Chapter 76: Marvelous.

Chapter 76: Marvelous.

Under the blazing sun on the deck, Shen Yao asked the cameraman for the time, intending to head upstairs to check on Ying Li. To his surprise, he turned a corner and collided into someone full-on.

The muscles on Shen Yao's body were so firm that the impact left Ying Li dazed, almost believing he'd run into a wall. Just as he was about to fall backward from the momentum, he was pulled back.

With a stinging sensation in his nose, Shen Yao also felt disoriented for a moment. He looked at the person in front of him, holding their forehead, "Are you okay? Did I hit you anywhere?"

Ying Li took a moment, then replied, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

Shen Yao broke into a wide grin, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He had been on his way upstairs to look for someone, but as it turned out, Ying Li had run right into him.

What could this be called? A telepathic connection.

Shen Yao gazed at him with a cheeky smile.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ying Li asked, massaging his forehead. He had been running down, and the impact left his forehead numb. Shen Yao was also pushed off balance by the collision.

"What could possibly happen to me?"

No sooner had he spoken than he felt warmth in his nostrils. Warm, bright-red liquid began to flow. Touching his nose, Shen Yao's hand came away with blood, and he stood frozen in shock.

Alarmed, Ying Li hurriedly pulled tissues from his pocket, "Here, wipe it, but don't tilt your head back."

Shen Yao twisted the tissue into a ball and stuffed it into his nostrils. His gaze, sharp and gleaming, settled on Ying Li's face, still with a trace of laughter.

Ying Li looked at him with genuine concern, "Did I hit your nose?"

"Yes, I didn't feel it at first, but now it hurts like hell." Seeing Ying Li's anxious expression, Shen Yao felt playful, gritting his teeth and saying, "I'm bleeding now; could you check if it's broken?"

Ying Li replied, "Let me see."

Shen Yao tilted his head down slightly, bringing his face closer to Ying Li, allowing Ying Li to examine him without having to stand on his tiptoes.

At the corner, the light was dim. Shen Yao hunched slightly, his thick, dark hair casting a shadow over most of his face. His prominent brow and straight nose looked even more striking under the faint shadow, and even with tissues stuffed up his nose, he appeared far from comical.

Ying Li's beautiful eyebrows furrowed with concern, his gaze filled with worry. Whether from fear or anxiety, his cheeks blushed a peachy hue, his skin so smooth and flawless that one couldn't even spot a pore.

As Shen Yao stared, he pursed his lips, having the urge to take a playful bite.

Ying Li looked even more remorseful, inhaling sharply, "Does it hurt much?"

Shen Yao raised an eyebrow, "It does hurt. I didn't expect you to have so much force. You nearly knocked me over just now, lucky I'm sturdy."

With downcast eyes, Ying Li murmured apologetically, "I'm sorry..."

The corridor's carpet was plush, muffling footfalls. Ying Li had been looking down, not noticing someone appearing from around the corner.

The soft voice made Shen Yao's heart flutter, resisting the urge to pull Ying Li into a hug.

"Why apologize? It wasn't on purpose," Shen Yao cleared his throat, "Can you check if it's swollen?"

Ying Li nodded and gently pressed the bridge of Shen Yao's nose with the pad of his finger. The gentle touch and faint breath brushing against his cheek made Shen Yao feel as if an ant was crawling on his face, leaving half of his body tingling.

He asked, "Is it swollen?"

"Doesn't seem to be, but it's a bit red. I'm not sure," Ying Li touched it briefly and hesitated to touch it again, fearing he might've caused some damage. "I should find the director," he suggested.

Shen Yao quickly grabbed his arm, "Hey, no need. It doesn't hurt much now."

"Are you sure it doesn't?" Ying Li was skeptical, thinking Shen Yao was trying to comfort him. He studied the nose for a while and, still concerned, said, "Maybe I should find a doctor for you..."

"Is it that serious? You really think you broke it?" Shen Yao rubbed his nose demonstratively, "It's original, not that easy to break."

Seeing this, Ying Li was alarmed and promptly pulled Shen Yao's hand away, "Don't rub it. The bleeding hasn't stopped."

The sight of Ying Li always made Shen Yao's heart race. If not for his cold showers every night, he'd be overwhelmed.

The tissue stuffed in Shen Yao's nose was stained red. Ying Li frowned deeply, folded a fresh one for him, and handed it over with a guilty expression.

Shen Yao felt he might have overplayed his jest, "I'm really fine. Want to check again?"

"No more touching, and you shouldn't either. Let's see if it swells later," Ying Li said, "Don't endure the pain without mentioning it..."

"It wouldn't have been." Shen Yao thought of the force with which Ying Li had bumped into him earlier. Had it been someone else, they might have been knocked down. "Were you running just now?"

"Yes..." Ying Li's neck turned a blush pink. "I wanted to see what you all were up to."

Ying Li thought he had pressed on Qi Xie's thigh wound. Terrified, he realized he was mistaken again. While he kept apologizing, Qi Xie's flushed face and intense desire made Ying Li feel so embarrassed that he got up and ran away.

"The others haven’t returned yet." Shen Yao, whose nosebleed had stopped, asked, "Do you still feel sick from the medication? Feel like throwing up?"

As soon as the boat left the port, Ying Li felt seasick, turning deathly pale. Now, his complexion appeared rosy and healthy.

Ying Li shook his head, "I don’t feel like throwing up anymore. I'm much better now. Are you still fishing?"

Shen Yao, not knowing how to dive, didn't join them underwater. Instead, he took his fishing gear and fished from the boat.

"Yes, let me show you what I caught earlier."

Within half an hour of casting his line, he caught a crab and an octopus. Showing them to Ying Li, the crab was as big as half a palm, and the lively octopus clung to Ying Li's arm with its suction cups, leaving circular marks. It took some effort for Ying Li to peel it off and put it back in the bucket.

Ying Li asked, "Are you going to continue fishing?"

Shen Yao cast his line again, "Of course, I haven’t fished in a while."

Ying Li then moved a stool to sit next to Shen Yao and watch him fish.

"Do you really want to watch me fish? It might be boring. Perhaps you'd like a phone to play with?" Shen Yao said with a smile.

Fishing requires immense patience. Shen Yao sat motionless for over half an hour. There wasn't much action, but that's how live broadcasting is – it can't always be captivating. The cameraman alternated between people and the scenery. The live stream saw several audience turnovers, save for the true fans.

Ying Li rested his chin in his hands, gazing at the bobbing float on the sea, so silent that Shen Yao almost forgot he was there.

They sat under a large sunshade, with sunlight casting a golden glow on the undulating sea. The reflected light shimmered on their faces, and Ying Li's eyelashes even seemed tinged with gold. He sat with his straight, slender legs bent, looking so well-mannered.

The viewer count in the live room started to increase gradually.

[Such handsome guys, a feast for the eyes!]

[Shen Yao, you're straining your neck just to look at him.]

[He's probably worried about Ying Li getting seasick. Seems Ying Li gets pretty affected.]

[Are the fishes in the sea more attractive than the guy next to him?]

"Is this the legendary fishing technique? Hahaha!"

"Xiao Ying is so engrossed, he didn't notice that Da Yao has been watching him the entire time."

Shen Yao couldn't calm his heart. He didn't sneak a peek; instead, he blatantly turned his head to look. But Ying Li didn't even glance his way, his eyes unblinkingly fixed on the horizon, almost entranced by the sea.

Completely unaware of Shen Yao's gaze, Ying Li's eyes lit up, suddenly exclaiming, "The bobber's gone under, something's biting!"

Snapping back to reality, Shen Yao quickly reeled in, catching a fish as long as his forearm, which splashed him thoroughly as it wriggled.

"It's at least four pounds! The moment you arrived, I caught such a big fish — what luck! By the way," Shen Yao said, recalling the professional term Ying Li had used, "Do you fish?"

Ying Li nodded, "A bit."

Shen Yao, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Ying Li, "I've never tried sea fishing."

Shen Yao, "There's another rod over there. Want to give it a try?"

"Sure."

The production crew provided various types of fishing rods. Ying Li picked one that felt right and chose a spot not far from Shen Yao to bait his hook. His baiting technique was far from that of a novice. A smirk tugged at the corner of Shen Yao's mouth, prompting him to jest, "You bait better than I do, and you only know 'a bit'? Who taught you?"

"My dad," Ying Li grinned, "He loved fishing. When he came home during the New Year, he'd often fish in the river near our place. I'd watch and occasionally he'd let me try. Fortunately, I remembered."

River fishing and sea fishing have their differences. Shen Yao briefed Ying Li on a few key points and then let him fish on his own.

Ying Li moved his stool close to his chosen spot. His skin was so pale it seemed to gleam in the sun. He didn't have an umbrella to shade him, and soon his cheeks turned pink from the sun's intensity. After casting his line, he sat vigilantly, eyes fixed on the float, not wanting to miss any movement.

From not too far away, Shen Yao asked, "Where's your hat?"

Patting his shoulder and finding nothing, Ying Li recalled, "It's in my room. I'll fetch it."

"Don't. Wear mine," Shen Yao stood up, walking briskly towards him, "You'll get sunburned without it."

Ying Li asked, "What about you?"

The shade from Shen Yao's umbrella wasn't covering much. The sun's rays were quite harsh. Having sat for barely five minutes, Ying Li already felt a burning sensation on his back and neck.

Shen Yao fit his hat onto Ying Li, saying, "I'm already tanned, a bit more sun won't hurt. No need for artificial tanning."

Ying Li: "You're looking to tan further?"

Shen Yao lifted his chin slightly: "Yep."

He used to think being too fair-skinned looked effeminate. To appear more rugged, he intentionally got tanned, going against the popular trend of pursuing fair skin.

"Back then, who knew about artificial tanning? I thought only sunbathing would do. Ended up with uneven tan, patches of white and dark."

Noticing the camera nearby and realizing they were on air, Shen Yao quickly added, "I'm not implying that you're effeminate or that fair-skinned individuals are. I didn't mean it that way. Anyway, you look good with fair skin..."

Ying Li smiled effortlessly, "I know."

[Da Yao is visibly panicking, hahaha!]

[Almost offended all his teammates, who wouldn't be flustered?]

[I never noticed how tanned Da Yao was until now. He's really dark!]

[Look at who he's compared to!]

[I used to think Xiao Xie and Team Leader Qi were the fairest, but later I found out that the young nanny was even fairer!]

[What young nanny? Doesn’t she have a name? My wife is genuinely very fair-skinned.]

[Given her face, neck, arms, and legs are so fair, one wonders about the rest.]

[Damn, she's blindingly white! At the hot springs, her back was reflective!]

[And so pinkish! I was too embarrassed to even share the screenshot. Everyone was staring at my wife, it was too enticing.]

Shen Yao inadvertently glanced at Ying Li's chest. If he could see the comments, he'd surely agree that every part of Ying Li was fair. He suddenly recalled the first time they met when Ying Li was drenched in the bathroom. The faint pink visible beneath the wet clothes made his mouth go dry.

Shen Yao's hat was quite large, covering the exposed skin on the back of Ying Li's neck. Satisfied, Shen Yao went back to his spot.

Five minutes later, the float submerged. Ying Li skillfully reeled in, finding the rod heavier than expected. He assumed he might have snagged some underwater plants. But, to his surprise, he had caught a grouper weighing almost fifteen pounds.

Shen Yao's face broke into a broad smile, "Impressive, Ying Li! And you claimed you only knew a little?"

A restrained joy twinkled in Ying Li's eyes, "Just good luck, I guess. I've never caught one this big."

Just moments before, he thought it was beginner's luck. But with the very next cast, he reeled in a large lobster. Every subsequent cast yielded something: sometimes sea fish or prawns, sometimes entangled with sea urchins. Within half an hour, his bucket was full. A circle of crew members surrounded him so closely that even Shen Yao dropped his rod and rushed over to see.

Ying Li glanced back, feeling the pressure intensify.

An excited crew member behind him exclaimed, "It's on the hook! Reel it in!"

It took three people to haul in a 33-pound grouper.

"Whoa, a grouper! Is he using some kind of cheat?"

"Such a massive grouper; this is insanely impressive!"

"I have to brag about this on my social feed."

Several seasoned fishermen among the crew were in awe, and even those unfamiliar with fishing were singing his praises.

Ying Li wasn't well-versed with marine fish species. As someone briefed him, he felt incredibly lucky that day.

A crew member asked, "Director, are we having a seafood feast for lunch?"

Li Changhong, laughing so hard that his face crinkled, said, "Absolutely! Thanks to Ying Li, we're set for dinner too."

[Is this what they call a natural talent?]

[Always missing my mark, I can't believe someone can be this skilled!]

[The production team must have arranged for someone underwater to hook those fish for him.]

[I don't buy it; those fish are fake unless they send them to me for inspection.]

[Why does Da Yao look even happier than when he himself catches something?]

The more he fished, the better he got. Ying Li's reeling hand turned red from the effort. Suddenly, an ecstatic voice from the crowd shouted, "Director, we've spotted a whale!"

The drone's footage revealed a humpback whale just five nautical miles from them. Li Changhong quickly had the crew call back everyone else.

In no time, the four who had gone diving returned. Xie Wen even ran over without removing the camera mounted on his head. Following him were three tall, slender-legged individuals, making for quite the picturesque scene.

Xie Wen asked, "Where's the whale?"

Ying Li sat on a small stool, adjusting his fishing rod: "It's currently five nautical miles away from us. They keep moving. The director suggested we try catching up with them."

Song Ji Mo, with a diving mask in hand and drenched bangs sticking messily to his forehead, squatted down in front of him and inquired, "Fishing?"

Ying Li nodded: "Yes."

Song Ji Mo remarked, "I never knew you had this hobby."

Ying Li replied, "I wouldn't call it a hobby. I've only tried it a few times."

From the bucket beside them, the first grouper they caught gave a flick of its tail, leaping out onto the deck. After a few desperate flaps, a crew member caught and returned it to the bucket.

Xie Wen asked, "Did you guys catch that? What have you caught?"

Ying Li responded, "Yes, it's all in that bucket."

Xie Wen peeked into the bucket, and his eyes widened in amazement, "Holy! Did you guys catch all of these?"

Hearing this, others quickly gathered around.

Shen Yao, with a wide grin spreading across his face, said leisurely, "Ying Li caught them all by himself. Absolutely impressive."

[Shen Yao, you're beaming like it's a bargain!]

[Golden boy is absolutely stunned.]

[Everyone is dumbfounded.]

The typically reticent Bian Qiao couldn't help but comment, "That's a grouper, probably about 33 pounds. It's amazing you managed to reel such a big fish in."

Ying Li, with a flushed face, clarified, "Brother Li and the others helped bring it up. I couldn't have done it alone. They helped with the rest as well."

The fish was massive, and its struggles while being reeled in were intense. He nearly lost his grip multiple times. Thankfully, several expert fishermen among the crew assisted, making it possible to land the fish. Securing the fish on the hook was hard, but pulling it in was even harder. He didn't dare take all the credit.

Xie Wen kept praising him until Ying Li's face turned beet red. As he went to put away his fishing rod, a tall shadow enveloped him from behind.

Ying Li's eyes shimmered, and he turned around, naturally meeting Qi Xie's gaze directed at him.

Feeling warmth on his cheeks, he tilted his head, asking, "What is it?"

With an intense and fervent look in his eyes, Qi Xie, without making an effort to lower his voice, commented, "Impressive."

The deck was crowded with people. Xie Wen Shi was still by the bucket, gazing at the fish. Song Ji Mo and the others all looked over in their direction, their expressions somewhat solemn.

"Hmm," responded Ying Li, nodding once before heading that way.

Shen Yao lightly arched an eyebrow, "What did the captain say to you?"

Only then did Ying Li realize her heart was pounding, "He said I was impressive."

Shen Yao thought to himself, 'Of course she's impressive, even more so than me.' He didn't feel overshadowed at all. Ying Li could play the piano, cook, play chess, and even fish! He wanted to ask her what else she could do and have her showcase it all, but feared others might get envious and want her attention. He felt incredibly torn inside.

Their boat sped towards the location where the whale was spotted.

The boat swayed gently. From a distance, they saw a mound-like protrusion on the sea surface. Before their excitement could take hold, closer to them another whale surfaced, lying in the water like a small island, gracefully meandering in the blue expanse.

"Two! There are two of them!"

"Three!"

"Damn, there's a smaller one beneath the big one."

Shrieks and screams echoed across the deck.

The cool, damp sea breeze whistled past their ears. Except for the sound of the wind, all other noises were muffled. Ying Li was beyond excited. It was his first time seeing whales in such proximity, a sight far more breathtaking than on any screen.

Li Chang Hong cautioned, "Don't get too close. We shouldn't disturb them."

For safety reasons, the boat halted. Everyone leaned over the railings, gazing into the distance. Perhaps sensing human presence, the young whale too surfaced for them to admire.

Two adults and a juvenile; three sperm whales rested calmly on the ocean surface.

The pure cries resonated across the sea. Water spouting from their blowholes turned into a fine mist, refracting the sunlight into dazzling rainbows, an ethereal sight.

"It's so beautiful."

"What incredible luck."

Ying Li whispered, "Are they a family?"

The smallest of the sperm whales was considerably tinier. The largest one swam protectively around the other two, seemingly guarding them.

He was merely talking to himself when he suddenly heard Song Ji Mo remark, "Perhaps, like humans, whales are monogamous. Whale ornaments typically symbolize love."

The boat began to sway more noticeably. Ying Li stumbled backward, brushing against someone unknowingly. As he turned, he met Qi Xie's eyes—deep, black, and luminous, gazing intently at him.

Startled, Ying Li quickly turned away.

Something dripped onto the nape of his neck. The cold liquid slid down his slightly raised spine, feeling as though an unseen hand was caressing him.

Reaching up, Ying Li touched the spot and found it was just a droplet of water.

Author's note:

It's not saliva! Definitely not!