Chapter 49: Seaside - May I Kiss You?

The summer night was still a bit cool. While He Guan in his suit didn't feel hot, the person coming to meet him wore only a black short-sleeved shirt and matching trousers, leaning against the car with eyes closed.

The elevator doors were about to close because He Guan was lost in thought. He quickly hit the open button and swiftly stepped out.

As he moved, the man leaning against the car sensed his approach and looked in his direction.

With swift strides, He Guan reached him, saying nothing.

Lou Dongzang: "Why are you silent? Upset?"

He Guan: "...No."

He Guan just wondered... if Lou Dongzang could recognize someone by their footsteps.

It seemed he did.

Lou Dongzang: "Can we hug?"

Without hesitation, He Guan took a step forward and held him tightly.

"Aren't you cold?"

"No."

"How did you get here? Did the driver bring you? Did you call the driver? Why didn't he tell me?"

"I told him not to. If he had, it wouldn't have been a surprise."

He Guan was silent for a moment before saying, "I would have hugged you even if you'd told me. You could have said something."

Lou Dongzang: "Hmm? Is today my lucky day?"

He Guan: "It's the first time someone has picked me up after work. I'm happy."

Lou Dongzang wrapped his arms around He Guan's waist: "But I wanted to surprise you. What if I come every day?"

He Guan: "That won't work. It'll become the talk of the company group chat every day."

Lou Dongzang, slightly disappointed: "You don't want people to know?"

He Guan: "It's not that I don't want them to; there's just no need. Some gossipy folks can't keep their mouths shut."

Lou Dongzang gently nuzzled He Guan, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

He Guan, leaning into him with his eyes closed: "No one shooed you away?"

Being with Lou Dongzang made He Guan instinctively feel at home. He didn’t feel the need to be on guard; he was just himself.

Lou Dongzang: "Would anyone dare?"

He Guan: "There are patrolling security guards. We might've just been lucky not to bump into one. If they saw you, they might've asked for an ID badge."

Lou Dongzang: "On this floor?"

He Guan: "Yes, after all, it's an entertainment company. A celebrity getting caught by a journalist wouldn’t be good."

Lou Dongzang: "I've been here for about fifteen minutes, and apart from you and the driver, I haven't heard anyone else."

He Guan: "Oh..."

As they were speaking, they saw someone walking down from the entrance of the underground parking lot. It looked like a security guard, albeit a bit late than usual.

When He Guan approached and asked, he learned that they were installing facial recognition today. The guard had been out inputting photos in the security room and had taken longer due to unfamiliarity with the computer system.

After the last incident where He Guan was mistaken for someone else, the company immediately ordered facial recognition devices. The system was installed today, showcasing impressive efficiency.

After greeting the security guard, they drove off.

Throughout the journey, He Guan never let go of Lou Dongzang's hand.

He Guan: "Let me lean on you for a while."

This was the first time He Guan had shown a conscious intent to be closer to Lou Dongzang when fully awake. Lou Dongzang wouldn't dream of refusing.

He Guan felt the tension in Lou Dongzang's shoulder muscles and laughed, "Why so nervous?"

Lou Dongzang: "I just want to make sure you're comfortable. I wasn’t sure about the height."

He Guan: "Choose from below... Yes, that's it, right, right... Perfect."

With Du Junyan in the car, the two had little to discuss. Leaning back, He Guan soon drifted off to sleep.

The top of his head felt fuzzy against Lou Dongzang's ear. His breathing was steady, his body rising and falling in sleep, looking unusually soft and relaxed against Lou Dongzang.

Lou Dongzang turned his head and gently kissed He Guan's hair.

He Guan was only awakened by a shout when they reached his home.

Groggily, he mumbled, "Huh? What happened? Oh, we're home..."

He Guan ruffled his hair, lazily nudging Lou Dongzang, "Time to get up, Old Lou."

Lou Dongzang's voice, closer than ever, said with a chuckle, "You were the one asleep, why do I need to wake up?"

The comment was soft and suggestive, and He Guan wished he hadn't understood.

But he certainly had.

Yet, He Guan wasn't sure if it was intentional on Lou Dongzang's part.

He Guan: "Let's get out of the car and have dinner. What would you like?"

Glancing at his watch, he said, "It's half-past six. How about some soup?"

They both exited the car.

As summer approached, the evening sea breeze was refreshingly cool. Soon, when summer truly arrives, the wind will turn muggy, making now the perfect time for a beach stroll.

Looking downhill from here, they could see the bustling beach below, with the tantalizing scent of barbeque wafting up, almost as if by illusion.

Lou Dongzang, feeling the breeze, remarked, "Didn't you mention taking me to the sea?"

He Guan: "How about today?"

Lou Dongzang: "Sounds good."

He Guan was overjoyed, exclaiming excitedly, "We can finally go out! Woohoo!"

Lou Dongzang followed a few steps behind, and after a moment said, "I'm sorry."

He Guan, not catching the comment, turned back and asked, "What was that?"

Lou Dongzang: "I said I'm sorry."

I'm sorry, for keeping you cooped up for so long.

When relaxed, fingers naturally curl. He Guan slid a finger into Lou Dongzang's curled hand, hooking it gently and giving it a light swing.

He Guan drawled, "How curious."

Lou Dongzang: "Hmm?"

He Guan: "Aren't I dating the man standing before me? Why does he keep apologizing?"

Lou Dongzang quickly caught on to his train of thought: "...It's his first time being in love. He's not sure how to handle it now."

He Guan felt worse knowing that Lou Dongzang couldn't even enjoy the simple pleasures, like going out whenever he wished.

As he spoke, a faint sweat appeared in Lou Dongzang's palm, and he contemplated letting go of He Guan's hand.

Afraid he'd feel it.

He Guan curled a finger, hooking onto two of Lou Dongzang's, holding them tighter: "I've only been with you for a short while, less than two months. I've lived for over twenty years; a bit longer won't matter."

His laughter, carried by the sea breeze, floated into Lou Dongzang's ears.

"Stop apologizing."

"Although I don't fully understand, dating should at least bring joy, not perpetual sadness."

"Recently, I haven't been out much, mainly due to work."

"I took on the work, and I signed the contracts. Why are you the one apologizing?"

"That's nonsense."

"Instead of this, you should be pondering what to wear tonight."

He Guan moved closer, opened his hand, and intertwined it with Lou Dongzang's, saying, "Let's go see what uncle has prepared. I'm so hungry..."

Lou Dongzang was led by him up the steps, through the main doors, and straight into the heart of Dongzang Garden.

He longed to kiss him.

*

On a summer evening, the sky was a deep blue.

With longer days and shorter nights, plus artificial lighting everywhere, there's a lingering hint of daylight, casting a soft blue hue from the sky.

He Guan, wearing flip-flops and beach shorts, strolled along the seaside path.

Hand in hand with someone.

Du Junyan drove them nearby, and He Guan suggested he take a walk too. He led Lou Dongzang to the beach.

It was rare for He Guan to wander around this area. Everything looked fascinating. As he observed, he commented to the man beside him, "They're selling bubble machines..."

Lou Dongzang: "Bubble machines?"

He Guan remarked, "Ah, for blowing bubbles. There are so many new models now. Just press it twice and a stream comes out. I want one too..."

Lou Dongzang had already heard the vendor's call for the bubble machines and began pulling him in that direction, saying, "Let's buy one."

He Guan stopped him, "Wait, I only have one free hand now and later I want to play in the water. I'd prefer that over the bubble machine. I was just saying... Let's buy it on our way back."

He led Lou Dongzang towards the beach, saying, "I heard there are bioluminescent plankton these days, but I haven’t seen them yet..."

Lou Dongzang inquired, "Bioluminescent plankton, you mean?"

He Guan confirmed, "Exactly!"

Guiding Lou Dongzang further, he started to walk faster down the path, almost sprinting towards the beach, exclaiming, "It seems they are here? I can see them... We’re so lucky, let's hurry..."

The beach was bustling. Amidst the noise and He Guan's sporadic sentences, Lou Dongzang found it hard to hear, calling out, "He Guan?"

He Guan responded urgently, "Huh?! What's wrong?!"

Lou Dongzang said, "I can't hear you properly."

He Guan advised, "Come closer! Hold on to me!"

As they neared the sea, the wind grew stronger, blowing He Guan's hair gracefully backwards, as if it could sweep away all one's worries.

Laughing heartily, He Guan exclaimed, "It’s too late to regret now. I want to go into the sea! Let’s go!"

Instead of responding, Lou Dongzang simply stayed close to him.

Then, a single step.

Together, they stepped into the slightly cool seawater.

Waves continuously rushed ashore, retreating swiftly, only to return again, caressing the beach. The edge of these incoming waves sparkled with layers of luminous blue light, captivating the onlookers.

The seawater collided with rocks, with tourists' hands, and with the legs of the two as they waded deeper.

He Guan, still holding onto Lou Dongzang, kept moving forward.

Only when they reached a deeper, less crowded spot did He Guan stop.

Using Lou Dongzang for support, he stepped onto a smooth rock, asking, "Lou Dongzang, have you ever seen this before?"

Occasionally, waves lapped at He Guan's feet and Lou Dongzang's knees.

Standing in the water, Lou Dongzang didn’t join He Guan on the rock.

Surrounded by a ring of shimmering blue light in the dark night, he shook his head, "I knew they were in Huaiyin, but I never went out of my way to see them."

In the summer, bioluminescent algae gather, illuminating with every wave.

The bluish-green seawater brought the algae ashore, before receding back into the sea. Then, swarms of the glowing algae would be rolled out by the waves, each exuding a unique luminescence of the same color.

Standing on the rock, elevated slightly above him, He Guan gazed endlessly into the distance, murmuring, “I want you to see this too... It's breathtaking...”

As He Guan tried to elaborate, he suddenly felt a chill on his chest.

It was the soft touch of someone against his chest.

The person asked, "Why?"

In an instant, all the adjectives that He Guan had in mind vanished without a trace.

He opened his mouth several times, but in the end, only managed to utter, "...because... because it's the exact hue of your eyes."

Almost identical, absolutely captivating.

The rock beneath He Guan's feet was a bit rough, pricking his soles. After standing for a while, he contemplated sitting down.

But he didn't get the chance.

Someone gently glided their hand from his forearm up to his shoulder, soon reaching his jaw, and lightly touched him.

"Are these... lips?"

It was as if asking:

May I kiss you?

Amidst the rhythmic lapping of the waves, He Guan remained silent for a prolonged moment.

After not receiving a response for quite some time, Lou Dongzang opened his eyes.

Those eyes, contrasting with the luminescent blue of the surrounding plankton, were as mesmerizing as those possessed by a mythical siren emerging from the sea. They looked at him in a calming, smiling manner, even though he couldn't see them.

There was a subtle movement beneath Lou Dongzang's hand.

—It was He Guan slightly parting his lips.

He Guan gently held onto his shoulder, grasped the hand he extended, and didn’t let go.

With the crashing waves, the bioluminescent algae illuminated the surroundings intermittently.

The teal-blue light revealed He Guan’s slightly awkward expression. He appeared bashful but persisted in uttering the word.

"...Yes."