You're my wife, don't doubt it!

"Later, Father Yu would come to see me every few days, tell me some of the principles in the Gospel, comfort my mental state, and help me do some spiritual exercises for soul healing—Teacher Yao was also doing these exercises."

“I see…no wonder Teacher Yao looks more energetic,” Xiao Yao said after a moment of contemplation. “Father Yu is such a kind man.”

"They're just doing their job to meet performance targets," the ribbonfish retorted.

"You want to get kicked again, don't you?" Xiao Yao raised his foot as if to kick.

"No, no, no, hey, Yao-ge, why are you acting just like Long-ge back then?" Daiyu complained, "So irritable."

Zhou Qi ignored the ribbonfish and continued to explain to Xiao Yao: "After I was discharged from the hospital, Father Yu asked me if I wanted to come to the seaside summer camp to relax. It just so happened that during my hospitalization, he got to know my parents... and a few times, he helped mediate the relationship and conflicts between my parents. Well, I won't go into the details, but in short, this time it was like our whole family came to Dongqi seaside to relax together."

Zhou Qi's parents... For some reason, Xiao Yao thought of the couple arguing heatedly in the hospital corridor, and the slap the man had thrown.

The girl didn't continue speaking, and the other three exchanged glances, tacitly agreeing not to press her further about her private affairs.

“But it’s really relaxing here,” Zhou Qi said. “And Tai… Tai Ze just now too? It felt really relaxing.”

“That’s how it is in Taize,” Yu Luying explained. “My uncle told me that in Taize, you can do anything—sing Taize songs, recite the Rosary, pray, meditate, contemplate, read the Bible, or even sleep. Anything that makes you feel comfortable can be a dialogue with God.”

"Reading the Bible without even turning on the lights?" Xiao Yao thought to himself, but Daiyu spoke up first: "Even sleeping? You can't be so protective of your man—"

“However, sleeping in Taize is really comfortable,” Xiao Yao said. “I felt refreshed and relaxed when I woke up. I’ve only slept for a short time, but I’ve never slept like this at home—”

"Wow! Look!" Zhou Qi exclaimed excitedly.

The other three people all let out a soft "WoW" when they saw the scene before them.

After walking out of the path through the reeds in the farmland, you reach a very "short" stretch of beach. By "short," I mean that you can get into the sea after walking only a few dozen steps.

The beach wasn't smooth or flat; because it was undeveloped, it was strewn with all sorts of rocks, large and small, making it painful to walk on. The air smelled strongly of fish. A lone white lamp was hung at one of the intersections, while the two sides of the beach were shrouded in endless darkness, obscuring its actual width.

Of course, none of this was the reason why the four of them thought "Wow".

What amazed them was the starry sky—the starry sky so close at hand.

The beauty of this starry sky lies not in its abundance or complexity, but in its proximity and brightness.

How to describe it? Half of the sky in front of them was pitch black, and the sea and the horizon—no, the sea surface—were also pitch black. Therefore, in Xiao Yao's view, the beach where the four of them were standing, which was illuminated by lights, was completely shrouded in a half-black dome, and this dome was particularly "short".

The starry sky can be seen without looking up, because as long as you look straight ahead, you can see countless shining stars in front of you.

Saying "countless" might be a slight exaggeration, after all, their numbers can't compare to the dazzling Milky Way, and saying "as if you could reach out and touch them" would also be boasting, but no matter how you look at it, it's as if you could pierce this false curtain with a single shot by rowing a small boat 500 meters in the sea.

If you've seen The Truman Show, you'll understand what I mean immediately.

Yes, it's fake.

Because it looks too close, too bright, and too clear, it doesn't seem real.

To use gaming terminology, this starry sky doesn't look like a 3D model at all; it's just a two-dimensional texture used as a background.

"You two have your romantic date, we won't be third wheels." Zhou Qi held Daiyu's arm: "Let's go for a walk over there, and then go back—see you tomorrow."

"Be safe!"

"See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow!"

After the two third wheels finally said goodbye, Xiao Yao and Yu Luying put down their guitars and cellos beside them and sat down side by side on the beach.

Xiao Yao took Yu Luying's hand, and their fingers intertwined.

With his other hand, he picked up his phone and began composing a text message.

For about seven or eight minutes, neither of them spoke. They just stared blankly at the "fake starry sky" in front of them, listening to each other's breathing, the howling sea breeze, and the barking of dogs not far away.

Finally, Xiao Yao spoke first: "Yu Luying, what are you thinking about?"

"What are you thinking about?" Yu Luying asked in return.

“I’ll count to three, two, one, and then we’ll say it together,” Xiao Yao suggested.

“Okay,” Yu Luying said.

"Three, two, one."

"The starry sky over the playground of Dongru County Middle School." "The promise on your balcony."

"Hmm," Xiao Yao said, "It's barely... a match, I guess?"

“If you say it matches, then it matches,” Yu Luying said with a smile.

“Yes, I remembered wrong,” Xiao Yao admitted. “It wasn’t on the playground, it was on my balcony. We made a promise that we would go to see the stars together in the future, whether it was on a mountaintop or by the sea.”

"Hmm, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly," Yu Luying said, "There's always a sense that..."

"Unrealistic?" Xiao Yao said.

“No, it feels too easy,” Yu Luying said.

“I understand,” Xiao Yao said.

The boy slowly turned his head toward the girl, who obediently closed her eyes.

"I will love you forever~" Xiao Yao sang softly.

“But where is there anything that lasts forever?” Yu Luying immediately continued the verse.

Xiao Yao silenced Yu Luying with a kiss.

At first, Xiao Yao's hands were obediently placed on the beach.

But Yu Luying kicked off her right Croc and began to gently rub her small foot, clad in white socks, against Xiao Yao's bare calf.

Hmm... she really didn't change her socks.

Xiao Yao grunted through his nose, Xiao Er stood up, and Xiao Yao's hand reached out to the girl.

...

"Hands," Yu Luying mumbled, "are getting naughty again?"

“Jio,” Xiao Yao said, “Damn it, officials are allowed to set fires, but common people are not allowed to light lamps.”

"Steamed buns, are you not convinced?" Yu Luying rubbed her high nose against Xiao Yao's nose.

“Of course I’m not convinced,” Xiao Yao said. “And you’ll say later that I tempted you, that my very existence is a temptation. You’re such an unreasonable person.”

“I’m such an unreasonable person,” Yu Luying admitted.

"Tsk," Xiao Yao said.

"I don't care, I want to... I want to feel good today." Yu Luying's voice grew softer and softer.

“Good heavens, wouldn’t it be better to be a little innocent and pure? We both agreed on that.” Xiao Yao pointed out, “This is a sacred and solemn parish summer camp.”

"It's alright, as long as you don't touch that area, it's not a crime," Yu Luying said. "Lie down a little..."

Yu Luying stood up, holding onto the nearby telephone pole with one hand to maintain her balance, and gently nudged Xiao Yao's left arm with the ball of her right foot.

Xiao Yao said with a hint of satisfaction, "I just can't do anything with you."

……

"I have something important to tell you."

When Yu Luying's foot slid onto Xiao Yao's stomach, the latter finally couldn't help but speak.

"Hmm." The girl stood on her feet and then rubbed the back of her feet against Xiao Yao's neck and shoulders.

“When I went to the toilet today, I accidentally overheard your grandfather and your uncle—that eldest uncle—talking. It has something to do with you.” Xiao Yao reached out and stroked Yu Luying’s calf.

The foot trembled slightly and then stopped moving instantly.

“Your grandfather said he wanted to sell his shares in Meiyu Group…” Xiao Yao said, carefully choosing his words as he spoke.

Suddenly, he heard his phone vibrate.

Xiao Yao took the newly bought cell phone out of his pocket.

“Shen Jie’s phone call,” Xiao Yao told Yu Luying.

"Mmm." Yu Luying nodded, her toes leaving Xiao Yao's upper body, and groped for her Crocs on the sand.

Chapter 288 The Cat Mom Shows Her Shyness

2023-08-07

*This chapter could also be titled "Has Mommy Cat Lost Confidence?"

"Mmm." Yu Luying nodded, her toes leaving Xiao Yao's upper body, and groped for her Crocs on the sand.

"Hey, honey, are you almost there?" Xiao Yao asked, observing Yu Luying's expression as he answered the phone.

The latter showed no expression, but calmly found and put on her Crocs.

"Oh dear, how could I not find it? Didn't I send you directions? Turn left at the main road outside the hotel's main entrance, then turn right at the third crossroads. Walk straight for 500 meters, and you'll reach the end. There's a large field there, and a small path runs through the reeds—"

Yu Luying couldn't stand it anymore and mouthed, "Go pick it up."

"Hey, hey, hey," Xiao Yao pointed to the phone's microphone with one hand, then waved his hand: "How about this, you go back to the hotel entrance, I'll come back to pick you up."

"..."

"Ah, well... that's fine too. If you still can't find it, just tell me and I'll come pick you up," Xiao Yao said, then hung up the phone.