“Childhood friend? Don’t make it sound so serious. She was just the older girl next door,” Chen Yuan said, acutely aware of Jiang Yao’s mood. He knew how prone to jealousy she was. She’d grill him about a female upperclassman on Green Bubble, let alone a friend from the past. So he chose his words carefully to explain, “It’s just that I didn’t have many friends when I was little. We’d play badminton, or do our homework together in the study when no one was supervising.”

Chen Yuan lifted the full bucket of water, which CLANGED and BANGED as he set it on the ground.

Some of the water splashed out.

“My parents and her parents were good friends, so we were just sort of a package deal,” he added.

Jiang Yao listened in silence. It was a perfectly normal description, but to her…

…her mind automatically conjured up a scene:

…

Two adorable little kids were leaning over a desk, sharing the same stool, shoulder to shoulder, their heads touching.

They were diligently doing their homework, occasionally looking up to meet each other’s gaze.

Shyness would well up in their eyes, and they’d lower their heads, smiling foolishly.

‘Yuan, oh, Yuan, you have to study hard, okay? Only then can you grow up to earn lots of money and become an amazing adult.’

‘Ah… Rourou, I don’t want to grow up. I’d be happy just sitting here doing homework with you like this, forever and ever.’

‘Silly, you have to grow up to marry me!’

‘Ma-marry Rourou! Okay, I’ll definitely marry you when I grow up.’

‘Good boy, Yuan. Here… let me give your little cheek a kiss~’

…

Gag!

Goosebumps erupted all over Jiang Yao’s body, and she clenched her fists. She didn’t dare let her imagination run any further.

When she looked at Chen Yuan again, her eyes had suddenly turned reproachful. THUMP! Her fist landed on his shoulder.

“Doing homework together in the same study every day? Just how close were you two?”

“How is that close at all?” Chen Yuan looked at her in utter disbelief.

“Be honest. How long were you two close like that? How long have you known each other?!”

Jiang Yao anxiously bit her lip and couldn’t help but stomp her foot. An anxious look filled her eyes as she desperately waited for his answer.

This Rourou was nothing like the non-threatening Liu Tingyue. Her intuition told her this woman held a place in Chen Yuan’s heart.

The romance novels she’d read often emphasized things like “a guy’s unforgettable first love has a devastating impact,” and “I wish I had met you before anyone else ever moved your heart.”

In anime, the childhood friend was always a force to be reckoned with.

Besides, this Rourou was genuinely good-looking. Compared to herself, they were just two different types of beautiful.

In every respect, she was in a different league from Liu Tingyue.

“I think she moved in when I was four. Her dad was a teacher in the next county and got transferred here for a promotion. Then, when I was in middle school, her dad got transferred away again.”

“Four… five… six…” Jiang Yao counted on her fingers, nodding along. Suddenly, her brow furrowed. “You did homework together for ten years! And you still say you’re not childhood friends?!”

“Relationships aren’t always so clearly defined,” Chen Yuan said, waving his hand dismissively, not wanting to drag it on. “If we hadn’t run into her today, I would have completely forgotten she existed. Huh? Right, what was her name again? See, it’s only been a few minutes and I can’t even remember… heh.”

“Liar! Just keep pretending!”

Jiang Yao poked him in the stomach, and Chen Yuan let out a few shameless chuckles.

“Alright, Queen Yaoyao, we finally got a chance to go fishing today. Don’t be so upset.”

As he spoke, he used his fingers to push up the corners of Jiang Yao’s mouth, forcing a smile that looked worse than a crying face. His hands weren’t exactly clean after handling the seawater, and Jiang Yao could smell the salty, damp scent, but she didn’t push his hands away in disgust.

Instead, she made a funny face.

“I’ll let it go for now. We’ll talk about this when we get back.”

She mumbled under her breath. After some thought, she decided to do as Chen Yuan said and just enjoy the moment.

She temporarily pushed the unpleasant feelings to the back of her mind and started to ignore Ke Bing.

…

「The rocky shores of Sanya were, of course, stunningly beautiful.」 Standing on a slightly elevated cliff and looking into the distance, one could see majestic green mountains and countless birds circling over the sea.

The water was clear, the sand was white, and the waves surged. Dark clouds covered the sky, gathering in heavy clusters.

As time passed, the gloomy sky seemed to press down, and looking out toward the horizon, the sea and sky had merged into one.

Jiang Yao and Chen Yuan fished happily together. Under Chi Yu’s guidance, she became more and more proficient. Her casting and reeling looked so professional that people would believe her if she said she’d been fishing several times before.

Before long, she had caught a second fish, though this time it was a very small scorpionfish.

Jiang Yao gathered her courage and placed it in her palm, feeling its vibrant life force for a moment before finally releasing it back into the sea.

She kept catching fish one after another. ‘Beginner’s luck really is amazing,’ Chen Yuan thought. He, on the other hand, had caught nothing.

So, he came over to fish in Yaoyao’s spot, thinking it was a problem with the location.

And what do you know, a few minutes later, he also caught a scorpionfish, and it was palm-sized!

As he pulled on the line, he truly experienced how lively a sea fish could be—it was a completely different feeling from catching freshwater fish.

In two and a half hours, they had caught seven or eight fish, none of them small, filling up a little less than half the bucket.

When night fell, Jiang Yao rubbed her sore arm and put down her fishing rod, not planning to fish anymore.

Although they had been fishing for over two hours, a lot of that time was spent untangling the fishing line. During that time, Jiang Yao also dragged Chen Yuan to the very top of the rocky beach to take photos, getting several gorgeous solo pictures.

She stood on the cliff, striking cute and charming poses. Her expression was sweet, and her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled.

The sea breeze tousling her hair only added to her beauty.

They also took a lot of photos together.

Jiang Yao was especially satisfied with every single one, feeling that the raw photos were good enough to keep without any editing.

It was well worth the effort she’d put into her makeup, using all those bottles and jars. It was safe to say all her expectations for the trip had been met, and she was filled with joy.

Except… for the ridiculous encounter with that childhood friend, which had soured her mood at the beginning.

Jiang Yao actually had a lot she wanted to say to Chen Yuan, but just as they were about to leave, Ke Bing took the initiative to walk over, completely disrupting her plans.

…

“Looks like you two had a great haul today. The bucket’s almost half full!” Ke Bing said, holding her fishing rod and peeking into the bucket.

“Getting this much in just over two hours really isn’t easy. It seems Miss Jiang has a real talent for fishing,” Chi Yu remarked from the side.

“Haha, I’m just so-so.”

Hearing the praise, Jiang Yao felt a little smug.

On the surface, however, she remained modest.

“Did you guys not catch anything?” she asked.

“We got… one. But it was too small, so I let it go. The wind was too strong today, and the jig I brought was too light, so I couldn’t cast it very far.”

Ke Bing shook her head, looking regretful.

She had been fishing for a while now, having picked up the hobby ever since moving to Sanya.

Misjudging the evening wind was indeed a big mistake.

Just then, Chen Yuan walked over.

The moment she saw Yuan, all talk of fishing was thrown to the wind. Before he had even gotten close, while he was still some distance away, Ke Bing called out, “Yuan, you two don’t have other plans tonight, do you? Why don’t we have dinner together? Running into each other in Sanya is the kind of fate worth celebrating. We haven’t seen each other in so many years.”

“Dinner?” Chen Yuan wiped his hands with a tissue, his gaze shifting to Jiang Yao. “We already have reservations at a restaurant. How about another time?”

He seemed to be asking for Yaoyao’s opinion.

‘Since we ran into each other, we can just go through the motions and catch up a bit, that should be enough,’ he thought.

He really hadn’t considered having dinner together.

In truth, before actually meeting Ke Bing again, Chen Yuan still had some fond memories that felt quite heartwarming when he thought back on them. But somehow, after seeing her again, she suddenly felt like a stranger, and the illusion was shattered.

It really was just like that saying.

The destructive power of an unforgettable first love is something that even the person themselves can’t live up to.

It only exists in those years of youthful ignorance. Once lost, it can never be felt again.

Jiang Yao made an instant decision. She had to agree to this dinner. Otherwise, she would seem petty and controlling of her boyfriend.

‘Even though I am petty, I can’t let my rival see that!’

‘It’s just dinner. It’s not like it’s going to be an ambush, right?!’

‘No, I’ll be the one to treat!’

“Of course! You haven’t seen each other in so long, how could you not have a proper get-together? It’s my treat tonight,” Jiang Yao said, taking Chen Yuan’s hand with a poised and generous air. She shook her head. “It’s no problem. We can go to that restaurant tomorrow. We’ll just cancel for today.”

Her words…

…took not only Chen Yuan but also Ke Bing completely by surprise.

She couldn’t help but see Jiang Yao in a new, more respectful light.

Jiang Yao had a million reasons to refuse. In fact, the moment Yuan looked at his girlfriend, Rourou had assumed the dinner wasn’t going to happen.

Who would have thought she would agree in a heartbeat, without the slightest hesitation?

A girl with that kind of class was actually pretty intimidating.

“How about this? Nobody treats. Let me,” Chi Yu suggested, holding up her fishing rod. “To be honest, I feel bad taking the guide fee for only two hours of fishing. Why don’t you come have seafood at our place, Yilu Fishing? If you agree, Mr. Chen, we can cook up these fish for the table too. They’re a pain to deal with otherwise.”

“Well… alright then.”

They all knew Chi Yu, and rather than eat at a formal restaurant, they’d prefer to taste some seafood cooked by a Sanya local.

“Great! Chi-Chi’s cooking is fantastic. I’m really going to enjoy myself tonight.”

Ke Bing was all smiles, her gaze sweeping involuntarily over to Chen Yuan.

Beside her, her friend’s eyes lit up with excitement. She didn’t understand the subtle games being played between the others; she was just single-mindedly focused on getting a free meal.

…

「A steaming hot, spicy fish was brought to the table.」 Green and red chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns were sprinkled all over its skin. The massive plate was piled high. This Gelatinous Fish had been cut open along its belly and split in two.

The crispy roasted skin gave off a unique, fragrant aroma.

All sorts of small seafood dishes covered the table, along with platters of cut tropical fruit.

It was more food than the five of them could possibly eat.

“Alright! Last dish. Everyone, give it a try and see if it’s spicy enough. I can add more chili oil,” Chi Yu said, in an excellent mood. As a top-tier fishing guide, she rarely encountered a client as generous as Chen Yuan.

Usually, she earned her money the hard way, guiding people who fished all night long.

Of course, the pay was quite good.

“It’s enough, it’s enough! Any spicier and I won’t be able to eat it.” The baby-faced girl picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, her senses immediately filled with its delicious aroma.

Then, a fiery sensation spread across her tongue.

At the dinner table, there was a seemingly peaceful atmosphere.

Everyone was talking and laughing. Ke Bing kept asking about what Chen Yuan had been up to over the past few years, as if trying to make up for all the time she’d been absent.

The adolescent years are probably when a boy changes the most.

“You got into Lanjing University?!” Ke Bing was astounded when Chen Yuan told her. That was not a school just anyone could get into. “Were your grades that good?”

“My grades were always pretty good, even when I was a kid.” Chen Yuan gave a nonchalant shrug, focusing on the crab on his plate.

“They didn’t slip in high school? Mine slipped terribly. I only ended up getting into an average university here in Sanya.”

“It’s normal for girls’ grades to slip in high school. Same here!” Chi Yu said while eating. “By my second year of high school, I didn’t even want to study anymore. My parents forced me to finish, and in the end, I only got into a non-prestigious university.”

“So, Miss Jiang, are you in university now?”

Jiang Yao was obediently eating her food when she was suddenly put on the spot, catching her completely off guard.

Unexpectedly, before she could even speak, Chen Yuan answered for her, his face beaming with pride. “My girlfriend… is a master’s student at Yale University, with a double major in Philosophy and Social Sciences.”

The moment he said that…

…the air fell silent.

The other women froze mid-bite, their chopsticks hovering in midair.

“Huh???” the baby-faced friend said, dumbfounded. “Yale University!?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep