As evening fell, the crimson sunset glow reflected on the sea. The azure water, the red clouds, and the golden sun looked like a magnificent oil painting.
The group began to head back.
They had been too busy having fun to fish, but the yacht's captain had already caught quite a few.
By the time the yacht docked, it was nearly dark. After changing their clothes, the group headed toward the hotel they had already booked.
There were plenty of hotels with ocean views in Dapeng.
All these arrangements had been made long in advance.
What was the point of a trip like this if you didn't stay the night?
It wouldn't be complete.
"Are you going back tonight?"
After hearing Lu Ming explain the plans, An Qingning's expression turned slightly unnatural. She sent a message to Lin Chu.
Lin Chu glanced at the message and froze for a second.
Then, a faint smile touched his lips.
"I'm not."
An Qingning glanced at him, her breathing growing slightly shallow as she gritted her teeth. "I... I have to go back tonight."
Seeing this message, Lin Chu glanced at her again before typing, "Then you should leave now."
'What a... total turn-off.'
'She's not just playing coy. She's deliberately trying to play games with me.'
"I... That's not it. I don't want us to just be a fling. I want a serious relationship. Do you get it?"
She pursed her lips, fingers flying as she typed and sent the message.
Lin Chu glanced at it, then tapped on her profile picture, went to her profile, and hit delete.
Smiling.
He gave her a little wave.
Bye-bye.
An Qingning didn't quite understand his gesture at first. But when she glanced down at her phone, she was shocked to discover that Lin Chu had deleted her.
Her: "..."
She was completely floored.
She tentatively sent a "?".
— You are no longer friends with this user.
Looking at Lin Chu sitting right next to her, An Qingning felt nervous and agitated, an inexplicable pressure mounting.
'I... I just said I wanted a serious relationship, and he deleted me?'
She took a deep breath.
She asked hesitantly, "So... I'll get out of the car now?"
Lin Chu pursed his lips in a smile and mouthed a single, harsh word at her: "Out."
Her: "..."
"Brother Ming, pull over. Someone wants to get out."
Lin Chu said to Lu Ming in the front seat.
Lu Ming was driving. He'd had a drink at lunch, but the alcohol had worn off by now, so there was no issue with him being behind the wheel.
"Hm?"
"Gotta take a leak?"
Lu Ming teased with a laugh, slowly reducing speed and pulling over to the side of the road.
Lin Chu jutted his chin at An Qingning. *We've stopped. Go on.*
An Qingning gave him a long, hard look, then opened the car door. A stubborn feeling still lingered in her heart as she got out, but she didn't close the door.
She was waiting for Lin Chu to stop her.
'Today was so much fun.'
'This lifestyle is amazing. It's what I've always dreamed of.'
'But...'
'If I don't test him a little, I just feel so insecure.'
Lin Chu climbed over into her seat, slammed the door shut with a THUD, hit the child lock, and said to the front, "Let's go, Brother Ming."
Huh?
Even Lu Ming was stunned.
"What are you doing?"
"She said she had to go back tonight, so I told her she should just leave now."
Lin Chu said with a nonchalant smile.
Lu Ming: "Uh..."
In disbelief, he rolled down the window and looked outside.
An Qingning stood there hugging her arms, a forlorn look in her eyes.
"You really have to go back?"
"Can't you stay?"
Lu Ming asked. Sometimes, this was a wingman's job. When a bro's frame clashed with a woman's frame and neither was willing to compromise, it was naturally up to the wingman to step in.
'Are they really just going to let her leave?'
'There's no need to be such a hardass about it.'
This gave An Qingning an out, but she didn't know what to say. Xiaolu, who was in the passenger seat, thought for a moment, opened her door, and got out to comfort her.
She was even kind enough to let An Qingning take the passenger seat.
Xiaolu, in turn, moved to the back seat.
Lin Chu watched the two of them "play peacemaker" but didn't say anything. After all, they meant well.
「A few minutes later.」
Lu Ming started the car again and drove off.
However, the atmosphere in the car had become a little awkward.
...
Lin Chu started chatting casually with Xiaolu. "Xiaolu, what do you do for work?"
She smiled. "I'm still in school. I'm a junior in college this year."
"Ohhh."
Lin Chu's eyes lit up. "I knew it! You had to be a student. You look like you're still in high school."
Xiaolu gave him a playful glare. "No, I don't!"
"If you have any cute classmates who are virtuous, gentle, and kind, be sure to introduce them to me."
Lin Chu said shamelessly.
Xiaolu rolled her eyes at him. She knew, of course, that he was deliberately trying to get a rise out of An Qingning, so she replied jokingly, "You can go find them yourself. I'm not playing matchmaker. What if you two break up later? Then I'd be the bad guy, wouldn't I?"
"Then you can just organize a get-together. We'll let things develop naturally from there."
"Any kind of outing works. Werewolf, escape rooms, board games, shopping, dinner, late-night snacks, crawfish..."
Lin Chu added with a grin.
Xiaolu: "..."
She gave a slight nod.
'It was an offer that was impossible to refuse.'
...
「Up front.」
Listening to all this, An Qingning still felt a sour knot in her stomach.
'What a complete bastard.'
'He's such an asshole.'
'Seriously? How could he say that right in front of me?'
'Doesn't he have even a shred of basic respect?'
"Alright, Brother Chu, lay off a bit. Seriously... there's no need for this. It's not that serious. It was just a little spat, don't try to piss her off on purpose."
"I booked the big room with the best view for you two tonight. You should enjoy it."
Lu Ming said with a smile, trying to smooth things over.
"Nah, you two can have it. I'm just stubborn like that, and honestly, I'm over it now. I appreciate you two trying to mediate, but I'm really done with this. It's just not fun anymore."
Lin Chu's tone was calm, and he even had a slight smile on his face as he spoke.
'In life, a lot of things are more about selection than effort.'
'That includes stuff like this.'
'A girl like An Qingning... even if I did sleep with her, she'd be nothing but drama. Better to cut her loose early.'
At that, An Qingning whipped her head around, her eyes wide as she stared at Lin Chu, feeling insulted all over again.
Truly insulted.
'How... how could he say something like that!'
'A moment ago, she'd still held on to a sliver of hope. If Lin Chu had just coaxed her a bit and put in a little more effort to win her over, perhaps she would have given in and started a relationship with him.'
'But...'
Taking a deep breath, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, she forced herself to look defiant. "Brother Ming, please pull over. I want to get out."
Lu Ming sighed and scratched his head. "There's a bus stop up ahead."
He pulled over when they reached the bus stop.
An Qingning opened the door, grabbed her bag, and got out.
Lu Ming drove a little ways, watching her in the rearview mirror. He saw her wiping away tears as she waited for the bus and couldn't help but turn to Lin Chu. "What was that all about? Man, you're cold. Seriously, you just ditched her like that?"
Leaning back in his seat, Lin Chu nodded.
"Stay away from idiots. They're bad luck."
"She wants to be a fucking beggar, but she wants to do it standing up. What the hell does she take me for?"
Lu Ming: "..."
"Alright, alright, forget about it. I know you just broke up and you're in a bad mood. So let her go. We'll find you another nice girl. We'll have Xiaolu introduce you to someone."
"The good girls... you gotta find them in college. Once they've been out in the real world for a year or two, they're all spoiled."
Lu Ming said with a sigh.
Hearing this, Xiaolu rolled her eyes, then looked at Lin Chu. "Brother Chu, what's your type?"
...
...