The young man's voice was deep and slow, with a hint of resigned inevitability at the end. It was as if he didn't really want to say those words but was somehow compelled to.
Lin Tiao didn't expect him to bring this up suddenly. She remained bewildered for a long time, unsure of what to make of it.
He doesn't like boys. So, what does he like? Girls? What kind of girls does he like? Does he already have someone he likes?
A series of questions exploded in Lin Tiao's mind, disrupting all her thoughts and feelings like firecrackers. She didn't even know what to say.
If she said something like, "Congratulations, your sexual orientation is like most people's,"
Lin Tiao was sure that if she said that, the next moment, this person would probably use the towel to silence her.
Jiang Yan didn't wait for her response or expect her to say anything. After saying that, he fell silent, simply moving her ankle to the side, turning the water back on to clean off the dirt, and then carrying her out.
The atmosphere became strangely awkward.
Lin Tiao, wrapped in a towel, sat on the sofa, watching Jiang Yan rummage through the drawer for the first aid kit. He casually sat on the floor and began tending to her injury.
The injury was just below her big toe, likely from stepping on a sharp edge of a shell, causing a small cut. There was still some sand around the wound, which Jiang Yan cleaned carefully with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol.
Lin Tiao wasn't sure if it was because of the pain or if her nerves had gone numb, but she didn't react much to the direct contact with the wound.
She watched him work, her head bowed and holding her other knee.
After a while, Jiang Yan finished, threw the used cotton ball away, and put the bandages and tape back on the table.
"What's wrong? Is my injury this severe?" Lin Tiao couldn't believe that she had stepped on something so serious that she might need to go to the hospital for treatment.
Jiang Yan, having finished cleaning up, squatted back down, looked up at her with a slightly curved gaze, and said seriously, "It's quite severe."
Lin Tiao was taken aback, unsure how to respond. Jiang Yan then raised her foot and placed it on his knee, tearing open a bandage and applying it to her toe. His fingertips touched her cold foot, and he said with a smile, "So severe that if we delayed treatment, the wound would heal on its own."
Lin Tiao's face flushed. She pulled the towel up, hiding her entire head inside.
She had thought that the injury, which had bled so much and seemed quite alarming, was just a minor scrape.
She had made such a big deal out of it.
It was truly embarrassing.
Jiang Yan looked at the person almost wrapped like a dumpling, and with a more apparent smile, said, "You should go take a shower. We're going out for dinner later."
"Mm."
Lin Tiao slowly pulled the towel from her head, revealing her delicate features. Her normally pale, smooth face was now slightly flushed, with her ears and neck also turning pink, giving her an overall appearance of a light pink hue. She looked incredibly cute.
Jiang Yan averted his gaze, his eyes curling with a smile, and said no more. He went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
The bathroom door was frosted glass, so while the details were unclear, one could still see the outline.
The young man's tall figure was projected onto it, with every movement amplified: lifting his arms, taking off his clothes, bending over.
Lin Tiao quickly averted her gaze.
What was she looking at?
After scolding herself, she also blamed the innocent party involved.
Why did he start undressing the moment he was at the door?
Was he that impatient?
After scolding herself, she thought back to the wet, youthful figure she had seen on the beach.
The vaguely defined, firm waist and chest.
Damn.
Lin Tiao dared not think any further. She threw the towel aside, jumped off the sofa, and limped out of the room quickly.
She felt like a complete fool.
Every action seemed to highlight the explicit nature of her thoughts.
Her mind was full of inappropriate thoughts.
She was doomed.
Eventually, in the bathroom,
Jiang Yan heard the hurried footsteps of the young girl. He leaned back, his back against the glass, his clothes still tidy.
He looked down, his gaze falling to the floor, and suddenly broke into a smile.
In the empty, quiet bathroom, with bright, ample light, the sound of the young man's laughter filled the space.
After a few seconds, Jiang Yan removed his clothes and threw them aside. He turned on the shower, letting the water flow down, soaking his black hair.
He reached back to adjust it.
As the warm water poured down, relaxing his body, Jiang Yan thought about what had happened that day, his memories flowing from the morning to a certain point.
He stopped abruptly.
Suddenly, an image he had been deliberately ignoring appeared in his mind.
A few seconds later,
"Damn it."
The boy's voice was somewhat hoarse and tinged with helplessness as he reached out with his clearly defined hand and turned the shower switch to the right.
The warm water suddenly turned icy cold.
The cold water poured over his head, extinguishing the rising restlessness within him.
—
Lin Tiao and Meng Xin were staying in the same room.
When Lin Tiao returned, Meng Xin had just come out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, her slender, white legs exposed. Her features, compared to Lin Tiao's delicate ones, had a touch of cuteness.
"How come you're still dealing with that wound?" Meng Xin glanced at Lin Tiao's foot and was even more surprised. "You just put on a bandage?"
Mentioning this made Lin Tiao feel awkward. "I thought with the amount of bleeding, I'd need to wrap my whole foot in gauze."
Lin Tiao didn't say much more and quickly jumped into the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out, the bandage on her foot was already wet.
After drying her hair, she found a clean bandage from the drawer and put it on.
"What are we doing for dinner?" Lin Tiao pulled out clothes from her suitcase and picked out a similar style of tank top.
When she was about to change, she suddenly thought of something and put the tank top back, opting for a white t-shirt instead.
"Guan Che and the others said there's a music bar and restaurant nearby. We'll probably eat there," Meng Xin said, already dressed.
Meng Xin was wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt and denim shorts with fringes, her slender arms and long legs exposed. When she moved, a glimpse of her waistline showed, looking stunning.
She looked at Lin Tiao's outfit and giggled, "We're going to a bar with lots of handsome guys. Are you sure you want to wear this?"
Lin Tiao glanced at her t-shirt and shorts, tied her hair up, and replied casually, "Good-looking people will notice you even if you're wearing a rag."
The two were still talking in the room when Hu Hanghang knocked on the door. "Sisters, time to head out. Are you ready?"
"Ready," Lin Tiao replied. "We'll be right down."
"Great, we're waiting for you downstairs." After a moment, Lin Tiao heard him talking with Jiang Yan next door.
She and Meng Xin quickly went downstairs.
In the living room downstairs, the four boys had just finished showering, looking refreshed. They were dressed in matching short-sleeve t-shirts, black shorts, and white sneakers.
It was as if they were produced on an assembly line, with only their faces and the color of their t-shirts differing.
Jiang Yan was the last to come down.
"Brother Yan is here. Let's go," Xu Yichuan, sitting on the sofa, was the first to see him, jumping up from the sofa. "Hurry up, I'm starving."
As he spoke, Jiang Yan walked into the living room, dressed in the same white shirt and black pants as before, with his hair still half-dry and hanging over his forehead.
Lin Tiao noticed that only she and Jiang Yan were wearing white; the others were in black, gray, or a particularly flashy yellow.
It seemed that no one else noticed this detail.
The seven of them went out in a line.
Lin Tiao and Meng Xin walked ahead, with the boys trailing behind. Jiang Yan glanced at Lin Tiao's white t-shirt and, without showing it, curled up the corners of his lips.
He wasn't completely clueless.
—
Guan Che had chosen a music bar not far from the villa area. This scenic spot had plenty of places to eat, drink, and have fun.
It was the evening rush hour, so the bar was crowded inside and out. Luckily, Guan Che had reserved a table online, so they didn't have to wait and could sit down immediately.
The bar was only one floor but had a large area. Inside, there were quieter seating areas, while the main stage was set up in the outdoor plaza.
Someone was singing on stage.
Soft ballads flowed from the high-quality speakers nearby.
Guan Che had reserved a table right in the center of the outdoor plaza, not far from the stage, with a broad view and suitable music volume. It was an excellent spot.
As soon as the seven of them settled down, a young man in a beach-themed outfit came over to serve them, smiling warmly. "What would you like to order?"
The young man had a handsome face and, like Guan Che had peach blossom eyes with a wide eye tail. His smile was charming, and he had several shiny earrings on his left ear.
Lin Tiao glanced at his earrings and was noticed by him. He even winked at her playfully.
Lin Tiao quickly looked away and feeling slightly guilty for no apparent reason, took a sip from her water cup.
After drinking, she realized she had nothing to feel guilty about; she hadn't done anything wrong.
Thinking this, Lin Tiao relaxed and glanced at the young man with the earrings again. Curiously, she asked, "Doesn't it hurt to have so many earrings? Aren't they uncomfortable?"
"Oh, these?" The young man touched his ear and removed the topmost earring, bending down towards her. "These aren't earrings, they're ear clips."
Then, unexpectedly, the young man lifted his hand and deftly put the ear clip on Lin Tiao's ear. "This is a lucky star I just put on today. It's a gift for you."
The sudden, unfamiliar touch made Lin Tiao's body stiffen, but she quickly recovered, touched her ear, and smiled politely. "Thank you."
"Not at all."
At the same time, Jiang Yan, sitting across from her, was visibly displeased.
Damn it.
This idiot.
Doesn't he have any common sense?
Can't he see this guy is hitting on you?
And the worst part is, you're actually smiling.
Jiang Yan thought he'd be a saint if he could finish this meal.
Fortunately, Guan Che and the others had swiftly ordered. The young man took the menu and left, interrupting Jiang Yan's urge to flip the table.
Not a minute had passed when the young man returned with the menu. "By the way, what drinks would you like?"
He specifically addressed Lin Tiao. "Miss, would you like to try our hotel's new cocktail? It's a series product with your ear clip."
Lin Tiao heard only the word "cocktail" and instinctively refused, "I don't drink."
At the same time, two other voices echoed.
"She doesn't drink."
"She doesn't drink."
It was Jiang Yan and Guan Che.
Guanshe was particularly aware of Lin Tiao's drinking habits.
The last time he gave her a bit of beer, Jiang Yan had been displeased for several days, so now, when he heard about giving Lin Tiao alcohol, he became furious. "She doesn't drink at all, give her juice instead. Never mind, let's all have juice."
In the end, everyone ordered fresh coconut juice.
The scene looked quite amusing.
The evening atmosphere was vibrant.
The live singer changed styles, from the initial soft ballads to heavy metal music. The stage was surrounded by flashing lights, and the music was almost deafening.
Although the plaza area was large, many tables were set up, leaving little space for movement.
Jiang Yan, who had initially sat opposite Lin Tiao, moved to her right side because he was blocking other guests' chairs. The distance between them was suddenly closer.
Jiang Yan only had to slightly turn his gaze to see the ear clip on her ear, which he found unattractive.
Damn it.
After enduring for a few seconds, he couldn't hold back any longer. He lifted his hand, removed the ear clip, and placed it on the table.
Lin Tiao, who was peeling shrimp, was startled by his sudden action. She lost her grip, and the shrimp fell onto the table and then onto the sand.
She removed her gloves, turned to meet his nonchalant gaze, and asked, "What are you doing?"
Jiang Yan leaned back in his chair, resting his arm on the back of her chair. He lightly tapped his fingers to the rhythm of the music and said, "It looks really ugly."
Lin Tiao was incredulous. She picked up the ear clip and retorted, "You're such a straight guy. You even know what's ugly?"
She then prepared to put the ear clip back on.
Jiang Yan reached out to stop her from putting the ear clip back on. His hand didn't pull away; his warm fingertips lightly touched the spot where the ear clip had been, gently pinching it.
"It's all red here."
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