Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

"Is this your first time drinking Shaoxing wine?"

"My dad used to drink it at home when I was little. I secretly took a sip. It was spicy."

How old were you then?

"Seven years old."

"You were seven when you secretly drank alcohol. What was your dad's reaction?"

Yan Xi narrowed her eyes slightly.

"He scolded me for ten minutes first. Then he told my mom, 'This girl got her guts from me.' After saying that, he laughed."

Li Chen picked up his cup.

"Respect Uncle Yan."

Yan Xi glanced at him.

"You respect him?"

"His daughter is sitting across from me now. If I don't show him respect, who should I show respect to?"

Yan Xi's cup clinked against it.

Ding.

The sound was very soft.

The two of them each took a sip.

The rice wine went down my throat. It wasn't spicy, but it was warming. It warmed me all the way from my throat to my stomach.

The phone rang.

Li Chen picked it up and took a look.

It's not group 302.

It's Yan Xi's mother. Luo Yun.

His finger paused on the screen for a second.

Yan Xi's gaze shifted over.

"Whose?"

Li Chen turned the screen to show her.

Yan Xi glanced at the number.

"My mom."

She put down her chopsticks and took Li Chen's phone.

Press answer button. Speaker mode is on.

"mom."

"Xi Xi." Luo Yun's voice came through the phone. Gentle, with a hint of probing. "Have you arrived?"

"arrive."

"How's the place you're staying? Take a picture and show it to Mom."

"A guesthouse in a fishing village. Clean. Hot water available."

"That's good. Is Li Chen there?"

Li Chen sat up a little straighter.

"Hello, Auntie. I'm here."

"Xiao Li, thank you for your hard work. My Xixi has never been this far before—"

"Mom, the last time I went to Beijing for research, it was farther than this."

"That time it was a school-organized event. There was a leader. This time it's just the two of you. Of course Mom is worried."

Yan Xi's expression turned indifferent.

But she did not refute it.

Luo Yun continued.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"I ate it. Seafood. He made it."

"Did Xiao Li make this? Is his skill good?"

"it is good."

Yan Xi's answer was short. But the pronunciation of the word "okay" was a little stronger than usual.

Luo Yun laughed on the other end of the phone.

"That's good. Your dad knows you went out. He didn't say anything, but he sat in the living room all afternoon and brewed eight different cups of tea."

Yan Xi tapped her chopsticks on the edge of the plate.

"If he has something to say, he should make a phone call himself. What's the point of sitting there making tea?"

"Your dad's easily embarrassed. You know that."

Yan Xi didn't say anything.

Luo Yun's tone softened.

"Mom just wanted to make sure you're all safe. I won't bother you any longer. I just hope you have fun. Get some rest tonight."

"understood."

"Xiao Li."

"Yes, Auntie."

"Take good care of our Xixi. She can't take care of herself outside."

Li Chen's gaze fell on Yan Xi.

She was looking down, her chopsticks poking at the last piece of crab meat on the plate. She appeared indifferent, but the knuckles of her fingers holding the chopsticks were slightly white.

"Don't worry, Auntie. As long as I'm here, I won't let her suffer any loss."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Then Luo Yun's voice came again. Very softly.

"Good boy."

It's over.

Yan Xi pushed the phone back to Li Chen.

"How come you're getting better and better at talking to my mom?"

"Because my aunt is easy to get along with."

"You mean I'm difficult to get along with?"

"You're different. You need a strategy guide."

Yan Xi glared at him.

But there was no killing power in that glare.

A night breeze swept through the courtyard. The charcoal fire in the stove crackled.

Li Chen poured her another half cup of rice wine.

"That's enough. We have to drive tomorrow."

"Half a cup. It won't give you a headache."

Yan Xi hesitated for a second. Then she took it and took a sip.

The wine left a slight sheen on her lips.

Li Chen saw it.

I looked away.

He lowered his head and drank his own glass.

"Li Chen".

"Um."

"What did you include in your itinerary for tomorrow?"

"Haining to Shengsi Islands. Ferry. 40-minute journey. Island ring road. Lighthouse in the afternoon."

"In which direction on the island is the lighthouse located?"

"Northeast corner. Built in 1956. Concrete structure. Seventeen meters high. Still in use today. Flashes a white light every twelve seconds."

Yan Xi traced a half-circle with her finger along the rim of the cup.

"You checked the lighthouse's flashing frequency."

"You like buildings that show the marks of time. The lighthouse from 1956 is still in use today, over sixty years old. The concrete surface has textures from the sea wind erosion. You would probably like to see it."

Yan Xi put the cup down.

She stood up.

He walked around the stone table and went to Li Chen's side.

I sat down next to him.

I leaned on his shoulder.

"Go on."

"What did you say?"

"Lighthouse. Flashing frequency. Erosion texture. Concrete grade. All that's said."

Li Chen raised his arm and placed it behind her back. He didn't hug her; he just left it there.

He began to speak.

The structure of the lighthouse. The shape of the base. The height of the railing on the observation deck. He even found out the department that manages the lighthouse and the duty roster—staff come to inspect it every Wednesday morning. Tomorrow is Thursday. Nobody's here. Free to come and go.

Yan Xi listened quietly.

Her breathing rate is slowing down.

When Li Chen mentioned the coverage area of ​​the lighthouse's illumination angle, her head slid slightly off his shoulder.

Her eyes closed.

Li Chen lowered his voice.

It's getting lighter and lighter.

Finally, it stopped at "coverage radius of twelve nautical miles".

Only the sound of the waves and her even breathing remained in the courtyard.

Li Chen looked down at her.

Yan Xi's eyelashes cast two very light shadows. Her lips were slightly parted. The phoenix hairpin was slightly askew.

He reached out and straightened the hairpin with his index finger.

His finger paused for a tap beside her ear.

Then it retracts.

He didn't wake her.

He put his arm around her from behind with one hand.

Pick up the phone with your other hand. Turn the brightness down to the lowest setting.

I sent a message to group 302.

[Li Chen: Day 1. She fell asleep on my shoulder.]

Send it out.

Seven seconds.

[Wang Qiang: Aa ...

[Zhao Zixuan: I don't care what your relationship is, but this message will have a devastating impact on at least the entire dorm.]

[Chen Mo: Sample #217. Scene: Seaside fishing village. Behavior: The target falls asleep naturally on the subject's shoulder. In intimate relationship research, this behavior represents—complete disarming of defense mechanisms. The trust index exceeds the upper limit of the scale. It is recommended to update the assessment model.]

[Wang Qiang: Can you please stop analyzing?! Let me be jealous in peace for a while!!!]

Li Chen locked the screen.

Place your phone face down on your knee.

look up.

The starry sky stretched above the fishing village. There was no moon. The stars, in fact, seemed even brighter.

Yan Xi's weight rested on his shoulder. Not heavy. But real.

His right hand went around her shoulder, and his thumb gently rubbed the cuff of her coat.

There was still half a cup of rice wine left in front of me.

cold.

He didn't drink it.

On the distant sea, the lights of fishing boats formed an irregular arc.

Li Chen counted them once.

Seven lamps.

Yan Xi's hand twitched slightly in her sleep.

Her fingers touched the phone on his thigh.

I moved it to the side.

Then place it on the back of his hand.

Five fingers loosely covered his knuckles.

I have no strength.

But in.