed when he read that. Ever since he graduated from university, she kept asking him when he wanted to fall in love. He asked himself the same question. Because in his, now 26 years, he was only in love once. But nothing happened, because his love was for the sporty Yuan, who was popular with all school students at school and had a new girlfriend almost every month.
At some point Zhan had gathered all his courage and confessed his feelings to Yuan. But he only laughed and thought it was a joke. And because Zhan, 17 years old at that time, was embarrassed, he laughed too and confirmed that he was just joking. But inside Zhan's heart was broken. It was hard enough for him to admit to himself that he was gay, and then the one-sided love and rejection of the boy he liked.
Since then, Zhan had never been in love again and when he thought back to that time, he wondered if he was really in love at all or just confused.
That evening Zhan had packed his backpack for the next day. A blanket, sunscreen and his bathing slippers. There were also two bottles of green tea and the prepared snacks in the fridge. He only had to decide which book he wanted to take with him.
In the morning Zhan got up with a big smile. He had set an alarm clock especially to be able to get to the water park as early as possible. Because it was summer vacation at the moment and that meant that many, very many others would also go to the water park and then he might not find a good place.
Zhan quickly took a shower, put on his new swimming shorts, because he didn't want to change in a changing cabin at the water park after reading a report that it was teeming with germs and bacteria. Then he put on his new short pants and the matching shirt, dried his hair quickly and then immediately made his way to the water park.
It took about a half hour until Zhan could finally cross the entrance, because when he arrived there, many others were already waiting to be let in.
After Zhan had wasted about twenty minutes trying to find a good shady spot in the water park where he could lie down, he had to realize that he had arrived too late and that all seats were already taken.
Instead he looked for a nice place on the open green meadow, which was also close to the swimming pool. So he could always keep an eye on his things from the water.
The right place to lie down was found and Zhan put down his backpack. His back was already totally sweaty now, because although it was only 10 am, it was already very warm, since the sun was already shining very strongly.
Zhan took out his blanket from his backpack and spread it out neatly. Then he sat down, took out the sunscreen and took off his shirt to be able to put some cream on. And as soon as he had taken it off, he heard a loud shrill whistle. It came directly from the lifeguard tower. One of the lifeguards picked up a megaphone and called out through it: "My little snowflake, I'd rather you didn't sit in the direct sun with your fair skin."
Curious to know who the lifeguard was talking about, Zhan looked around hastily but couldn't find the person he was talking to. So he concentrated on himself again. He applied the cream, took a big sip of his green tea and took his book out of his backpack. A funny documentary about a journey.
He lay down on his blanket, opened the book and wanted to read the first chapter, when a loud whistle sounded again. Zhan flinched from shock, the first time and now again. He looked at the lifeguards' watchtower annoyed, shook his head and wanted to devote himself to his book again when he heard: "My little snowflake, please put something on so that you don't burn your skin." It was the same lifeguard as before, and slowly Zhan was annoyed.
It was enough for him that it was so loud around him. Children were running around screaming. Groups of friends were playing soccer or volleyball, here and there were conversations or laughter.
To turn off the sounds around him, Zhan took his old MP3 player out of his backpack, turned it on and the noise around him was replaced by soft classic sounds. Satisfied, Zhan picked up his book again and began to read the first chapter of the book.
Only until the sun above him was obscured by something, or rather, someone, casting a large shadow on him and his book. Zhan turned his eyes upwards and looked at the young lifeguard in confusion. He was standing in front of Zhan with a very unpleasant look and looked down on him.
Zhan sat down, took out his earphones and the lifeguard crouched down in front of him. "Listen, Snowflake, I don't mean it bad, but I really want you to put something on."
"What? Why?" Zhan asked confusedly. He may not have a trained body, but he's not unattractive.
"Because I don't want the sun to burn your skin." The young lifeguard explained.
"I've just put on sunscreen earlier. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't wear my shirt now. Because it' s black and it would be soaked with sunscreen. And it's too warm."
"Mn. I see. But you forgot to put some cream on your back. It's already completely red, and you've only been here a few minutes. If you don't want to get your shirt dirty, use mine." The young lifeguard pointed to his bright orange lifeguard shirt.
"Uh, no, thanks. Besides, I don't think you're allowed to pass it on to anyone else. And if you are, look how many beautiful young women are almost undressing you with their eyes. I'm sure one of them would be more than thrilled if you gave her your shirt."
"I'm not interested in beautiful young women." The lifeguard replied. He stood up, took off his shirt and put it over Zhan's head. "Lift up your arms, my snowflake." He said, and Zhan did, even though he didn't understand why his body just reacted instead of listening to him.
"Why are you lying here in the sun?" Asked the lifeguard.
Zhan once pointed around him and said, "There was no place left anywhere else."
"I see. But the direct sun is too dangerous for someone like you."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean because of your fair skin."
Zhan did not know what to say on it and kept silent instead. The lifeguard stood up again and left without saying anything. Zhan thought the lifeguard probably had nothing else to say either, and so he went back to his book.
But then a huge shadow appeared again. Zhan turned around and suddenly there was a big parasol above him. The lifeguard pointed it out and said, "The sun moves from hour to hour, so at least you'll be protected the whole time."
"Um, thanks. But you didn't have to do that. And I don't think it's a part of the lifeguards' job either."
"Maybe not. However, we are responsible for the well-being of our bathers. And I feel very responsible to you."
"Ah? Why should you?"
"Because I don't want your beautiful fair skin to get a sunburn."
"Okay."
"What's you name anyway?" Asked the lifeguard.
"Xiao Zhan."
"Well, I am Wang - your future husband - Yibo. You can call me Yibo."
"My future what?"
"You heard me, my snowflake."
"Could you stop calling me Snowflake?"
"Okay, I'll just call you Bunny." Zhan put his hand over his mouth to cover his Bunny teeth. The lifeguard laughed and told him not to hide them because they were cute.
"Come on, put your hand down and show me your cute Bunny Teeth again. Please."
"No way! Are you sure you're a lifeguard here and you didn't sneak out of a psychiatric clinic and pretend to be a lifeguard?"
"I assure you, I am a lifeguard. And if you want, I'll prove it to you. Go into the water and let me save you. But just to be on the safe side, I should also show you my mouth to mouth resuscitation."
"You must be some kind of crazy pervert."
"Ha ha, no I'm not."
" Then the sun isn't good for you. Or maybe you hit your head on something."
"Neither of those things apply. Don't you think people can fall in love with someone at first sight?"
"No, I do not." Zhan replied.
The lifeguard looked at his watch and said, "All right, my cute bunny, I'm sorry my break is over and I have to go back. But I will be watching you. And if anything comes up, come to me or call me." He ran his hand through Zhan's hair and left.
Zhan looked after him, shaking his head, but with a little smile. Then he lay back on his blanket, put the earphones of his MP3 player back in his ears, took his book and could finally read in peace. At least for now.