The sound of the waves faded away, leaving only the intimacy of their lips and the mingling of their breaths.
It happened so suddenly that Yin Lan was still dazed, unsure whether to keep crying or start laughing.
Only when she was nearly out of breath did Zhou Guchuan pull back slightly, allowing her a moment to breathe before leaning in to kiss her again.
Unrelenting, deeply entangled.
Yin Lan patted his shoulders with both hands. “Alright… alright, Guchuan, no more kissing.”
She tilted her head slightly to the side, finally escaping the man’s control.
What a madman—once he started kissing, he wouldn’t stop. She hadn’t even settled the score with him yet for staying underwater for so long earlier.
Just as she was about to confront him, the man opened his palm, revealing a plump, chubby seashell nestled in the center. Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a kaleidoscope of iridescent pink hues.
Yin Lan’s attention was completely captivated. She hadn’tt known such beautiful seashells existed in these waters.
Completely forgetting her intention to reprimand him, she instead asked eagerly, “Did you find this in the sea?”
“Mhm, do you… like it?”
“I do! The seashell is so beautiful. Are there more down there? Should I dive in and pick up a few myself?”
As she spoke, she was about to plunge into the seawater but was promptly pulled back into the man’s embrace.
“These kinds of seashells are hidden in deeper spots. I was worried it would be dangerous for you to go down. I originally wanted to bring up more, but I heard you calling me, so I quickly picked one and came up.”
Afraid she might be disappointed, Zhou Guchuan added, “It’s fine. If you like it, I’ll find more for you next time.”
“Thank you, I really like it.”
If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, Yin Lan wouldn’t have known how to describe the seashell’s beauty.
She would take it back and place it in the most prominent spot in her room!
After all the commotion, Yin Lan was exhausted. Zhou Guchuan steered the yacht back to shore and retrieved the net they had cast earlier in the morning.
The net was heavy and full—a bountiful harvest, with a surprisingly diverse array of seafood inside.
Yin Lan didn’t know how to handle seafood, so she left it all to Zhou Guchuan. Holding the seashell, she found a shady spot under a tree, laid down a few palm leaves as a cushion, and slowly reclined.
Squinting her eyes and enjoying the sea breeze, from this angle, she could easily see the man preparing the ingredients.
His expression was calm, his movements skillful, and paired with his physique, it was simply perfect.
Yes, Zhou Guchuan wasn’t wearing any other clothes either—he was still in his swim trunks.
The island’s temperature was high, and the swim trunks had already dried, clinging slightly to his body.
Zhou Guchuan stood on the yacht’s deck, his back broad and sharp.
At that moment, he was bent over, pouring the freshly caught seafood into a wooden basin, the muscles in his forearms tensing slightly as he exerted force.
Once the seafood was cleaned, Zhou Guchuan chose a sheltered spot beside a reef, set up a grill, and lit the charcoal.
Sweat mixed with the glint of sand grains trickled down from his temples, rolling over his collarbone. The seafood sizzled on the grill, oil glistening along the patterns of the shrimp and crab shells.
A fragrant aroma wafted through the air. Yin Lan twitched her nose and couldn’t help but exclaim, “It smells amazing.”
Hearing her, Zhou Guchuan turned his head and flashed her a slight smile. “Just wait a little longer. It’ll be ready soon.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Guchuan continued with his tasks, while Yin Lan self-consciously adjusted the shawl draped over her shoulders, covering the exposed skin at her chest.
Although he had just been talking about the food, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the way he looked at her was strange. She wondered if it was just her imagination.
Ah, maybe she was overthinking it.
Another ten minutes passed, and Zhou Guchuan’s seafood feast was ready.
The man tidied up the grill and laid out the sizzling, oil-glistening seafood one by one.
Plump grilled shrimp, crabs bursting with roe and tender meat, and savory grilled shellfish were spread generously across the picnic blanket, their aroma wafting through the air.
What’s seafood without a cold drink? Yin Lan volunteered to return to the yacht and brought back two bottles of soda.
She handed both bottles to Zhou Guchuan, her intention clear.
Zhou Guchuan took them, casually twisted open one of the sodas. The light pop of the metal cap was lost in the sea breeze, and the refreshing scent of bubbles instantly spread.
He gave the first bottle to her, his gaze tender and lingering.
Zhou Guchuan didn’t rush to open his own soda. Instead, he leisurely peeled open a crab shell, extracted the snow-white, delicate crab meat, and brought it to her lips—his movements natural and doting.
Yin Lan savored the sweet, fresh crab meat, then took a sip of the cold drink. So refreshing!
This kind of pleasure—she wouldn’t trade it even to become an immortal.
Seeing her enjoy the food, Zhou Guchuan’s gaze softened even more, and he picked up another crab to peel.
Just as he was about to feed her again, Yin Lan stopped him with her hand.
“You eat. I’ve already had one. You’ve been busy all this time—try your own cooking.”
“Alright.”
Yin Lan wasn’t the type to wait around to be fed either. She put on gloves and started peeling shrimp herself.
The first peeled shrimp, she offered to Zhou Guchuan. “Master chef, you’ve worked hard. This is your reward!”
“Thank you for the reward, Miss.”
“No problem at all. If you keep up the good work, there’ll be more rewards in the future.”
After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, Yin Lan helped clean up. Just when she thought they’d be heading back on the yacht, Zhou Guchuan set down the things and led her back to the beach.
Yin Lan blinked. “Aren’t we going back? The sun’s about to set.”
“No, we’re staying on the island tonight.”
“On the island? Sleeping in a tent? Won’t there be lots of mosquitoes?”
Zhou Guchuan chuckled. “How could I let Miss sleep in a tent? Follow me.”
The man walked ahead, with Yin Lan close behind. They passed through a dense grove of coconut trees, and when Yin Lan saw the island villa before her, she was stunned.
“I thought this was a deserted island. I didn’t expect there to be a house here.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the front door automatically opened. Inside, the villa was decorated in a light, luxurious island style—pale white walls paired with rustic wooden furniture, and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offering an unobstructed view of the outdoors.
The soft furnishings were fresh and elegant. Outside, there was an open-air swimming pool with crystal-clear water and two lounge chairs by the edge.
Such a beautiful pool—just looking at it made her want to take a couple of laps.
“Miss, are you satisfied?”
Yin Lan nodded vigorously. Zhou Guchuan’s arrangements were truly thoughtful. When she went out with him, she didn’t have to think at all and could completely relax.
“There are two bedrooms upstairs. You take the master bedroom; I’ll take the guest room.”
The man had arranged everything, even the clothes in the bedroom—all in styles and sizes she liked, as if custom-made for her.
“Alright, you can leave now. I’m going to take a shower and change into some loungewear.”
“Miss, you’re dismissing me as soon as you’re done using me? Isn’t that a bit heartless?” Zhou Guchuan pretended to look pitiful.
Yin Lan understood instantly. Wrapping her shawl tighter, she stood on tiptoe and quickly planted a kiss on the man’s cheek.
“Is that enough now?”
Zhou Guchuan smiled and ruffled the top of her head. “Come out quickly after your shower. I’ve prepared dessert for you.”
“Okay.”
The bedroom door closed. Zhou Guchuan put away his smile and looked up at the miniature surveillance camera in the corner. The moment Lanlan kissed him just now must have been recorded.
When he couldn’t see her in the future, he would watch this to ease his longing.
It was a pity that their first kiss in the sea wasn’t recorded. He didn’t know when he would be able to kiss her again.
If only he had installed surveillance on the yacht too…