The victor is king, the loser a bandit.
After a fierce and brutal struggle, it was ultimately Song Qiuyu, Jiang Xiao, and Xia Qi’s team that claimed victory.
The evening wind rustled through the coconut trees along the seaside, sweeping past countless young women.
Their fluttering hair and skirts were more enchanting than a garden of flowers in bloom.
The beach remained lively all along.
After the battle, everyone put aside their differences.
They rested for a short while before leaving the sand behind and immediately heading into the water to play.
Those who could swim dove right in, while those who couldn’t slipped on floaties.
There were also those who had brought their boyfriends, receiving one-on-one special tutoring.
However, there were some exceptions too.
Jiang Yu couldn’t swim.
Sang Tian, on the other hand, could.
She held his hands, teaching him gently and patiently.
The more she taught, the redder the young boy’s face became, the atmosphere growing more and more delicate.
Pale and tender, as far as the eye could see—it was all temptation and pressure a boy his age shouldn’t have to bear.
He was about to explode.
A wisp of hot wind blew past, carrying the aroma of food from the beachside stalls, stirring up ripples, big and small, in many hearts.
“Mmm, that smells so good…”
Song Qiuyu poked her head out of the water, taking a deep breath.
Her saliva glands kicked into overdrive, and she couldn’t hear a word Jiang Xiao was saying.
Her nose twitched slightly as her gaze followed the source of the scent.
Ah.
It was the seafood barbecue stand!
“Wanna grab some barbecue?”
She actually heard him say that.
“Mm!”
Song Qiuyu nodded, eager to get out of the water.
But Jiang Xiao’s hand clamped down on her pale, delicate ankle.
“Learn to swim properly first. No passing, no leaving, no eating.”
Jiang Xiao, the instructor, was online!.jpg
“Oh…”
Song Qiuyu pretended to be obedient and nodded.
Then she blinked, trying to change her fate with a little pout. “But Jiang Xiao, baby’s tummy is growling~”
As expected, her attempt failed.
She was forced to continue learning to swim, while everyone else quickly finished up and headed ashore to rent a grill.
“If you want to finish faster, you need to be more serious, Xi’er.”
Watching his girlfriend swim listlessly, like a Magikarp slapping the water, Jiang Xiao found it both amusing and exasperating.
He clenched his fist and lightly tapped her little head. Then he saw her kick backward with one fair, jade-like calf, the thin sole of her foot aimed right at his face. Salty, fishy seawater splashed up, and under the glow of the setting sun, it shattered into a thousand rays of red light, glittering brightly.
Stunned, Jiang Xiao caught most of the water with his face. As it dripped down, his pupils contracted slightly.
“I was just being careless. I didn’t do it on purpose, you know.”
His girlfriend pouted deliberately, defending herself in a soft, sticky, sweet voice.
“You know, swimming moves are just this big! It’s totally normal for a coach to get splashed in the face!”
She spoke as if she had firsthand experience, her tone far too certain.
“…”
Jiang Xiao chuckled dryly.
As if he couldn’t tell whether Jia’er was being careless or doing it on purpose.
He stared at her delicate little feet, still kicking the seawater, deliberately splashing his face.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Jiang Xiao, I think I’ve got it down.”
As she moved, her swim trunks and bikini stretched taut, outlining her alluring curves perfectly.
“Probably.”
Jiang Xiao thought for a moment, then gave a helpless smile and let her off.
Back on the shore, after drying off, Song Qiuyu marched straight for the grill they had already rented, quickly joining the team preparing the ingredients.
Jiang Xiao followed close beside her.
However, since the seafood allergy was deeply ingrained in the Jiang family’s DNA, they had their own separate grill.
Everyone helped each other out, and someone would occasionally lament the Jiang family’s tragic fate of never being able to taste seafood.
The Jiang family members were deeply resentful, but no one said a word.
Still, they had developed a certain prejudice against the people around the other grills.
Jiang Li and Jiang Yu were probably the only two rebellious members of the Jiang family.
Both of them tacitly wanted to try helping out at the other grills.
But Xie Zhuran and Sang Tian simply didn’t refuse their kindness.
However, Jiang Xiao stepped in and stopped them in time.
After all this back and forth, the fact that Jiang Li and Jiang Yu were secretly dating their brother’s friends was discovered by a few sharp-eyed Jiang family members.
But those family members knew how to keep their mouths shut.
They held it in, planning to bring it up only after they returned home.
Once they got back from Hawaii, Jiang Li would have to return to school early, and Jiang Yu had his cram school to attend.
With Jiang Xiao and his cousin right in front of them as failed examples of discipline, they had to be even more cautious.
After working for quite a while, the red sun had already set to the west, but the beach was anything but quiet.
If anything, it was even livelier than it had been during the day.
The food on the grills was almost ready to eat.
“Jiang Xiao, Jiang Xiao! This smells so good! Want some?”
Song Qiuyu picked up a freshly grilled skewer of squid, ran over to Jiang Xiao, and waved it in front of his face.
“You know I can’t eat this.”
Jiang Xiao let out an exasperated laugh.
“Oh, right. Well, more for me!”
Song Qiuyu giggled.
“No, you can’t eat it either!”
Jiang Xiao snatched the skewer away.
“You’re the one allergic to seafood, not me. Give it back! Or I’ll yell that you’re bullying me!”
Song Qiuyu tilted her chin up slightly, signaling she was about to use the advantage of being a girl.
“You’re right, I’m the one allergic. So that means you can’t eat it.”
Jiang Xiao sighed.
“Why not?”
Song Qiuyu was confused.
“Come closer, let me tell you.”
Jiang Xiao beckoned her over.
Seeing this, Song Qiuyu looked at him suspiciously for a moment.
After hesitating for a bit, she finally obediently leaned in with her ear.
Jiang Xiao lowered his voice and said, “If you eat seafood, how am I supposed to kiss you?”
Song Qiuyu covered her reddened little ear and quickly took two steps back, her face flushed with embarrassment.
In a starless night, she was searching for stars.
Why hadn’t she thought of that?
“I’m just messing with you. Go ahead and eat.”
Jiang Xiao stepped forward, smiling as he held the squid skewer to her lips, gazing tenderly at her shy, conflicted expression.
“But…”
She bit her cherry-colored lips lightly, hesitating.
Seeing the grilled squid almost touching her lips, a flash of inspiration struck her.
She took the skewer, held it away, stood on her tiptoes, and, suppressing her embarrassment, gave Jiang Xiao a few quick pecks on the lips.
“Hehe, now I can eat seafood without worry!”
“Not enough.”
After being pecked like a woodpecker by his girlfriend, Jiang Xiao smiled and raised an eyebrow.
He cupped her burning hot face, ready to return the favor.
The next moment, they were nearly skewered into hedgehogs by the countless gazes around them!
Song Qiuyu’s mind was buzzing.
Oh no, she forgot they were on the beach! Surrounded by people! People they knew!!
What now? They all saw it!
Jiang Xiao scratched the back of his neck, somewhat flustered, but he instinctively shielded his girlfriend behind him.
“Alright, stop staring. Xi’er is shy.”
His seemingly protective words only made the onlookers laugh even louder, causing Song Qiuyu to want to flee on the spot.
She looked at the grilled squid skewer in her hand, remembering she was the one who started it by teasing Jiang Xiao.
She opened her mouth, took a bite, and held back her tears.
After a good round of teasing, they were finally left alone.
That night, the tourists on the beach partied like there was no tomorrow.
But considering a certain… condition, as soon as the appointed hour struck, not a single soul was left on the sand.
It was utterly silent.
On the way back to their room, Jiang Xiao held his girlfriend’s hand, reminiscing about everything they had experienced over the past year, a bright smile on his face.
They were truly together now. It was time for him to seriously think about those five wishes.
Suddenly, he saw her flash a mischievous grin.
She swayed his arm, pressed her soft body against his, blinked, and spoke in a soft, sweet voice:
“Jiang Xiao, how about we do something exciting before bed tonight?”
“Let’s take some borderline photos!”
“Oh?”
“I brought the camera too, you know. Want to take some? Wanna give it a try?”
“That doesn’t sound like a good idea.”
“What’s wrong with it? If you won’t take them, then I’ll just go find the big photographer?”
Song Qiuyu gave a soft hum.
“Mm…”
Jiang Xiao pondered for a moment, then tightened his grip on her boneless hand.
“Since Xi’er is saying this, I guess I’ll drop the act of being a gentleman.”
He smiled. “Let’s go. Back to the room. Let’s start shooting!”
Around the corner, Jiang Li overheard her brother and sister-in-law’s sweet conversation, a smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
Now, it was her and Jiang Yu’s turn to find their own happiness.
They wouldn’t fall behind her brother.
—END OF MAIN STORY.