“What a beautiful beach.”
“Your phone has a good camera, take a picture.”
“Got it.”
“Send it to the group chat later.”
It was autumn. Although not many people would suddenly decide to come to the seaside, the sunlight today seemed quite pleasant.
It wasn’t completely cloudless—there were even a few gray clouds drifting slowly in the distance—but no matter how you looked at it, this moment was bathed in just the right amount of sunshine.
A rented sun umbrella was planted firmly into the sand, next to a laid-out beach mat.
Liu Xie adjusted her loose long hair to make sure it was evenly spread before lying down on the mat.
Next to her, on another beach mat shaded by the same umbrella, Ye Qingchang held a book and gazed out at the sea.
Liu Xie didn’t quite understand the habits of cultured types. Intellectuals always seemed to have odd, particular demands about their surroundings.
Just like she didn’t understand why one had to watch the sea under moonlight, she still couldn’t see why certain books had to be read by the seaside.
The only sea-related book she vaguely remembered was one from her childhood—her family had forced her to finish it when she was little.
It was something like Lu Mingfei’s Father and the Sea.
But somehow, that felt off.
Liu Xie frowned, unable to figure out what exactly was wrong. The headache from her hangover surged again, so she decisively flopped onto the beach mat, ready to get some good rest.
Ye Qingchang glanced at the sleeping Liu Xie, then at the sea in front of her, before lowering her head to look at the open book.
Finally, she casually shifted her position, turning to face a different direction.
Not far away on the beach, Xiao Yian was lounging on a beach chair under another umbrella, also holding a book.
The Last Summer of Clinsaur.
The same book Ye Qingchang was holding.
She might question Xiao Yian’s standing in matters of love—he might forever be an incompetent strategist.
But at least the guy had decent literary taste.
And she was pretty sure that once she turned around, he would be peeking at her again, just as he had before she changed direction.
But in reality, Xiao Yian didn’t glance at her once.
Just as she was thinking this, a couple of startled exclamations came from beside her ear. Turning her head, she was hit squarely in the forehead by a small ball.
Looking up, past Gou Yu who had walked over, Ye Qingchang locked eyes on Zhu Niao, who was standing with her arm around Yang Shuli’s shoulder, pointing grandly toward the sea.
No doubt, that ball had come from Zhu Niao, and Gou Yu was the one retrieving it.
Poor Gou Yu.
Ye Qingchang shook her head.
But what if Gou Yu actually enjoyed this?
She didn’t place the ball into Gou Yu’s outstretched palm. Instead, she used a bookmark to mark the page she was reading, carefully set the book down on the beach mat, and then picked up the ball, heading straight toward Zhu Niao.
She walked up behind Zhu Niao and gently tapped her right shoulder, then quietly stood just behind her on the right.
Zhu Niao shuddered all over, then suddenly whipped her head to the left: “Haha, tapping my right shoulder hoping to make me show a weakness on the left? You’re still too naïve, Third Sister…”
When she saw that her left side was completely empty, she seemed to suddenly realize something.
Then, Ye Qingchang’s deliberately thrown ball struck the back of Zhu Niao’s head, bouncing up and hitting Yang Shuli’s head nearby before falling to the ground.
Two pained yowls sounded—Tom Cat-like cries—with Zhu Niao’s scream the loudest.
“Actually, just now we were simulating a battle. I was using the city defense cannon to destroy the dorm leader’s castle,” Zhu Niao offered a slight explanation, “I just accidentally threw it off target.”
Ye Qingchang looked around and asked, “Where’s your castle? I didn’t see any.”
Zhu Niao pointed behind Ye Qingchang: “You stepped on the dorm leader’s castle when you walked over here just now.”
“I thought it was a speed bump,” Ye Qingchang said, looking at Zhu Niao. “What about yours?”
Zhu Niao pointed to a small but well-formed sandcastle a little distance away.
“That one is…”
Before she finished, Ye Qingchang picked up the ball that had fallen on the ground and accurately smashed the sandcastle.
“That’s Gou Yu’s,” Zhu Niao said with a mischievous smile. “Didn’t expect that, huh? I knew you wouldn’t let me off so easily. You just made one wrong move, Third Sister.”
“If I dare to make a move, I’m absolutely going to win.”
Ye Qingchang pointed toward Gou Yu’s direction.
Zhu Niao saw that after witnessing her sandcastle’s downfall, Gou Yu charged toward the only remaining castle—the one belonging to Zhu Niao herself—like an advancing giant.
“No—!”
The little bird’s sandcastle crumbled into a pile of loose sand, leaving Zhu Niao with a face full of grief.
Gou Yu, having just destroyed the little bird’s sandcastle, seemed utterly relieved and began taunting Zhu Niao outright.
Ye Qingchang, feeling no interest in the bickering between these two, turned around decisively and left.
Without paying attention, she accidentally stepped on the castle Yang Shuli had been trying to rebuild once again.
Looking down and pausing for a moment, Ye Qingchang pretended not to notice. Beside her, Xu Nian timed it perfectly and popped a lollipop into Yang Shuli’s mouth, quieting him.
Elsewhere, Zhu Niao headbutted Gou Yu’s chest: “You dog!”
“You’re no better than me!” Gou Yu stepped back two paces, then bent over to headbutt Zhu Niao back. “You go first.”
Zhu Niao was momentarily speechless but still tried to argue: “Honestly, if you’re a dog, not many buddies would accept that.”
“Oh?” Gou Yu raised an eyebrow. “You’re the first to challenge me in this field.”
The little bird sneered, tugging her black skirt down slightly to prepare for the next move. “Make sure you understand—you’re the challenger here.”
Then the two of them simultaneously collapsed onto the sand, digging holes in the dirt like two wild dogs.
Ye Qingchang, sitting under the shade on her beach mat, glanced at them coolly before raising her book higher to cover her face.
Forgive her, but she found this all too embarrassing.
Watching the sand fly as the two dug furiously, Ye Qingchang suddenly felt restless.
Especially with Yang Shuli, now pacified by Xu Nian, cheering on the evidently struggling Zhu Niao.
She couldn’t stay here any longer. She might get mistaken as part of this embarrassing group.
After a moment’s thought, she covered Liu Xie’s face—who was still sleeping beside her—with her book, then decided to get up and go to the small shop by the sea to buy some drinks.
She quietly slipped away without anyone noticing.
After walking for two or three minutes, Ye Qingchang arrived at the small shop’s entrance, where there weren’t many people.
“Boss…”
Before she could finish speaking, a middle-aged woman wearing a sun hat suddenly turned her head.
“You should know Xiao An, right?” That was Xiao Yian’s aunt. “I have a favor to ask of you. Is that alright?”
The book is called Klingsor’s last summer.