24. She and the boss were perfectly innocent.
Following the secluded path lined with lush tropical plants to its end, Zhou Mingye swiped his card and opened the gate to the detached villa’s courtyard.
The room Zhou Mingye was staying in had been booked by Ling Xi. It came with a private courtyard and an independent swimming pool.
After entering, Ling Xi did not forget to dutifully ask, “President Zhou, is the place comfortable to stay in?”
“It’s good.”
Ling Xi placed her takeaway food on the table and heard Zhou Mingye ask, “Beer?”
Ling Xi hadn’t expected there would be beer to go with barbecue, and she responded with a smile, “Sure.”
Zhou Mingye went inside the room. Ling Xi sat down on a bamboo chair and carefully took out the takeaway, making sure not to dirty the table.
The villa was tucked away in a private location. At night, it was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the soft burbling of circulating pool water.
Ling Xi looked at the Tiffany blue swimming pool in front of her and thought that sitting here eating skewers really did not match the atmosphere at all.
This place was clearly more suitable for leaning back by the pool and drinking red wine, wouldn’t it?
She unpacked several insulated bags just as Zhou Mingye came out holding two cans of beer and sat down beside her.
After popping open the cans, Zhou Mingye looked at the reddish grilled skewers. “Didn’t you eat enough tonight?”
“No, it’s just… I suddenly wanted some.”
Ling Xi had eaten lightly at the buffet that afternoon. While the concert stage was being set up, she had been bored and scrolled through her phone, where she saw someone on Xiaohongshu passionately recommending this northeastern barbecue place.
The photos the blogger posted were far too tempting, so she placed an impulsive order.
Ling Xi took out a skewer, wrapped it in paper, and handed it to Zhou Mingye. “Boss, give it a try.”
Zhou Mingye took it and glanced at it. Where was he supposed to start?
He did not usually eat barbecue and had not had meat threaded on bamboo skewers in a long time.
Noticing his hesitation, Ling Xi took the skewer back, used the disposable chopsticks provided by the shop to slide the meat off, picked up a piece, and said, “Eat.”
Her hand suddenly moved closer. Zhou Mingye’s gaze swept past her pale fingers, and his expression froze. They were not close enough for her to be feeding him, were they?
Seeing that Zhou Mingye did not take it, Ling Xi immediately realized her action might have been misunderstood. She hurriedly said, “I’ll give you chopsticks.”
Only then did Zhou Mingye pick up the chopsticks and take a bite. It was spicy, salty, and a bit greasy.
He stopped after one taste and set the chopsticks down.
Across the table, Ling Xi was eating with enthusiasm and did not forget to chat with him.
“President Zhou, what did you do today?”
“Sunbathed. Slept.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.” Zhou Mingye leaned back, resting his hands behind his head, and looked toward the distant moon.
After spending more time with Zhou Mingye, Ling Xi realized that his life was truly monotonous. He was a complete workaholic.
She invited him, “Our little group is going paragliding tomorrow. Do you want to join us?”
As expected, Zhou Mingye refused. “You all go ahead. I can’t be bothered to go out.”
“Then what will you do at the hotel?”
“Swim. Sunbathe.”
Ling Xi shrugged. “Alright.”
After finishing the last few skewers, Ling Xi tied the plastic bag tightly and placed it by the door, planning to take it with her when she left.
As she walked around the pool, she suddenly heard a few loud bangs. She turned her head, and a burst of fire shot up into the night sky, exploding brilliantly at its peak.
Fireworks were being set off by the seaside.
“Wow!” Ling Xi wiped her hands clean with a tissue, then walked to the center of the courtyard and raised her phone to take photos.
Zhou Mingye looked in the direction of the fireworks. A flawless golden chrysanthemum burst above Ling Xi’s head, followed by countless blue and violet points of light blooming one after another.
He took out his phone, opened the camera, and aimed it at the sky filled with fireworks.
A dense series of explosions ignited the night into a boiling sea of light. In the brief pauses between the sounds, Ling Xi heard Zhou Mingye call her.
He asked, “Do you want me to take a photo for you?”
The sound of explosions rang out, and Ling Xi could not hear clearly. “What?”
Zhou Mingye repeated himself.
Ling Xi nodded and replied loudly, “Yes.”
Rarely did the boss show such thoughtfulness. Ling Xi jogged a few steps to change positions, then stood where Zhou Mingye directed her to and turned back with a bright smile.
The fireworks display, which lasted ten minutes, came to an end.
Ling Xi leaned over and asked, “How is it? Did you get any good photos?”
Zhou Mingye swiped through the gallery. “Pick them yourself.”
Ling Xi took the phone and stood there admiring the photos.
She had to admit that Zhou Mingye was really good at taking pictures.
He had adjusted the focus and pressed the shutter just before the fireworks bloomed, capturing both the person and the background in sharp detail.
“They’re really beautiful.” Ling Xi lifted her gaze and suddenly noticed that Zhou Mingye was looking intently at the person in the photos. The light was dim at night, yet she could clearly see the smile at the corner of his lips.
The moment their eyes met, both of them turned their heads away, a trace of awkwardness lingering.
Ling Xi lowered her head and took out her own phone. “I’ll send the photos to myself.”
“Alright.”
Zhou Mingye responded quietly and looked away.
Ling Xi transferred dozens of vividly colored images to her phone, thanked him, and then stood up to take her leave.
On the way back to her room, she thought about the moment when their gazes had met. Why had she panicked?
It was not as if she had never been alone with Zhou Mingye before. Back when she had approached him with ulterior motives, she had been nervous out of fear of being exposed.
But just now, it felt as though his gaze had burned her.
Ling Xi analyzed it seriously. It had to be because she now regarded him as a heterosexual man who liked women.
Being in close proximity to the opposite sex naturally made people uncomfortable. Besides, the boss was very handsome. It was normal for her emotions to be a little unsettled.
*
Back in the room, Xu Jing poked her head out of the bathroom. “Where did you go just now? Did you see the fireworks?”
Ling Xi slipped into her slippers. “I wandered around for a bit. I saw them, and I even took photos!”
She curled up on the sofa, opened her photo album, and began selecting pictures one by one.
She picked three fireworks shots she had taken herself, then painstakingly chose one back view, one side view, and one front-facing photo from the dozens Zhou Mingye had taken.
She carefully checked the angles. The background was only the sky, with nothing revealing her location.
Although she and the boss were perfectly innocent, if someone found out she had gone to the boss’s room, it would be impossible to explain clearly.
Satisfied after admiring the six photos, Ling Xi posted them to her Moments.
After showering and coming back, the post already had dozens of likes.
Her colleagues commented one after another: “So beautiful!”
Ling Xi had not expected the photos to draw so much attention. Even Xu Jing leaned over and asked her, “I was too busy filming the fireworks earlier. Your photos look amazing. Who took them?”
She lowered her head and saw that the photographer had liked the post. She thought to herself that she absolutely could not tell the truth. It would cause misunderstandings.
Ling Xi looked up and replied with a grin, “A passerby.”
*
That night, lying in bed, the WeChat group chat of their small team was especially lively.
Dong Yihui sent paragliding safety notes, and Song Yuan followed up with several links titled “Paragliding Photo Poses.”
The colleagues who had never tried high-altitude activities were all especially excited.
Messages piled up by the dozens.
Ling Xi had done skydiving and bungee jumping before and had some experience. She pulled the blanket over herself, feeling a little excited too, silently praying for good weather the next day.
Early the next morning, the small team finished breakfast one after another and gathered at the entrance.
When Ling Xi came out of the restaurant, she saw Zhou Mingye seemingly returning from a workout, walking alone toward the detached villas.
Her colleagues chattered as they ran toward the entrance. Ling Xi walked a few steps, then turned back to look at Zhou Mingye’s retreating figure. He looked rather lonely.
She reached the lobby, then turned back again, detouring to stop in front of him. “Boss, are you going back to your room?”
Zhou Mingye was startled by the sudden appearance, then nodded.
“Come on, join us for paragliding.” Ling Xi invited him again.
“No.” Zhou Mingye answered crisply, though his gaze lingered on her face for an extra second.
Ling Xi asked, “What’s the point of staying in your room? Won’t you be bored?”
Zhou Mingye was not used to lively settings. He looked at Ling Xi, unsure why she had so much enthusiasm when it came to playing around.
Seeing that he did not respond, Ling Xi leaned closer. “President Zhou, don’t tell me you’re scared.”
“Trying to provoke me?” Zhou Mingye snorted lightly.
“Just say whether you’re scared or not.” Ling Xi tilted her head, smiling mischievously.
Zhou Mingye slipped his hands into his pockets. If he went, it would play right into her hands. If he did not, it would look like he really was afraid.
After a moment of thought, he said, “Wait for me to change.”
Watching Zhou Mingye quicken his steps as he walked away, Ling Xi pressed her lips together in a quiet smile and sent a message to the group chat: “The boss is coming too. We’ll take the later car.”
“Got it. We’ll get there first and arrange things!”
Ten minutes later, Ling Xi stood at the hotel entrance and saw Zhou Mingye approaching from afar.
He had changed into athletic wear, a black quick-dry top and gray shorts. Ling Xi’s gaze fell on his firm, well-proportioned leg muscles. The lines were truly smooth.
The paragliding base was a ten-minute drive from the hotel.
When Ling Xi and Zhou Mingye arrived, several colleagues had already arranged a tandem instructor for Zhou Mingye.
The boss joining the paragliding surprised everyone. They came over to greet him, handing him water and offering to take photos, seizing the chance to get closer.
Ling Xi went to find the instructor she had booked in advance.
After listening to the safety briefing, she began putting on the equipment.
The weather that day was sunny with a few clouds, and the wind speed was just right.
Ling Xi was scheduled ahead of Zhou Mingye. Although she had experienced high-altitude activities before, this was her first time paragliding, and she was still a little nervous.
Zhou Mingye stood several meters away at the edge of the mountain, listening to the instructor explain the running posture. When he turned his head, he saw that Ling Xi had already lifted off into the air.
Ling Xi finished preparing herself mentally and, under the instructor’s guidance, straightened her legs and ran forward with force.
When she opened her eyes again, she was already airborne.
The tension did not last long. Once the flight stabilized, she looked down to see a vast expanse of deep blue ocean and pristine white sand beneath her feet.
Her heartbeat gradually slowed as the wind roared past her ears.
Ling Xi suddenly felt inexplicably moved. She loved this feeling of freedom.
As the flight neared its end, she found herself wanting more.
The instructor took her for another loop before finally, reluctantly, bringing her back down to the ground.
Some of her colleagues were even more excited than Ling Xi. They pulled the instructor over to take photos and said they would come back next time to watch the sunset.
Ling Xi removed her gear and saw Song Yuan, Dong Yihui, and the others resting in the lounge area. She scanned the surroundings but did not see Zhou Mingye and had no idea whether he had flown yet.
After buying two bottles of water, Ling Xi was about to look for Xu Jing to take photos together when she lifted her head and saw, not far away, Zhou Mingye finishing his flight and landing on the grass.
From a distance, she saw him bracing his hands on his knees, looking a little unwell.
Everyone around him had already left. He kept his head lowered, and his expression was unclear.
Ling Xi walked over to Zhou Mingye, crouched in front of him, and handed him a bottle of water. “Are you alright?”
Zhou Mingye looked up. His face was slightly pale, but he forced a smile. “I’m fine. Let me catch my breath.”
He took several deep breaths, straightened up, and said to Ling Xi, “Actually, I’m a little afraid of heights.”
Ling Xi was momentarily surprised. Seeing Zhou Mingye’s eyes slightly reddened, with excitement and relief surging beneath them, she heard him say with a smile, “But it’s not serious. I was pretty happy just now.”
On the way over, Zhou Mingye had hesitated. It had been a long time since he last tried something thrilling, and he did not know whether an unfamiliar experience would help him release stress or make him uncomfortable.
Floating slowly in the air and taking in the unobstructed view of the mountains below, he was glad he had come.
Zhou Mingye was not someone who was good at releasing pressure in daily life.
When his feet left the ground and he passed through thin, faint clouds, his body suddenly relaxed.
He even tried a brief weightless maneuver with the instructor. The stimulation was incredibly stress-relieving, to the point that he wanted to do it again.
“Really?” Ling Xi flattered him. “I couldn’t tell at all. You looked very handsome when you came down. Xu Jing was completely stunned.”
Zhou Mingye pressed his lips together slightly, thinking, then what about you? Were you not stunned too?
“No regrets coming with me, right?” The girl in front of him smiled smugly. “Wasn’t it amazing? Maybe you won’t even have insomnia tonight.”
Zhou Mingye looked into Ling Xi’s clear, bright eyes, and the sensation of weightlessness from earlier seemed to surge back again.
He recalled how, before takeoff, the instructor had said the wind speed was not suitable and told him to wait.
Only after more than ten minutes, when that steady, continuous, perfect wind arrived, did he begin his run.
Lowering his gaze, he looked at Ling Xi again and suddenly understood what it felt like to not have to struggle against turbulent currents or worry that the wind might suddenly stop.
The only question was whether that crisp, life-filled, perfect wind would be willing to stay for him.