Sweetie, sleep with me tonight.

Before Jiang Youxi could react, her mouth was covered by the man's kiss, which became deeper and more intense.

Jiang Youxi felt a tingling sensation on the tip of her tongue and wanted to remind him that this was the kitchen and that her grandmother and Jiang Xu were still in the living room, so he should be careful.

But as soon as she made a sound, the man seized the opportunity to burst in and stirred things up inside her mouth.

"Ouch!" Meng Lan quickly turned her back.

Jiang Youxi was startled and pushed the man away abruptly.

Caught off guard, He Zhuo's lower back collided with the dishwasher.

The dishes in the dishwasher were banging loudly.

Jiang Youxi was at a loss for words, and forced a dry laugh: "Grandma, why are you here?"

"I noticed Xiao Kuo hadn't come out for so long, so I came to check on him. Did I... disturb you?"

"No, no!" Jiang Youxi waved her hands frantically. "Grandma, you've misunderstood. We're not..."

"It's alright, it's alright. Grandma was young once too, I understand, I understand~" Meng Lan smiled indulgently, "You guys continue, just pretend Grandma was never here."

After saying that, he turned and left with a smile.

"..."

Jiang Youxi was so embarrassed she wished she could disappear into the ground.

She looked away, angrily intending to settle scores with the culprit, when she looked up and saw the "culprit" staring at her with a resentful expression.

I don't know how long I've been watching it.

Jiang Youxi choked on her words: "W-Why are you looking at me like that?"

What do you think?

"..."

Here we go again, huh?

"You still want to kiss me?"

"If you want it, will you give it to me?"

Look at what they're saying.

Is she such a stingy person?

Jiang Youxi shook her head: "No."

He Zhuo scoffed, "You stingy little thing."

He continued placing the plates into the dishwasher.

Jiang Youxi walked over, tilted her head, and looked at him with a smile: "Are you angry?"

He Zhuo wasn't actually angry, but seeing her ask that, he pretended to be sullen and said, "No."

Hey.

Still saying you don't?

Men are just hypocrites!

"So, are you happier now?"

"It depends on your performance."

Looking at the handsome face so close to hers, Jiang Youxi stood on tiptoe and readily gave him a kiss on the cheek, her smile ingratiating: "How was that? Does this make you happier?"

He Zhuo turned his head to look at him, his expression serious.

Jiang Youxi was confused by him: "What's wrong now? Was the kiss not good?"

"Very good."

Jiang Youxi smiled smugly.

You think you can handle me?

"Anything else?"

"You've made progress."

"What progress?"

"Kissing skills."

Jiang Youxi said expressionlessly, "I'll just kiss you on the cheek."

Is this considered an improvement in kissing skills?

That's such a great improvement!

"The filter is too thick, there's nothing I can do about it."

I have to praise him, otherwise he won't kiss me next time.

"..."

Is this a compliment or an insult?

-

After taking a shower, He Zhuo answered several phone calls to handle business before going to bed.

Grandma's house wasn't big, just four bedrooms and a living room. Meng Lan, Jiang Xu, and the caregiver Aunt Zeng each slept in one room, and Jiang Youxi and He Zhuo slept in the remaining room together.

The bed wasn't spacious, but it was enough for two people to sleep in.

Yuzhong Village is far from the city. It faces the sea and is backed by mountains. The villagers make a living by the sea. At night, apart from the occasional sound of fishing boat horns, the only sounds are the chirping of insects in the grass outside the window.

But these "noises" are like a pleasant melody, gradually calming people's hearts.

But Jiang Youxi was new to this place and couldn't sleep because she wasn't used to the bed.

In August, Yuzhong Village was unbearably hot and humid, and the white walls were still warm from being exposed to the scorching sun.

The moonlight outside the window was as bright as day, streaming into the room through the glass, making the whole room bright enough that everyone could see each other's faces.

Even with the air conditioning on, you can still feel a noticeable heat.

Seeing her tossing and turning, He Zhuo pressed her down: "Can't you sleep?"

"Hmm, it's a bit hot."

He Zhuo glanced at the time.

Nine o'clock in the evening.

In Jianghai City, the nightlife is usually just beginning at this time.

But this is a small village, far from the hustle and bustle of the city, with very few facilities and activities to enjoy. Over the years, the villagers have also developed a sleeping habit of working at sunrise and resting at sunset.

"Would you like to go out and see the sea?"

Jiang Youxi's eyes lit up: "Really?"

Jiang Youxi had never seen the sea before, especially the sea at night.

"Yes, the tide just went out this morning, which is a great time for beachcombing."

Jiang Youxi was very curious, so she immediately got up, put on a coat, and went out with He Zhuo.

The wind was strong at the beach at night, and there was no one around except for the moonlight shining down from above, illuminating the sand beneath our feet.

As the tide receded, a lot of seafood was brought ashore. Jiang Youxi picked up the seafood as if it were a treasure, enjoying herself immensely the whole time.

In contrast, He Zhuo was clearly a child who grew up by the sea, seemingly used to such grand scenes, and remained unmoved by the large oysters, crabs, and seafood on the beach.

However, seeing how happily she was picking them up, He Zhuo joined her.

"He Zhuo, look what I found!" Jiang Youxi clutched her "trophy" tightly in both hands, excitedly showing it to him, "A giant crab!!"

Looking at the little girl's bright smile, He Zhuo's expression softened, and he couldn't help but rub her round head: "It is indeed quite big, it can hardly fit in Grandma's pot."

Jiang Youxi narrowed her eyes: "He Zhuo, I feel like you're coaxing a child."

"Aren't you a child?"

"Which kid is my age?"

"Yes, I have."

Who is it?

"Jiang Youxi".

"..."

Seeing his serious tone, Jiang Youxi actually believed his nonsense and genuinely thought there was such a "big kid".

Seeing that the small bucket in her hand was almost full, He Zhuo told her to continue waiting where she was, and that he would go back and get another bucket.

"Be careful, don't go too far."

Jiang Youxi nodded obediently: "Okay, you go and come back quickly too."

After He Zhuo left, Jiang Youxi continued picking up the trash.

Seeing a beautiful seashell on the ground, she bent down to pick it up, but then caught something out of the corner of her eye and paused.

Not far away, a person sat in a wheelchair, gazing blankly at the boundless ocean.

The sea breeze raged, tousling his hair, and his thin clothes pattered against his slender body.

There was no one around; he sat there quietly, like a lonely and solitary statue.

The man shifted, and the object in his arms suddenly fell out.

He tried to bend down to pick it up, but he couldn't reach it.

Looking at his empty sleeve, Jiang Youxi realized that he had no hands.

Jiang Youxi strode over, picked up the item from the ground, and handed it to him: "Here you go."

He paused, then slowly looked up.

He was slightly taken aback when he saw it was her.

Seeing that he didn't take it, Jiang Youxi then realized that not only were his forearms missing, but his trouser legs were also empty, battered by the sea breeze.

He was thin, his cheekbones were sunken from being so thin, and his face was pale. His skin appeared sickly white under the moonlight.

His legs, like his two half-arms, were reduced to just the thighs, resting limply on the wheelchair.

Jiang Youxi's heart trembled. Realizing that staring at him like that was impolite, she quickly put the things she was holding on him and apologized repeatedly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

He glanced at the medicine bottle in his arms, smiled, and said, "It's nothing, thank you."

His voice was warm and pleasant, like a clear spring in the sweltering summer, gentle yet firm.

"Young lady, you look unfamiliar; you don't seem to be from Fish Village. Are you here to visit relatives?"

"Um."

"Are you alone?"

"No, my boyfriend is also there."

Upon hearing the word "boyfriend," his eyelids drooped slightly, and his expression became somewhat forlorn.

"Are you from Yuzhong Village?" Jiang Youxi took the initiative to start a conversation.

He nodded.

"What are you doing here so late at night?" Jiang Youxi saw the medicine bottle he had dropped earlier; it contained sleeping pills.

Is he going to commit suicide?

Jiang Youxi carefully observed his expression.

He appeared calm, and didn't seem like he was about to commit suicide.

"I was feeling down and couldn't sleep, so I came out for some fresh air."

Noticing that he was in a bad mood, Jiang Youxi couldn't help but advise, "The scenery around here is beautiful, and the evening breeze is quite cool. If you want to come out for some fresh air in the future, you can invite a friend to come with you. It's not very safe to be alone, especially at the beach at night."

"Friends..." He pondered the word carefully, his tone dejected, "I have no friends."

"No friends?" Jiang Youxi asked, somewhat surprised.

No wonder he was depressed; it turns out he didn't have any friends to talk to.

He nodded: "Yes, my best friend left us nine years ago."

"I'm sorry to bring up something that upset you."

He paused for a moment, then gave the first relaxed smile of the night: "Young lady, you've misunderstood. When I say 'leaving,' I don't mean passing away, but leaving Fish Village to live in another city."

Jiang Youxi was a little embarrassed and apologized with an awkward smile.

"It's nothing, chatting with you has made me feel much better." He said sincerely, "Thank you."

"It's alright. It's quite windy by the sea late at night. If there's nothing else, go back and rest early."

"XiXi!"

He Zhuo's anxious voice came from behind.

Jiang Youxi turned around and saw He Zhuo running towards her, panting: "Didn't I tell you to stand still and wait for me?"

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Jiang Youxi felt guilty: "I'm sorry, I saw this gentleman drop something, so I came over to help him pick it up."

He Zhuo turned his gaze and met those familiar eyes.

He froze, his expression blank.

The bucket in his hand fell onto the beach.

The two stared at each other silently, and the atmosphere suddenly fell into an inexplicable stillness.

Jiang Youxi sensed that the atmosphere was a bit off and couldn't help but speak up: "He Zhuo."

He Zhuo snapped out of his daze, calmly looked away, bent down to pick up the bucket that had fallen to the ground, and took her hand: "Let's go back."

Jiang Youxi was completely confused.

"Late release".

He Zhuo paused in his steps.

The man stared intently at his retreating figure, his voice suppressed, and said calmly, "Long time no see."