2. Saw a beautiful woman.

“Next time.”

Qin Zhaoyi stood still and savored these two words in her mouth, a smile curving at the corner of her lips.

The lingering glow of the setting sun bathed her in its warm light, and the evening breeze brushed against her, granting her a hint of warmth by the seaside at dusk.

Qin Zhaoyi was not particularly fond of smiling. She had always thought that she didn’t look very good when she smiled, so she had gotten used to wearing a poker face.

Even Zhou Xi would say, “Your life is going so smoothly, what’s wrong with smiling?”

Qin Zhaoyi usually stared at her with an unchanging expression, so much so that even Zhou Xi, who had known her for a long time, would get nervous and reach out to cover her eyes, thinking she was angry. Zhou Xi would then apologize softly, “Alright, my bad, ancestor.”

Qin Zhaoyi would just roll her eyes and say nonchalantly, “I’m not angry.”

She just naturally had a fierce appearance.

Every time she described herself like this, Zhou Xi would be dumbfounded.

After a long silence, she would slowly say, “You clearly have a face that could charm all living beings.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “?”

Zhou Xi: “If it weren’t for your honesty and talent, you would definitely be able to play the role of a seductive temptress with just this face.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “???”

Zhou Xi explained, “Here, calling someone a seductive temptress is a compliment, like a charming and alluring empress.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Although Zhou Xi swore that she was complimenting her, Qin Zhaoyi always felt that this might be a manifestation of Zhou Xi’s limited vocabulary.

Zhou Xi might just genuinely think that she looked good, and that’s it.

As for the term “seductive temptress,” she couldn’t relate to it at all.

Because she lacked that skill, she would often take a few more glances at people who smiled when she walked on the street.

Of course, Qin Zhaoyi rarely went out.

Every time she wrote, she would only see three people: Zhou Xi, her mother, and Zhong Ling.

And every time they came to see her, they were responsible for feeding her.

Qin Zhaoyi was also quite fair-skinned, but due to her long absence from the outside world, it was a pale that bordered on morbid. After not seeing her for a year, her childhood friend Zhong Ling teased her, “You’re as pale as if you’ve been dead for three days.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…?”

But the fair complexion of the person she had just met was a healthy kind of fairness. When she extended her hand to support Qin Zhaoyi, the palm was simple, boneless, and the entire forearm, under the illumination of the setting sun, took on a warm hue.

It was like seeing sunlight on a vivid oil painting from the Middle Ages after a thousand years.

Stunning.

For the first time, Qin Zhaoyi saw someone smile so beautifully.

Like the sun, like the rosy clouds, more like a gentle moon, her eyes seemed to flow like a whole Milky Way, scattered with bright stars. It was bright but not dazzling, instead, it made it hard for anyone to look away.

“Sorry, please make way.” A sudden voice interrupted Qin Zhaoyi’s wandering thoughts. At the same time, a gust of wind blew in, not far away, the waves rolled and carried the accumulated sand on the beach back into the sea.

The distant setting sun disappeared below the horizon, leaving only half of the sky in shades of orange and pink, mingling with the shimmering sea.

Qin Zhaoyi turned back to retrieve her suitcase and shook her head.

Even if the other person was very attractive, it was just a simple appreciation. Why did her thoughts wander and analyze so much?

This was the first time in Qin Zhaoyi’s life.

However, regrettably, she wasn’t a “ji zai” (a Chinese internet slang referring to someone obsessed with their partner’s appearance). Having an extraordinary love affair with such a stunning beauty was also impossible.

In her twenty-four years before this, Qin Zhaoyi had never been in a romantic relationship.

Just recently, she had been set up for a few blind dates by Zhou Xi, and seeing those men made her feel disgusted to the extent that she wanted to vomit.

If Qin Zhaoyi had to put a restriction or framework on her own love life, she thought she might be a sapiosexual.

High intelligence was truly a human treasure.

However, in the face of absolute beauty, even intelligence could be overshadowed.

For example, the person she had just met, Qin Zhaoyi could accept that she was a vase or a bit airheaded.

…

After realizing her thoughts had drifted back to that woman, Qin Zhaoyi bit her lip and shook her head to bring her mind back.

Her long-lost grandmother had only told her to come to Moon Island if she wanted to see her, but she hadn’t mentioned where to find her on Moon Island.

Nine years ago, after her grandfather passed away from illness, her grandmother had sunk into depression while living alone at home. One by one, her family members took turns to visit her but were all driven away.

After realizing how much her children and grandchildren were worried about her, her grandmother suddenly made a decision, as if she had opened her Ren Du two meridians (acupuncture points in Chinese medicine), to travel all over the country.

Having never left Jiayi before, her grandmother’s first destination was France, the famous City of Romance, which took fifteen hours to reach. Everyone was extremely worried.

But she called them all over, her children and grandchildren, and calmly said, “I don’t know how long I can live. Let me take this journey alone. If I haven’t contacted you for a month, consider me dead, and put my tombstone next to his. That will be the end of my life.”

When she was young, her grandmother served in the army as a civilian, and her way of doing things followed military discipline. She was always straightforward.

As she got older, she became even more stubborn.

No one could change her mind; they could only let her go.

Four years ago, she had become a seasoned traveler. The frequency of her contact with them had changed from once a month to every six or seven months.

And this time, seven months had passed since her last contact.

Everyone was getting anxious.

It wasn’t until Qin Zhaoyi received another text message that everyone’s anxious hearts finally relaxed.

However, Qin Zhaoyi was left in confusion on this piece of land on Moon Island.

In such a vast expanse of sea, looking at the rows of red and white houses in the distance, where should she start looking?

As night fell, the lights were lit in an instant.

Qin Zhaoyi pulled her suitcase and walked a short distance before entering a bright restaurant.

She hadn’t eaten since morning, and after swaying and drifting on the boat for several hours, her stomach was sour, but she didn’t really feel hungry.

However, she decided to order something to eat before asking for directions. She didn’t want to risk someone not telling her because she hadn’t ordered anything to eat.

So, Qin Zhaoyi ordered a bowl of wonton noodles.

The restaurant wasn’t busy at this hour, and the landlady sat at the counter, using a calculator to tally the accounts. She shouted loudly towards the kitchen, “One bowl of wonton noodles and a plate of pickled vegetables.”

“I didn’t order any vegetables…” Qin Zhaoyi hesitated.

The boss lady gave her a bright smile. “You look pretty, it’s on the house.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

This restaurant sure was easygoing.

Just as Qin Zhaoyi was hesitating about how to ask, the landlady had already initiated the conversation, “You look unfamiliar here. Is this your first time on Moon Island?”

“Yes,” Qin Zhaoyi nodded, and then felt like her response was too cold, so she added, “It’s my first time.”

“Are you here for tourism?” The landlady continued the conversation while entering the order in her calculator, casually noting it down, “Our place here is beautiful with mountains, clear waters, and beautiful people. You’ll know once you spend a few more days here. We used to plan to make it a tourist village, but it got postponed somehow. Many people don’t even know that such a nice place exists.”

“Okay,” Qin Zhaoyi replied indifferently, her mind entirely focused on how to ask her questions.

She wasn’t good at dealing with people.

Usually, she dealt with words, sitting in front of her computer. She didn’t need to think about how to interact with people; it was as if someone controlled her hands and mind, allowing her to smoothly put her thoughts into words.

Socializing was difficult for her.

The landlady’s tone suddenly changed, “By the way, how did you find out about Moon Island? We rarely have outsiders coming here.”

She spoke while looking at Qin Zhaoyi as if she wanted to dig out her true intentions through her expressions.

Qin Zhaoyi almost didn’t hesitate and took out her phone, opening her photo album. “I’m here to find someone.”

She didn’t waste the opportunity the landlady gave her, “Have you seen this person?”

On her phone screen was a long-lost photo of her grandmother. Although her grandmother had been traveling all over the country, she rarely sent travel photos to them. The photo in Qin Zhaoyi’s hand was taken nine years ago when she saw her grandmother off at the airport.

In the photo, Qin Zhaoyi had a youthful and somewhat naive look, while her grandmother’s expression was heavy, not having recovered from the grief of losing her husband.

The landlady leaned in to take a look, frowned, and stared at it for a while before saying, “Is this you?”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

“That’s right.” Qin Zhaoyi pointed to her grandmother in the picture. “Have you seen this elderly lady?”

The landlady suddenly backed away, losing interest in the topic. She put her calculator away and said, “It’s been a long time since we had outsiders on Moon Island. I haven’t seen the person you’re looking for.”

Qin Zhaoyi felt disappointed but was unwilling to give up. “Could you please take another look?”

The landlady, however, refused to lift her head. “My eyes are as sharp as a mirror. There’s no one who comes and goes on Moon Island that I can’t remember. If I say I haven’t seen her, I haven’t seen her.”

Qin Zhaoyi sighed and her wonton noodles were served. The dishes and bowls were all in the deep blue color of the sea, with a layer of red oil floating on top, and green onions as garnish, making it very appetizing.

“Go ahead and eat.” The landlady said, “There’s no one on this island you’re looking for. After you finish eating, find a place to stay for the night and leave Moon Island by boat tomorrow.”

Qin Zhaoyi picked up her plate and sat down at the table. She had just taken a spoonful of soup to her mouth when she suddenly threw the spoon back into the bowl and said firmly, “You must have seen her, haven’t you?”

The landlady was momentarily taken aback, then she walked out from behind the counter and greeted someone at the door with a smile, “*Yueliang, you’re here.”
*bright moon – Yue(moon) , liang(bright) – seems like a nickname for the FL

“Yes.” A gentle and familiar voice came from the entrance, “Sis, I’m here to settle the bill for the groceries Grandma Shixi got today.”

“Why so polite?” The landlady got up to greet her, “It’s on the house.”

“She said that the chives in her yard can be used now.” The gentle voice spoke again, “She asked me to bring some to you; they taste better than what you can buy outside.”

The two of them chatted by the door, but Qin Zhaoyi’s gaze remained on the newcomer.

It was the woman she had seen at the port in the evening.

Almost subconsciously, Qin Zhaoyi conducted a top-to-bottom evaluation of her.

She had changed into casual clothing, a white sportswear outfit matching the same color scheme. It accentuated her tall and slender figure. Her long hair was tied up into a ponytail, adding a touch of youthful charm, but her gentle and pure temperament still shone through.

She was friendly when talking to people.

The two of them looked very close.

Before Qin Zhaoyi could figure out what was going on, as if there was some kind of telepathy, the woman turned her head and their eyes met for a moment.

Qin Zhaoyi immediately averted her gaze and quickly scooped up a spoonful of hot soup, which burned her tongue. Despite that, she only took a deep breath and didn’t dare to look back.

For some reason, Qin Zhaoyi didn’t want her to see her current disheveled appearance.

Besides, staring at someone was not polite.

Although for the first twenty-plus years of Qin Zhaoyi’s life, she had rarely been associated with the word “politeness.”

The hot soup burned her tongue, making it completely numb, rendering all the fancy dishes pointless.

Since she couldn’t get any useful information from the landlady, Qin Zhaoyi took out a hundred yuan bill from her bag and placed it on the table. She grabbed her suitcase and stood up.

The landlady turned and saw the red banknote on the table, immediately calling out to her, “Miss, I haven’t given you change yet.”

“No need,” Qin Zhaoyi pretended to be calm and indifferent. “If you want to answer my questions, feel free to find me at the port anytime.”

The landlady was momentarily puzzled, then chuckled, “What are you saying?”

Qin Zhaoyi walked past the woman and pushed open the door. In that moment, she seemed to catch a whiff of the faint fragrance of white tea, subtle yet pleasant, with a hint of floral notes.

Even in the restaurant, the rich aroma of food couldn’t overpower the scent clinging to her.

Qin Zhaoyi deliberately looked into the distance, but in her peripheral vision, she noticed the woman staring straight at her, her gaze carrying a hint of complexity.

Complexity that Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t comprehend.

Complexity that Qin Zhaoyi couldn’t probe into.

With a push of the door, she could hear the sound of the waves. The night wind blew mercilessly against her face as Qin Zhaoyi tightened her grip on her suitcase and walked toward the sea.

She called her grandmother’s phone as she walked. The familiar voice message, indicating the phone was off, echoed in her ears.

After a few steps, the landlady caught up to her and stuffed a wad of small change into her hand. “Six yuan for the wonton noodles.”

After saying that, she glanced at Qin Zhaoyi’s suitcase and couldn’t help but remind her, “Go up further and turn right; there’s an inn there. If you have nowhere to stay, you can stay there.”

Qin Zhaoyi nodded slightly, “Where did my grandmother stay before?”

The landlady was momentarily puzzled, then waved her hand and said, “I’ve already told you that I haven’t seen your grandmother.”

With that, she hurriedly retreated.

Qin Zhaoyi stood still, looking through the restaurant’s door and saw the figure inside. Those eyes were looking at her without restraint.

And they seemed to hold a hint of pity and sympathy.

…

Qin Zhaoyi had never liked it when people looked at her with such eyes, so she turned and walked toward the sea without hesitation.

A door separated the relentless sea breeze by the seaside. The lights in the restaurant were dim and yellow, like a lighthouse by the sea.

The landlady walked in, rubbing her hands, sighing, “We don’t even know whether the old lady is alive or dead, and her family came from afar to look for her.”

Luo Yue glanced toward the door; the figure had already walked far away and disappeared around the corner. She asked, seemingly casual, “Who? The one who came to look for the old lady. The one who lived next to you before.”

“She left a while ago,” the landlady said, “said she was going to the hospital.”

“Who knows if she really went?” Luo Yue put back the chives she had brought. “She doesn’t look like someone who would take good care of herself.”

“What about her?” Luo Yue asked.

The landlady was puzzled for a moment, then shook her head, “I doubt we’ll see her again.”

Then, as if thinking of something, she warned Luo Yue cautiously, “Stay away from her.”

“Huh?” Luo Yue was surprised.

“She doesn’t seem like a decent person,” the landlady warned, “you’re innocent; don’t let her lead you astray.”

Luo Yue: “…”

Luo Yue recalled the image of the woman she had seen during the day, her wavy grape-purple hair shining brightly in the sun. The sea breeze tousled every strand of her hair, as if they were dancing in the sunset. She wore a loose black silk blouse that swayed in the wind, matching black pants, and even wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses when she got off the boat. Up close, you could see a teardrop mole below her right eye, and when the orange-pink sunset shone on her, her almost sickly pale skin turned slightly red.

Especially when she bit her lip unintentionally, her lips instantly became red and watery, easily evoking thoughts of vampires lurking in the misty forests of the Middle Ages, who hadn’t seen sunlight for days.

Encountering such a person was particularly heart-pounding.

“Is that so?” Luo Yue pursed her lips and said casually, “She looks quite pretty.”

“It’s precisely because she’s pretty that she’s dangerous,” the landlady cautioned. “You shouldn’t mix with these outsiders. Be careful not to pick up any bad habits from her.”

Luo Yue smiled and brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face. “Sister, you’re overthinking.”

“It’s so late, and you still want to go for a run?” the landlady asked.

“Yes,” Luo Yue replied. “I can’t sleep right now.”

“Play with your phone,” the landlady said helplessly. “You’re a young lady; why are you living like a hermit? Even Grandma Shixi knows how to shop online, but you don’t even like playing with your phone.”

Luo Yue turned and headed for the door, zipping up her sportswear. She smiled and answered, “Regular exercise is good for your health.”

“It’s dark outside; don’t go alone,” the landlady shouted from the doorway. “Call Shijing to accompany you.”

“I know,” Luo Yue waved her hand in acknowledgment and had already run quite a distance.

Luo Yue had a habit of jogging in the morning and at night, especially enjoying running along the seaside.

Moon Island was surrounded by the sea on all sides, and every time she ran along the beach, she had the illusion of outlining the shape of Moon Island with her footsteps.

For some reason, today she subconsciously changed her running route and headed in the direction where that person had left.

Since she couldn’t get through to her grandmother’s phone, Qin Zhaoyi returned to the seaside to relax.

Some old ships were quietly docked at the harbor, and the waves rolled continuously. The entire small island was shrouded in silence in the night.

Even the sea breeze seemed afraid to disturb people’s sleep, becoming gentle.

Her phone, placed on the sandy beach, vibrated lightly. Qin Zhaoyi glanced at the screen; it was a message from her childhood friend, Zhong Ling.

[Z0: Saw your Weibo, really mad?]

Qin Zhaoyi casually replied, [Is there a need?]

Even through the screen, Zhong Ling’s text exuded a familiar tone of arrogance.

[Z0: So, what’s the deal with your financial issues? Suspending the operation of the studio is not a small matter.]

Qin Zhaoyi responded, [Most of my old books have found cooperation partners, and everything I’m going to release this year has been promoted. What’s left is just the operation of the new book.]

[Z0: So?]

Qin Zhaoyi replied, [I don’t want to see that garbage again after I finish writing it. I’d rather cut off my hand and throw it in the trash than shamelessly exploit my readers. But they force me to do it, so it’s better to just jump into the sea.]

[Z0: … I guess you were pretty annoyed when you wrote that paragraph.]

Qin Zhaoyi answered, [It’s okay. It’s quite comfortable with the sea breeze blowing.]

[Z0: Where are you traveling to?]

Qin Zhaoyi replied, [It’s a secret.]

[Z0: I was thinking of visiting you in Jiayi for a while, but it looks like I’ll miss it.]

Qin Zhaoyi hadn’t had a chance to respond yet when Zhong Ling “cared” and said, [Hold onto your phone, keep an eye on your luggage, and make sure you have cash in your wallet. Don’t get tricked by bad men.]

Qin Zhaoyi replied, [Do you think anyone would dare to mess with me like this?]

She had earned a black belt in Taekwondo by the age of sixteen and later learned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at twenty. There probably weren’t many bad men who could match her.

[Z0: Who knows? What if someone isn’t afraid of death?]

Qin Zhaoyi, […]

Just as Qin Zhaoyi’s hand felt cold and she didn’t feel like typing anymore, she held the phone and sent a voice message, “Speaking of which, I met a very beautiful woman today…”

But in the middle of her sentence, Qin Zhaoyi was afraid that Zhong Ling would tease her, so she swiped to cancel the send.

Although she was straight, her childhood friend Zhong Ling was openly gay. Qin Zhaoyi was curious and once asked her how she discovered his orientation.

Zhong Ling candidly replied, “It’s simple. When you walk down the street, your eyes naturally gravitate towards beautiful women. You can only be attracted to women.”

Qin Zhaoyi did enjoy looking at beautiful women, but she also liked looking at handsome men. To be more precise, she had a pair of eyes that could appreciate beauty, but unfortunately, there were too few beautiful things that caught her eye.

Zhong Ling had teased her before, asking if she had ever been attracted to men.

Qin Zhaoyi pondered for a moment and said, “I’ve never been attracted to women.”

Zhong Ling retorted, “Bullshit, you’ve never been attracted to men either.”

Qin Zhaoyi: “…”

Qin Zhaoyi had no words to respond to that and chose to change the subject. But after Zhong Ling found out that she was going on a blind date with a man, she never brought up that topic again.

At this moment, Zhong Ling sensed that something was amiss. [Don’t tell me you’ve already met a bad guy on the street and you’re enjoying the sea breeze with them?]

Qin Zhaoyi: ?

Qin Zhaoyi was about to respond, but she only typed a single character before a strong gust of wind swept in, the waves rolled violently, and she was engulfed by the sea. Her grip on the phone loosened, and it fell into the sea. With the wind’s direction, it drifted away, and her suitcase at her side also tumbled into the sea. After the waves receded, the suitcase had been dragged into the sea, sinking rapidly before her eyes.

Qin Zhaoyi immediately swam forward to retrieve it, her purple curls floating on the surface of the sea.

The endless sea was nothing like a swimming pool. Even in a swimming pool, Qin Zhaoyi had only just learned to swim without floaties.

In this moment, seawater surged from all directions, rushing into her ears and nostrils. When she realized the danger, she desperately wanted to retreat and reach the shore.

But it was too late.

The seawater carried her body forward, making her heavier with each passing moment. Her arms felt increasingly feeble.

She felt her whole body sinking.

Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed her arms, and her waist was held.

It was a pair of slender but strong arms, lifting her toward the surface where the air was.

Moments later, Qin Zhaoyi coughed up seawater and slowly opened her hazy eyes. She saw the same stunning face from earlier in the day magnified before her. Water dripped from the delicate jawline.

Before she could react, warm lips, slightly cool from the seawater, pressed against hers.

Qin Zhaoyi: …!

She instinctively swallowed, feeling like even her breath had stopped.

Those lips were very soft, carrying the faint scent of the white tea she had just smelled. In this dim night, they were enough to captivate anyone’s heart.

Almost involuntarily, Qin Zhaoyi slightly parted her lips, capturing the other person’s lip.

The pair of beautiful, gentle, and affectionate eyes widened in that moment, locking onto Qin Zhaoyi’s gaze.

In the next second, Qin Zhaoyi’s inner turmoil contrasted with her outwardly calm demeanor as she closed her eyes.

She raised her chin slightly, as if accommodating and encouraging, pressing her lips even tighter against the other person’s.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment—

Qin Zhaoyi’s hand found its way to the other person’s waist, so slender it barely filled her grip.

Their lips remained firmly pressed together, with no further action from either side.

Desire mixed with an indescribable innocence.

Qin Zhaoyi felt a rush of heat inside her, unable to resist. She decisively flipped over, her legs pinning the other person’s legs, and effortlessly initiated the conquest of the lips.

The author has something to say:

Come on, come on, buy the top, buy the bottom, and buy and let go~

Qin Zhaoyi before meeting Luo Yue: I’m straight.

After meeting Luo Yue: Bent like a paper clip