Chapter 34 Under the Fireworks

Chapter 34 Beneath the Fireworks

Sea breeze, windmills, and a sandy beach—this is the kind of luxury reserved for a graduation trip.

Gu Shiying wanted to step onto the sand, but he was wearing sneakers.

There weren’t many people on the beach, so he glanced at Fu Huan. “Can I take off my shoes?”

Fu Huan replied, “Sure.”

Gu Shiying didn’t want to play alone; that would make him seem a bit childish.

He didn’t fuss about it, plopping down on the sand to take off his shoes. “You take yours off too. I’m not doing this alone.”

Fu Huan began removing his shoes and socks, placing them neatly beside Gu Shiying’s.

He joined Gu Shiying, walking barefoot on the sand.

The last time Gu Shiying had been to a beach was when he was very young, and his memories were hazy. The only thing he remembered was the sensation of his feet sinking into the soft sand.

He walked across the sand until he reached where the waves washed ashore. The water spread over his feet, making him shiver and duck his head.

Gu Shiying exclaimed, “Wow, the water’s so cold!”

Fu Huan said, “It’s not quite summer yet, and the weather hasn’t gotten very warm. Don’t stay in the water too long—you might catch a cold.”

Gu Shiying reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’ve got a strong immune system.”

Fu Huan laughed lightly, “Oh, really?”

Gu Shiying retorted, “That laugh sounds a bit skeptical.”

Fu Huan replied, “No, not at all. You’re very strong.”

Gu Shiying insisted, pointing at the ocean, “Then say it to the sea: ‘Gu Shiying is a tough guy!’”

Fu Huan teased, “You wouldn’t look good as a tough guy.”

Gu Shiying thought to himself, *Perfect. I’ve heard that gay tops don’t like muscular tough guys anyway.*

He kicked at the waves splashing over his feet and asked, “How would you know what I like?”

Fu Huan answered, “You like defined abs, lean muscle—not the protein-powder type. Probably something like my standard.”

Gu Shiying crouched down and tilted his head. “You’re so full of yourself.”

Fu Huan asked confidently, “Am I wrong?”

Gu Shiying laughed and splashed seawater at him. “Fu Huan, I really do admire your physique, but that doesn’t mean I won’t make you shout ‘Gu Shiying is a tough guy!’”

Fu Huan stepped forward, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled toward the ocean, “Gu Shiying is a tough guy!”

Gu Shiying was genuinely surprised that Fu Huan had no celebrity airs at all. He felt like he still didn’t know Fu Huan well enough.

He was thrilled to bits.

Gu Shiying never expected Fu Huan, who usually seemed so cool and detached, to actually shout toward the sea.

Fu Huan turned back and asked, “Satisfied?”

Gu Shiying nodded. “Very satisfied. Now I’ll shout something for you. What do you want me to yell?”

Fu Huan suddenly fell silent, just looking at Gu Shiying. Gu Shiying thought, *Oh no, I got too excited. What if he asks me to shout ‘I like you’? That would be the end.*

“May everything go well for us, and may we live long, healthy lives!”

Gu Shiying was stunned, staring blankly at Fu Huan. He realized his own mindset had been too narrow.

Fu Huan smiled. “What’s wrong? Is it too old-fashioned to shout?”

Gu Shiying replied, “No, I like your blessing. I just didn’t expect it.”

Fu Huan, unusually, urged him, “Hurry up and shout it.”

Gu Shiying stood up. “I’ll shout, I’ll shout. May everything go well for us, may we live long, healthy lives, and may everything get better and better!”

There was so much to do on the beach.

Gu Shiying captured dozens of shots at sunset. After finishing, he wanted to collect some shells to take back, but the tide began to rise, and the sky gradually darkened.

This wasn’t a popular tourist spot, so there weren’t many visitors. As darkness fell, the only lights came from the road; everywhere else was relatively dim.

He sighed regretfully, “Ah, no shells to collect now.”

Fu Huan, anticipating his disappointment, said, “We can come back tomorrow morning to watch the sunrise.”

“Sure, sure,” Gu Shiying agreed, then paused. “Watch the sunrise? So we’re not going back to school tonight?”

Fu Huan stated matter-of-factly, “It’d take over three hours to drive back. I’d be too tired—I don’t want to drive.”

Gu Shiying thought, *As if I don’t know what you’re up to.* “Then where are we staying tonight?”

Fu Huan replied, “I already booked a room at a nearby homestay.”

Gu Shiying marveled at his efficiency. “When did you book it?”

Fu Huan said, “On the way here.”

“You booked it pretty fast,” Gu Shiying remarked, tugging at his clothes. After playing around, he’d worked up a sweat—in winter, he could tolerate it, but in this weather, body odor was noticeable. “We didn’t bring any spare clothes.”

Fu Huan reassured him, “Don’t worry, I bought some.”

Gu Shiying remembered, “You already planned on not going back tonight before you went to the clothing store?”

Fu Huan didn’t want to admit that he’d decided to stay out in such a short time—he just wanted to spend more time with Gu Shiying.

“Mm. There’s a street near our homestay full of barbecue stalls.”

Gu Shiying noted, “You changed the subject pretty awkwardly.”

Fu Huan didn’t mind being called out. “There’s one barbecue place that’s really delicious. They also have incredibly authentic oyster omelets—soft, fragrant, and chewy.”

Gu Shiying was successfully tempted. “Alright, I’ll reluctantly condescend to stay one night.”

Fu Huan reached out and ruffled his hair. “Look at you, getting all tsundere. Let’s go, young master.”

Gu Shiying shot him a sidelong glance. “Don’t mess up my hair.”

Fu Huan didn’t detect any displeasure. “The sea breeze already messed it up. I’m just smoothing it out for you.”

Gu Shiying: "Sophistry."

Five minutes later, Fu Huan drove to a nearby B&B area, which was livelier than the windmill zone. There were indeed many B&Bs, likely converted from a fishing village, with a pier that was immediately visible along the shoreline.

The village was built by the sea, nestled into a mountain. The road they came from actually ran above the village, while the village itself lay below the road. Cars could drive right up to the B&B entrance.

However, upon arriving at the B&B, Gu Shiying received some disappointing news.

The owner apologized: "I'm so sorry, my husband made a mistake with the room type today. We’ve arranged a queen-bed room for you. Is that okay?"

Gu Shiying: "Don't you have any twin rooms?"

He didn’t mind sharing a room with Fu Huan, but sharing a bed was a different story—they shared a room, not a bed!

The owner apologized again: "There really aren’t any left. I’m terribly sorry. I can offer you a discount?"

Fu Huan: "Maybe we should try another B&B?"

The owner said: "It might be too late to switch now. We’re having a seaside fireworks event these days, and many tourists have come. The nearby rooms are probably all booked up."

Gu Shiying: "Should we just stay here then?"

Fu Huan actually wanted to change rooms more than Gu Shiying did—he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself.

Ever since realizing he had feelings for Gu Shiying, his desire had grown stronger each day. He’d even rented an apartment elsewhere. Whenever weekends came and their other two roommates were away, he’d choose to stay outside, afraid he wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to get closer to Gu Shiying.

He’d thought sharing a room with two separate beds would be manageable, but he never expected the host to mix up the room type.

Fu Huan: "If you’re okay with it, then it’s fine."

Gu Shiying could only tough it out: "We’re both grown men. What’s the big deal about sharing a bed? It’s just one night."

It was painful to know about Fu Huan’s feelings for him but not be able to acknowledge it openly.

And so, the two of them ended up sharing a queen-bed room.

Gu Shiying pretended not to care: "Wanna get food first?"

Fu Huan: "The fireworks on the beach start at 7. There’s still half an hour to go."

Gu Shiying: "How about we watch the fireworks first and then eat?"

When they arrived earlier, the whole village was all lit up, creating a very artistic atmosphere. He could also get more shots.

Fu Huan sat on the sofa, his mind was racing. In a spot where Gu Shiying couldn’t see, his fingers dug into the already worn-out leather sofa. He wasn’t afraid of sharing a room with Gu Shiying—he was excited, and he was struggling to control himself.

He stood up as soon as he sat down: "Let’s go out now. You can capture more nighttime footage."

Gu Shiying raised an eyebrow: "You know me pretty well?"

Fu Huan smiled. He’d been observing Gu Shiying for a long time—of course he understood him.

While looking for a parking spot, he noticed how fascinated Gu Shiying was with the place, his eyes sparkling as he gazed out the car window. In that moment, he thought, no matter how long it took for Gu Shiying to like him back, he was willing to wait—even if it took a lifetime.

"Let’s go. If we go early, we can get a spot in the front."

"Sure." Gu Shiying agreed readily, even stepping ahead of Fu Huan toward the door. As he turned his back, he let out a deep, quiet sigh.

The room wasn’t very big, and with both of them standing there, it felt awkward. Even if he was slow to pick up on things, he could see the affection and adoration in Fu Huan’s eyes when he looked at him.

Fu Huan had no idea how obvious his gaze was.

Could they really share a bed tonight? The bed wasn’t even a queen—it was a full-size bed, just 1.5 meters wide. How could two people sleep without turning over? If one turned, they’d end up face to face. Maybe he should just stay up all night—after all, they had to wake up early tomorrow to watch the sunrise anyway.

Even before the fireworks show began, the beach was already crowded. The beach wasn’t large, and with everyone gathered in one area, it felt really crowded.

Gu Shiying and Fu Huan avoided the crowd and found a less crowded spot to stand, though they were still only a short distance from others. If anyone behind them stepped back, they’d bump into them—there were just too many people.

At exactly 7 o’clock, fireworks shot up over the sea—ones Gu Shiying had never seen before.

He used his phone to capture the moments the fireworks soared, exploded, and bloomed.

Fu Huan stood behind him, also recording with his phone. He was capturing the smile on Gu Shiying’s face—a smile more dazzling than the fireworks.

Gu Shiying gazed up at the star-like fireworks in the night sky: "So beautiful!"

Fu Huan agreed, his eyes fixed on Gu Shiying’s profile, illuminated even brighter by the fireworks. He only glanced briefly at the sparkling night sky above them.

He said: "It really is beautiful."

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A massive firework suddenly burst into the sky. A girl in front of them jumped excitedly: "Honey, look, it’s so pretty! Piggyback me!"

The woman made the request suddenly, and the man immediately crouched down to carry her.

The sudden movement caused Gu Shiying to step back. There was a hole in the sand behind him, dug by who knows who, and he stumbled backward. Fu Huan quickly steadied him.

As Fu Huan’s warm hand gripped him, Gu Shiying’s heart skipped a beat.

"Gu Shiying, I hope you like me."

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Author's Note:

Fu Huan: [hugs][hugs][hugs]

Gu Shiying: Huh? Not thinking about sleeping together tonight?

--

Hey, I've posted that new story idea I mentioned earlier. If you like it, go ahead and bookmark it, mwah!

"Arriving Here from the Republic of China"

Jiang Yicen arrived here from the Republic of China era, after a very long journey.

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This is a story about a bottom from the Republic of China era who time-travels to the modern era and meets a top.

Marriage before love.

- I'll post the full summary later~