Chapter 133: Side Story - Yan Qing & Zhan Wuyou (Part 2)
The passion subsided as night fully descended.
Zhan Wuyou lay sprawled on Yan Qing's body, his fingertips tingling with lingering pleasure.
Yan Qing held him close, occasionally pressing kisses to the top of his head.
"It's all sweat," Zhan Wuyou shrank back slightly, trying to stop Yan Qing's endless kisses.
But the man seemed determined to oppose him, tightening his grip and planting two even firmer kisses before declaring earnestly, "You smell good!"
Zhan Wuyou couldn't help but laugh. "Since when did you become so shameless? You weren't like this when we first met."
Yan Qing kissed his head again and asked, reminiscing, "What was I like back then?"
Zhan Wuyou traced idle circles on Yan Qing's increasingly well-defined pectoral muscles with his tingling fingers. "Back then, Master Yan was so imposing. You'd kick me out right after finishing and even wanted to beat me up to avenge Su Xiaoyan."
Zhan Wuyou remembered it all too clearly!
One could say he held quite the grudge.
Yan Qing kissed his fingers and coaxed softly, "Want to hit me back?"
"No. Hurting you would only hurt my heart," Zhan Wuyou quipped playfully before rolling off Yan Qing and sprawling out on the bed like a starfish. After a moment, he rubbed his stomach. "I'm hungry."
The only thing he'd eaten all day was a small sandwich before boarding the plane, the rest had been... well, a certain someone's "protein."
Yan Qing got up swiftly, helped Zhan Wuyou into his clothes, and pulled him out of bed. "The kitchen has food ready. Let's—"
"Let's go for a barbecue," Zhan Wuyou interrupted, standing up. "I saw a grill by the shore. I'll cook something delicious for you."
Yan Qing hesitated briefly.
His planned proposal spot was on the beach. The area from the shore to about a hundred meters into the sea was already set up with small mechanisms and decorations.
Though it was dark, Zhan Wuyou's sharp eyes might notice.
But then again, proposals were all about surprise. Proposing on their first day on the island would certainly be unexpected!
"Alright," he agreed. "It's windy by the sea. Grab a jacket."
Yan Qing turned around, a little nervous as he retrieved the engagement ring hidden in the pocket of the changing room.
Zhan Wuyou glanced outside and raised an eyebrow.
The island's average temperature was around 28°C. Even at night, it wasn't cold enough for a jacket.
Yan Qing draped the thin jacket over his wrist.
Since Zhan Wuyou refused to wear it and Yan Qing found it too warm himself, the jacket which was originally just an excuse to fetch the ring, ended up temporarily residing on Yan Qing's arm.
Zhan Wuyou strolled barefoot across the fine sand and plopped onto a lounge chair, waving at Yan Qing. "Go pick whatever you want to eat."
The grill had been set up earlier that afternoon.
Perhaps inspired by their last barbecue, the butler had arranged a row of refrigerators near the shore, each neatly stocked with ingredients - seafood, meat, vegetables.
It was so well-prepared they could practically open a barbecue stall.
"Please have some porridge first," the butler offered, handing Zhan Wuyou a bowl.
Zhan Wuyou thanked him and downed half the bowl in one go. Once his stomach was somewhat settled, he called out to Yan Qing, who was standing by the fridge, "Grab me an eggplant, a big one."
Yan Qing selected a variety of their favorite ingredients, including the eggplant, and brought them over.
"The butler really went all out," Zhan Wuyou remarked, sitting up from the lounge chair. He took the silver tray from Yan Qing and ambled over to the grill. At a glance, he couldn't help but praise, "This is professional. We could even start a night stall someday! Might be a huge hit."
Yan Qing chuckled. "We’ll do it as soon as we’re back. Where do you want to set up?"
Zhan Wuyou joked, "Right in front of Yan Corporation. Every employee has to buy a skewer before leaving, no purchase, no clocking out!"
Yan Qing played along. "Deal. The top spender gets a bonus. Those who don’t buy stay and work overtime!"
Zhan Wuyou looked at him. "And what about you?"
Yan Qing grinned. "I’ll be the one winning the bonus every day."
The "bonus-winning" Master Yan was once again amazed by Chef Zhan's skills. The small silver tray of food wasn’t nearly enough. Seeing Yan Qing eyeing his eggplant, Zhan Wuyou generously gave him half.
Even after finishing it, Yan Qing was still hungry and asked a maid to prepare a bowl of fried rice.
Zhan Wuyou, with his smaller appetite, dozed on the lounge chair while Yan Qing ate.
The sea breeze carried the scent of flowers, brushing against his face with a cool touch.
Stretching his legs lazily, he suddenly felt a warm hand wrap around his ankle.
Having finished his meal, Yan Qing held onto his foot and said in a low voice, "I’ve prepared a small boat. There’s a jellyfish swarm passing nearby. Want to see?"
Zhan Wuyou was quite comfortable lying down and wasn’t keen on moving.
But when he lifted his gaze and saw the faint tension in Yan Qing’s handsome face...
Is he... nervous?
Zhan Wuyou sat up and, after a moment’s thought, obliged. "Sure."
Yan Qing visibly relaxed.
Zhan Wuyou’s eyes darted around mischievously.
Yan Qing had been acting suspicious all day, was this why?
Come to think of it, in both their lifetimes combined, they’d never had a truly romantic moment.
The man’s current behavior suggested he was planning something big.
And Zhan Wuyou was more than happy to give him the opportunity.
Yan Qing’s so-called "small boat" turned out to be an incredibly rustic wooden dinghy, the kind often seen in TV dramas set in Jiangnan water towns for lotus picking.
The boat might’ve been intentionally downsized, it was so cramped they could barely sit side by side.
Not that Yan Qing had the chance to sit.
The boat required manual rowing.
Yan Qing stood at the front, pushing the boat forward with a pole, while Zhan Wuyou sat at the back and watched.
As he watched, Zhan Wuyou began to appreciate the sight.
Yan Qing’s figure was striking. Even holding a simple boat pole didn’t diminish his handsomeness. Every time he pushed the pole, the muscles in his arms flexed into a well-defined shape, making Zhan Wuyou swallow hard.
Yan Qing must’ve practiced beforehand, he handled the pole with surprising ease.
As they drifted farther from shore, the jellyfish swarm Yan Qing mentioned gradually came into view.
Like unique fluorescent flowers, they floated on the water’s surface, emitting a soft blue glow that dotted the night sea.
Ripples made them sway gently.
Zhan Wuyou leaned closer.
"Don’t touch them," Yan Qing warned as Zhan Wuyou reached out. "They’re poisonous."
"So beautiful," Zhan Wuyou murmured, gazing at the glowing blue jellyfish.
Seeing him engrossed, Yan Qing set down the pole and reached into his pocket for the ring.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled it out and held it in his palm.
He moved carefully toward Zhan Wuyou, who was still leaning over the water. The boat rocked slightly with his steps.
Just as Yan Qing was about to kneel on one knee, and the boat’s swaying intensified, Zhan Wuyou suddenly turned his head. "Are you proposing?"
Yan Qing froze mid-kneel, caught off guard by the blunt question.
Zhan Wuyou’s eyes widened in surprise. "You really are proposing?!"
Yan Qing desperately wanted to kiss that mouth shut.
But seeing Zhan Wuyou’s stunned, round eyes, his earlier nervousness inexplicably faded.
His half-lowered knee completed its descent.
He held out the ring.
Onshore, the butler, who’d been watching intently, wiped his sweaty palms.
The binoculars in his hands were damp with perspiration. Through the lenses, he saw Master Yan finally kneel and immediately signaled the crew.
In an instant, countless fireworks shot up from the beach, exploding in the sky with dazzling colors that illuminated the entire island.
Meanwhile, the once-calm sea began to glow.
Bright red lights spelled out not a heart or the word "LOVE," but sharp, angular characters radiating strength.
At a glance, Zhan Wuyou only recognized his own name.
The fireworks continued to light up the shore, their booms echoing across the water as reflections danced on the waves.
"Wuyou," Yan Qing’s deep, magnetic voice cut through the noise.
Zhan Wuyou’s fingers clenched slightly, wrinkling a small patch of his clothes.
Amidst the fireworks, Yan Qing gazed at him and, perhaps sensing Zhan Wuyou’s tension, suddenly chuckled. "I never thought this day would come."
Zhan Wuyou’s throat tightened, but he kept his voice steady. "What day?"
"The day I’d fear your rejection," Yan Qing admitted before leaning in and decisively sliding the ring onto Zhan Wuyou’s finger. He then clasped his hand tightly, refusing to let him remove it. "Will you marry me?"
"..." Zhan Wuyou paused before asking, seemingly out of nowhere, "What do the lights spell?"
Yan Qing cleared his throat. "'Head of the Household: Zhan Wuyou.'"
Zhan Wuyou’s beautiful eyes widened before crinkling into crescents. He gripped Yan Qing’s hand and declared cheerfully, "I’ll marry you!"
-End-