Chapter 41: Going to the Beach

According to the weather forecast, all coastal cities will experience a typhoon from the ocean next week, and the entire city’s summer will come to an end in a week, ushering in a belated autumn.

Everyone wanted to go to the beach one more time before the summer ended, which is why Yang Juan was checking hotels online.

After learning that the plate of cilantro beef was deliberately ordered by Lin Hexi, Zhou Xuan hadn’t shown Lin Hexi any pleasant expression all the way until the day they set off for the beach.

Lin Hexi, however, didn’t mind at all. He even kept smiling as he said, “You’re allowed to badmouth me behind my back, but I’m not allowed to fight back?”

Zhou Xuan wore a look of anger, but with You Chong present, he didn’t think it was appropriate to say anything further.

It was speculated that You Chong impulsively invited Lin Hexi to the beach simply as a gesture of gratitude for Lin Hexi’s help at the bar last time. Although Zhou Xuan felt reluctant, he admitted that You Chong’s actions were reasonable.

He couldn’t outright ask Lin Hexi to leave, so he could only try his best to ignore Lin Hexi’s presence.

Among the six people, only Zhou Xuan and You Chong were driving. Zhou Xuan was responsible for giving a ride to his dorm mates Yang Juan and Zhao Du, while the remaining Lin Hexi and Lin Tong rode in You Chong’s car.

Of everyone, only Lin Tong hadn’t arrived yet, so the five of them stood outside the school gate waiting for him.

Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait too long; Lin Tong soon arrived at the meeting point with his backpack on. The five who were waiting turned and got into the cars.

In the morning, when they came over from outside the school, Lin Hexi had already sat in the front passenger seat of You Chong’s car. He didn’t think too much about it at this moment either, instinctively opening the front passenger door and bending down to sit inside.

Just two seconds after closing the car door, the door beside him was opened again. Lin Tong stood outside the car, bending slightly, already poised to step inside, but he suddenly caught sight of someone else sitting in the front passenger seat.

The two of them simultaneously raised their heads, their gazes briefly meeting.

Lin Tong’s expression froze, and he instinctively reached up to rub his eyes.

The person inside the car still hadn’t disappeared. Realizing something belatedly, Lin Tong gritted his teeth and asked, “Why are you here?”

Lin Hexi calmly observed him, feeling that despite many days apart, Lin Tong hadn’t changed one bit.

“Why am I here?” Lin Hexi responded with a subtle tone, recalling Lin Tong’s private warnings for him to stay away from You Chong. He leaned over towards You Chong in the driver’s seat, even going as far as to wrap his arm around the one You Chong had resting on the steering wheel, saying, “Of course, it’s because your Brother You Chong invited me.”

Lin Tong flew into a rage and reached out to grab Lin Hexi’s clothes. “Get out of the car! Who gave you permission to sit in the front seat?”

Lin Hexi let go of You Chong’s arm and sat upright, effortlessly clasping Lin Tong’s wildly moving wrist. He spoke slowly and clearly, “Of course, it’s your Brother You Chong.”

It was just a front seat, and Lin Hexi didn’t mind letting his half-brother have it. But since Lin Tong never learned how to speak nicely to him, Lin Hexi suddenly changed his mind and didn’t feel like giving up the seat anymore.

He turned his head to look at You Chong, his eyes openly filled with anticipation, and his tone carried a subtle upward lilt: “Isn’t that right, Brother You Chong?”

You Chong glanced at him unhurriedly, without saying a word.

Lin Hexi slowly pressed his lips together, his dark and glossy eyes fixed intently on him.

With a barely noticeable pause in his expression, You Chong raised his eyes, looking past Lin Hexi directly at Lin Tong, whose wrist was still held by Lin Hexi. “Lin Tong, sit in the back.”

Lin Tong instantly showed a look of disbelief.

Driving from the university town to the beach took about two hours. They would first check into their reserved hotel and then go swimming at the beach in the afternoon.

The hotel was divided into an apartment area and a villa area, and Yang Juan had booked a six-person group deal for the villa area online. They parked their cars in the parking lot and then took the hotel’s shuttle to the villa area.

The two-story villa wasn’t very large, with only four bedrooms. Each bedroom had a large bed that could accommodate two people, and the bed in the master bedroom was big enough to fit three adult men.

There were three bathrooms in total; two were located in the public areas upstairs and downstairs, and the remaining one was a private bathroom separated within the master bedroom.

The six of them stayed in the living room downstairs to decide on rooms.

As if predicting that Lin Hexi would cling to the idea of sharing a room with You Chong, Lin Tong, full of suppressed anger, shot him a glare and proactively suggested to the others, “To keep things fair, let’s draw lots.”

Yang Juan and Zhao Du both looked at You Chong and Zhou Xuan at the same time. They were well aware of You Chong and Zhou Xuan’s family backgrounds, and if the two of them were uncomfortable sharing a room and wanted to stay alone, they wouldn’t have any objections.

However, You Chong remained calm and didn’t request to sleep alone.

Zhou Xuan glanced at him without showing any emotion and dropped the idea of making such a request as well.

Back in their first year of college, it wasn’t like he hadn’t shared a four-person dorm with You Chong, so there was no real need to make others accommodate them now. Moreover, everyone here, except for Lin Hexi, were either good friends or younger brothers.

Thinking of Lin Hexi made Zhou Xuan feel a bit displeased again.

In the living room, Lin Tong tore paper into pieces and rolled them into balls for drawing lots; the two people who drew matching numbers would share a room.

His face was barely able to contain his delight, thinking that You Chong would finally be able to get rid of Lin Hexi. However, the results of the draw were far beyond his expectations.

Yang Juan and Zhao Du drew matching numbers, while Zhou Xuan and Lin Tong drew single numbers, leaving only You Chong and Lin Hexi who had yet to reveal their results.

As for what was on their papers, it was already obvious to everyone.

Lin Hexi unexpectedly curled his lips, quite pleased with the outcome of the draw. Among the remaining five people, apart from You Chong and Yang Juan, he didn’t want to share a room with anyone else.

Lin Tong was stunned, and he immediately slammed the table as he stood up, suspecting that Lin Hexi had cheated.

Lin Hexi merely gave a lazy smile. “You didn’t have the ability to draw the lot you wanted, and now you’re turning around to accuse me of cheating.”

Lin Tong glared at him with an ugly expression but didn’t say anything.

Everyone went upstairs to sort out their luggage. You Chong was the first to turn into the master bedroom, and Lin Hexi followed closely behind.

Noticing from the corner of his eye that Lin Tong kept glancing frequently in their direction, Lin Hexi turned around, leaned against the door frame, and suddenly smiled at him without warning. Then he raised his hand and closed the door in front of him.

Outside, Lin Tong’s furious shouts could be heard, but Lin Hexi ignored them. Feeling cheerful and relaxed, he turned around and walked inside, only to meet You Chong’s probing gaze. “Why did you close the door?”

Lin Hexi put on a confused expression. “Was the door closed?” He glanced back at it and added in his usual tone, “It was probably the wind.”

The vein on You Chong’s temple twitched faintly as he bent over to place two pillows in the middle of the large bed, his tone cold and clear. “Don’t cross the line when you sleep tonight.”

Lin Hexi pretended to look troubled. “That’s something I can’t guarantee. After all, I’ve never had a very good sleeping posture—”

Before he could finish, sensing the tangible gaze on him, Lin Hexi couldn’t help but look up. He first glanced at You Chong, whose expression had darkened slightly, then as if conceding, he smiled and corrected himself, “Just kidding. I sleep very well.”

You Chong withdrew his gaze. “Remember what you said.”

Lin Hexi sighed half-seriously, half-jokingly, and murmured softly, “If you really didn’t want to share a room with me, why didn’t you say so downstairs?”

You Chong was taken aback, instinctively furrowing his brows. “Do you think anyone besides me would be willing to share a room with you?”

“Yang Juan, probably,” Lin Hexi answered without a second thought, then added with a hint of realization, “I’ve already slept with him twice.”

For some reason, You Chong didn’t quite like how Lin Hexi phrased that. His eyes darkened slightly as he turned his back to Lin Hexi, taking a pair of swim trunks from his bag before heading into the bathroom to change.

Left alone, Lin Hexi was much more casual. Seeing that the only bathroom had already been occupied, he decided to just change his pants in the bedroom.

When You Chong opened the door and came out, Lin Hexi was only halfway through taking off his trousers.

Lin Hexi had his back to the bathroom, clearly unaware that You Chong had already pulled the door open halfway. As You Chong glanced down at Lin Hexi’s trousers, precariously hanging off his legs, his hand paused abruptly on the door handle.

You Chong initially planned to close the door and stay in the bathroom a little longer. But when his gaze swept over Lin Hexi’s mostly exposed legs, he found himself pausing unconsciously.

Ahead, Lin Hexi had already pulled his trousers down to his knees, bent over with both hands holding the waistband, lifting one leg to step out of the pant leg.

You Chong’s eyes lingered on the back of Lin Hexi’s knee, then slowly traveled upward following the motion of his bent leg. Like a light kite skimming across the lake’s surface without leaving a trace, his gaze glided over the smooth and straight lines of Lin Hexi’s legs, moving inch by inch along his fair skin.

It wasn’t until the edge of Lin Hexi’s underwear at his thigh suddenly came into view that You Chong’s brows furrowed slightly, and he abruptly snapped back to reality.

The bathroom door, which he had pushed open, was silently pulled shut again. His hand on the door tightened unconsciously as the image of Lin Hexi changing his pants flashed through his mind. You Chong closed his eyes in frustration and confusion.

This was the second time, he thought.