AMTBYIGA Chapter 44
by VolareLin Sui’s invisible tail wagged happily, and he humbly controlled the upward curve of his lips, “It’s alright, most of the credit goes to Brother Zhou Shan.”
“You’re a beginner. Practice more, and you’ll definitely surpass him.” Gu Nian unhesitatingly sold out his friend, teasing Lin Sui with a light smile.
Lin Sui immediately beamed. He knew that Gu Nian was deliberately saying this to coax him, but because it was Gu Nian who said it, even the praise that was more emotionally driven made him jump for joy. Because of this preferential treatment, Lin Sui felt that this victory was even sweeter.
“Then I’ll practice hard when I get back. Next time we come, we’ll beat Brother Zhou Shan to a pulp!” Lin Sui clenched his fist and said with great enthusiasm.
Gu Nian smiled and nodded slightly, a hint of imperceptible melancholy flashing in his eyes.
Next time, will there really be a next time?
However, as long as Lin Sui is by his side, it doesn’t matter if there isn’t a next time.
Gu Nian looked at the azure sky above him with a sense of relief, his mood more relaxed than ever before.
Lin Sui sat on the beach next to him, looking at the bustling crowd outside and then at Gu Nian, who was quietly sunbathing. He suddenly said, “Why don’t we go pick up shells? I heard that there are places here that can process them into ornaments.”
Just as he finished speaking, a child picked up a fan-shaped shell in front of them with a pink bucket, excitedly showing it to their family.
Laughter came from not far away, and Lin Sui unconsciously showed a look of envy.
Gu Nian looked at him and agreed without thinking.
Lin Sui immediately bought two blue buckets, one for each of them.
He pushed Gu Nian along the beach, humming a tune from some popular song, his moist eyes turning nimbly as he searched for small shells that suited his liking. Anyone who saw him could feel that infectious joy, revealing a knowing smile.
“Gu Nian, look, this one is shaped like a star!” Lin Sui held a pink and white shell, presenting it to Gu Nian as if it were a treasure.
Gu Nian took it and examined it carefully, then nodded affirmatively, “It’s very beautiful.”
Lin Sui smiled and put the shell into Gu Nian’s bucket, then continued to walk forward.
It was the peak tourist season, and there were many people on the beach, making shells very popular. Lin Sui searched for a long time and only found seven or eight, and he carefully selected the two best-looking ones to put into Gu Nian’s bucket. The rest were simply not enough to make a necklace and give it away as he had imagined.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Sui bent down and asked Gu Nian for his opinion, “Why don’t we go a little further, maybe there will be more where there are fewer people.”
Gu Nian didn’t mind either way, and naturally said yes.
Lin Sui led Gu Nian around the crowd and walked to the edge of the beach where few people went. Compared to the place just now, it was colder here, with almost no sunlight, and the rocks were rugged, so almost no one came.
After walking a few steps, Lin Sui spotted his target.
An orange-red object was buried in the sand, with only a pointed corner visible, making it unclear what it was.
Running over a few steps, Lin Sui exclaimed in surprise.
“It’s really a starfish!”
Lin Sui used his hands to dig away the sand on top, and the orange-red starfish revealed its true form.
“It’s still alive!” Lin Sui announced excitedly.
The starfish didn’t know how long it had been ashore. The edges were a little dry from the sun, and it was only because it had been buried deep in the sand that it had escaped the fate of being sun-dried into a specimen. However, its condition wasn’t good, and it lay weakly in Lin Sui’s hand, occasionally lazily curling its five arms.
Gu Nian was also a little surprised and leaned over to take a look, saying, “It should have been washed up during high tide. If you like it, you can take it back and raise it. They should sell related equipment here, and it should be able to live for a while.”
Lin Sui carefully pinched the starfish’s arm. The novel texture made his eyes seem to sparkle with stars. Hearing Gu Nian’s words, he shook his head and said softly, “No need. Liking something doesn’t necessarily mean you have to keep it in your hands. If keeping it will make it disappear faster, I’d be happier if it lived healthily in a place I don’t know.”
After speaking, he touched the surface of the starfish for the last time and threw it back into the sea with force.
The orange-red starfish drew a parabola in the air and disappeared. The surging waves beat against the beach, and the starfish’s shadow could no longer be found. Perhaps this was the last time they would see each other in their lives.
But Lin Sui smiled happily, raising both hands above his head and waving goodbye.
Gu Nian stared blankly at him, not knowing what he was thinking.
After saying goodbye, Lin Sui picked up his little blue bucket again, looking for shells he liked.
As the two walked, they somehow came to a large group of reefs. The huge bodies of the reefs were covered with dried seaweed and traces of living creatures. Lin Sui touched them, and the magical feeling was as if he had traveled through time and saw how this place had been covered by seawater a long, long time ago.
“It’s really magnificent,” Lin Sui couldn’t help but sigh. He held onto the reef, looking out at the place where the sea and sky connected, and unconsciously muttered, “It feels like watching the sunrise here would be very beautiful.”
The sound of the waves was very noisy, but Gu Nian still keenly captured this exclamation.
“Going back?” Gu Nian suddenly asked.
“Let’s go back,” Lin Sui reluctantly touched the huge reef, turned around to push Gu Nian, “It’s getting late, and I guess Brother Zhou Shan and the others are getting ready to go back for dinner.”
When the two returned to the hotel, the other three were indeed walking back.
“Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for a long time.” Du Wanbai walked over and asked Lin Sui curiously, “I heard Zhou Shan said that you played volleyball and amazed everyone. It’s a pity I didn’t see it, otherwise I could have taken a photo for you to commemorate it.”
Lin Sui touched his nose, embarrassed, “I was the one who was dragging everyone down. It was just a fluke that I played well that time.”
Du Wanbai waved his hand, “You don’t have to be modest. I know what Zhou Shan’s volleyball skills are like. He only knows how to use his brute strength, and he doesn’t understand any strategy.”
It happened that Zhou Shan walked over and heard him, retorting, “What do you mean I only have brute strength? It’s just that the opponents aren’t worth me using my brain.”
So you really just use brute force to overcome everything, Lin Sui thought silently.
In a sense, this is also a talent.
Du Wanbai perfunctorily said “uh-huh, ah-ah-ah-ah”, anyway, you’re right, but I just don’t listen.
Zhou Shan was so angry that he couldn’t refute Du Wanbai, so he pulled Jiang Sheng to try to find an ally for himself. However, he overestimated his position. Jiang Sheng was holding the dinner he had chosen for Du Wanbai, and without batting an eye, he said, “What? Of course, everything my wife says is right. Zhou Shan, don’t deceive yourself. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a brain, at least you have well-developed limbs!”
Zhou Shan: “My brain is also well-developed, okay!”
Zhou Shan couldn’t beat this couple, so he could only turn his anger into appetite, carrying a stack of plates in the buffet restaurant and inhaling food like a storm under the owner’s painful gaze.
Lin Sui watched with relish, and was still thinking about it when he went to get dinner, several times using his chopsticks to eat air. Gu Nian had no choice but to order Jiang Sheng and Zhou Shan to come over and “make up.”
The specific manifestation was to hold hands and stand for one minute, and then say “We are good brothers” to each other three times.
Jiang Sheng was afraid of Gu Nian’s power to decide bonuses, and Zhou Shan had originally begged to come along to avoid someone, so both of them could only hold their noses and accept it, completing the task face to face with sullen faces.
Du Wanbai next to him laughed so hard that she almost fell off her chair, using her camera and phone to take dozens of pictures before stopping with lingering interest.
“We are good brothers” ×3
As soon as they finished speaking, the two “good brothers” jumped away as quickly as if they had eaten a pound of shit, washing their hands and seeking comfort from their girlfriends. It was estimated that they wouldn’t want to see each other for the rest of the day.
Lin Sui also laughed so hard that he leaned forward and backward, solemnly putting the small video he had taken into the “Travel Diary” album.
In addition to the video recording the entire process of the good brothers’ oath, there were also many photos, all of which were taken today.
Gu Nian accidentally saw it, paused slightly, and a trace of contemplation flashed across his face.
After dinner, everyone went back to their respective rooms to rest. Lin Sui was urged by Gu Nian to wash up. As soon as he went in, Gu Nian turned his wheelchair and found Du Wanbai.
“Yo, a rare guest.” Du Wanbai adjusted her mask in front of the mirror, squinting at Gu Nian and teasing, “Why aren’t you with your wife at this time? You’ve been staring at him since he played volleyball. Anyone who didn’t know would think you were a pervert.”
Gu Nian ignored Du Wanbai’s daily death wish and went straight to the point, “Lend me your camera.”
“Sure,” Du Wanbai winked at him slyly, “You want to take pictures with Lin Sui, right? I told you to buy one back then, but you said you would never take pictures for anyone in your life. Tsk tsk tsk, I didn’t expect you to be slapped in the face so quickly.”
Gu Nian didn’t respond, looking at Du Wanbai with a calm expression. He didn’t say anything, but that dangerous feeling was all-pervasive. Du Wanbai decisively surrendered, got up and handed him the camera.
“Why are you releasing cold air to scare people? It’s not like I said I wouldn’t lend it to you,” Du Wanbai muttered.
“Thanks.” Gu Nian nodded, turning around and leaving without hesitation.
Back in the room, Lin Sui had just finished taking a shower and came out. Seeing Gu Nian coming in from the corridor, he said in surprise, “Why did you suddenly go out? Is something the matter?”
“It’s nothing.” Gu Nian hid the camera behind his back, his expression very indifferent, “I’m tired. Let’s rest early.”
“So early? It’s only seven o’clock now, right?” Lin Sui took out his phone and glanced at it.
Gu Nian didn’t explain too much, but just said, “I’m a little tired today and want to go to bed early.” After a pause, he lowered his voice a little, “I want you to be with me.”
Lin Sui gasped, covered his chest, took a step back, his head dizzy, feeling like he had been hit by Cupid’s arrow with a “pa-ji” sound.
Teasing! This must be teasing!
Lin Sui firmly believed.
Gu Nian was teasing him! Not to mention sleeping together, even that kind of sleep, he was okay with it!
Lin Sui was excited, naturally ignoring Gu Nian’s deliberate avoidance of his eyes when he spoke. He couldn’t wait to cover himself with the quilt, patted the space next to him, even more anxious than Gu Nian, who had made the request.
“Come on, come on!”
Gu Nian smiled softly and lay down next to him.
Lin Sui pulled the quilt to cover most of his face, only revealing a pair of eyes as bright as stars, shining brightly as he waited for what was about to happen next.
A person like Gu Nian would definitely not just tease him for the sake of purely chatting under the covers. They were already lying on the same bed, so it was normal for something to happen.