The old-fashioned fan in the room wobbled its head. Shui Cao sat on the sofa for a while, then shimmied her bottom over, trying to reach the button on the back.
Lao Lu took one look and noticed the sweat on Shui Cao's forehead.
Shui Cao's hair wasn't tied up neatly every day like Pi Tao'er's; it was just gathered with a hair tie, crooked and low, with loose strands that wouldn't stay together. She probably tied it herself at home.
Right now, a few loose strands were stuck to her forehead from the heat.
"Hot?" Lao Lu walked over and adjusted the fan for her. "Don't you think it's time we replaced this fan?"
The guest quickly chimed in, "It really is time to replace it. I can't even feel the breeze sitting here."
Lao Lu took out his mobile phone and muttered, "Let me see."
He tapped his mobile phone a few times and suddenly laughed.
"I was wondering why that grandson Zhuang Zhong went out to sea today. Turns out he's following a girl."
Zhou Ran glanced at him, and Lao Lu took the opportunity to hand over his mobile phone for him to see. "Look, he posted on Moments."
Zhuang Zhong had posted a video, and Lao Lu thoughtfully tapped play for him.
In the video, Zhuang Zhong's lens was aimed at Xia Mian, and only his voice could be heard.
"Come on, Xia Mian, make a peace sign."
In the video, Xia Mian smiled at the lens. The sea breeze blew her hair, and she smiled with her eyes curved, making a "peace sign" at the lens.
Zhuang Zhong held a coconut in one hand as he entered the frame and said to Xia Mian, "Come on, cheers!"
Xia Mian also held the coconut in her hands and clinked it against his.
"Cheers."
The video was only a few seconds long, but the replies below were already blowing up.
【F*ck, Brother Zhuang, where did you get such a girl? She's way too pretty!】
【Is that your girlfriend? What a beautiful flower!】
【Damn, why don't I have such good luck.】
【On such a hot day, I also want a girl to accompany me out to sea!】
Zhou Ran glanced at it, his brows slightly furrowed, and he looked away.
Lao Lu tapped the screen, presumably typing a comment.
After finishing, Lao Lu remarked, "That kid Zhuang Zhong might actually be able to win over Xia Mian."
Zhou Ran's hand grew heavy.
The guest let out an "Ouch." "That really hurt."
Zhou Ran paused. "Sorry."
"Did you mess up the line?"
"No."
Zhou Ran wiped away the ink and asked Lao Lu, "What makes you say that?"
"He's got a lot of tricks and ideas; don't all young girls like that?" Lao Lu leaned to one side and said, "Zhuang Zhong and Xia Mian are about the same age; peers still have things to talk about."
Zhou Ran looked up at him, and Lao Lu looked down at him.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Zhou Ran retorted, "Who does he not have things to talk about with? You're already twenty-seven, doesn't he have things to talk about with you?"
"Twenty-six! And that's just by the lunar calendar!" Lao Lu corrected Zhou Ran. "If you were Zhuang Zhong, I'd have smacked you by now."
Zhou Ran gave a light hum. "If you were Zhuang Zhong, I would have smacked you long ago."
As they talked, both of them laughed.
Lao Lu rubbed his nose. "Is Zhuang Zhong someone easy to bully? Why does everyone want to smack him?"
Zhou Ran hummed. "He's asking for it."
"Even if he's asking for it, he's out at sea with a girl right now. He might even be off the market by the time he gets back."
Zhou Ran could tell that Lao Lu was saying this on purpose to needle him.
He put down the machine in his hand. "Take a break."
The guest instantly let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, I can take a break. I didn't even dare to cry out in pain today."
Lying there, sweat was pouring off him in layers.
Zhou Ran took off his gloves and mask and got up to leave.
Lao Lu asked him, "Where are you going?"
"To smoke."
Lao Lu laughed. "Take a break? I think you're going to go have a good cry."
Zhou Ran answered curtly and sharply.
"Get lost."
Zhou Ran stood at the doorway. The greenery swayed in the wind. He bit down on the cigarette filter without lighting it, scrolling through his mobile phone.
Xia Mian had also posted on Moments.
In the photo, Xia Mian stood by the seaside, smiling while holding a coconut. The sun hat on her head was lifted by the wind, and a few unruly strands of hair blocked her curved eyes.
She was wearing an irregular long dress today, her waist cinched with a ribbon tied into a bow knot, and her long hair was styled into a low braid with a white ribbon.
Zhou Ran's finger tapped the photo again and again.
The photo was tapped to enlarge, then shrunk back, then enlarged again.
Zhou Ran took a breath, lit his cigarette, and fixed his gaze on Xia Mian's arm.
The red tattoo from yesterday hadn't faded yet. Zhou Ran looked at his own hand and frowned slightly.
Was his grip really that strong?
Or was she just too delicate, turning red from just a squeeze?
Zhou Ran bit the cigarette filter until it was flattened.
He tapped the screen and left a comment below.
【The scabs haven't fallen off, don't go into the water.】
When Zhou Ran went back inside, Lao Lu was sitting on the sofa with his arms resting, idly playing with Shui Cao's hair.
Seeing Zhou Ran enter, Lao Lu let out an "Oh," and began to be sarcastic.
"Cao'er, tell me, what kind of fate does your Brother Lu have? I've been brothers with someone for so many years, and on a hot day like this, I can't even get a sip of coconut water."
He flicked the ends of Shui Cao's hair. "Your Brother Zhuang Zhong is the real deal; he's already drinking fresh ones picked right off the tree."
Zhou Ran paused and glanced at him.
He opened the refrigerator door and hesitated when he touched that coconut, not sure what he was thinking of.
He furrowed his brows, feeling annoyed, and tossed the coconut directly to Lao Lu.
Lao Lu let out a "F*ck" and hurriedly got up to catch the coconut.
"Buddy, you've already opened this, it's going to spill all over me!"
"Just drink it."
Zhou Ran put his gloves and mask back on, covering his sour expression.
Lao Lu hugged the coconut and laughed. "Not treasuring it anymore?"
"Shut up if you're not going to drink it."
"Alright then."
Zhou Ran clenched his hand holding the machine twice.
Treasuring it? What was there to treasure?
It was just a coconut.
Zhuang Zhong had one too.
The island scenery was pleasant.
Zhuang Zhong had already inquired about the price of the diving program and was preparing to rent equipment.
Xia Mian opened Moments. The latest post was full of little red dots, mostly from former high school classmates, with occasional comments asking where she had gone.
She replied briefly and saw a moon avatar among the pile of comments.
She scrolled down to look.
Zhou Ran: 【The scabs haven't fallen off, don't go into the water.】
The comment was posted thirty-seven minutes ago.
Xia Mian paused and looked at her arm.
The butterfly had healed quite well, with only some scabs left on the wings.
She replied: 【Okay.】
Zhuang Zhong walked over excitedly. "I've asked around; a coach will take both of us in a bit. Go pick out a wetsuit."
Xia Mian looked at Zhuang Zhong, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I won't go into the water. Zhou Ran said the tattoo hasn't scabbed over yet, so I can't go in."
Zhuang Zhong hummed. "Brother Zhou? When did he say that?"
"Just now." Xia Mian handed her mobile phone to Zhuang Zhong to show him the Moments post.
Zhuang Zhong took out his mobile phone to check his own Moments, and only Lao Lu had liked his post.
"I got mine tattooed only a day earlier than you, why doesn't Brother Zhou care about me?"
He opened Xia Mian's Moments and replied to Zhou Ran's comment below.
Zhuang Zhong: 【Brother Zhou, you're being too biased. Why didn't you remind me? My butt is still numb from half of it.】
A few seconds later, a little red dot popped up.
Zhuang Zhong tapped it open.
It was short and concise, making Zhuang Zhong's eyes widen.
Zhou Ran: 【Do whatever you want.】
"?"
Are you kidding me?
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