Chapter 64
Early the next morning, Jiang Baihe was jolted awake by her alarm.
She climbed out of bed, switched on the bedside lamp, and then walked over to pull open the curtains. The sky outside was still dark; a few stars were flickering with their final light. On the distant horizon, a faint sliver of light was beginning to emerge.
Jiang Baihe did a quick wash-up in her room before running over to knock on Yan Shu’s door.
Since there were very few people around, neither Jiang Baihe nor Yan Shu paid much attention to their attire. They both changed into casual, light clothing. Their long hair was gently tossed by the morning breeze, and with slippers clicking against the floor, they left the house feeling relaxed and free.
The beach wasn’t far from home—just a five or six-minute walk.
Along the way, the sea breeze brushed against their faces, carrying a slight chill but, more so, a refreshing coolness that cleared the mind. Seagulls flew low, skimming the water and letting out crisp cries. They strolled along the sand, walking slowly along the coastline. The sand beneath their feet was incredibly soft, and occasionally they could feel tiny shells hidden beneath the surface.
Blown by the sea breeze, Jiang Baihe suddenly reacted: “Yan Yan, are you cold? Should I ask Auntie Lin to bring out a coat?”
It was early March, and the weather hadn’t officially warmed up yet. Catching a chill from the early morning sea breeze could easily lead to a cold.
Yan Shu shook her head and replied, “I’m not cold.”
Hearing this, Jiang Baihe didn’t push the matter.
“Baihe, look over there.”
Hearing Yan Shu’s sudden voice, Jiang Baihe turned her head and looked in the direction she was pointing. “Hmm?”
The sky around them gradually brightened. At the junction of sea and sky, the first ray of dawn broke through. The sun slowly peeked its head out from the end of the horizon, and golden rays gradually flooded the surface of the sea. The shimmering ripples looked like a sharpened blade piercing through the deep, quiet depths of the ocean, awakening all the creatures still asleep.
The impact of the sunrise before her was intense, carrying a vibrant, overflowing life force. Jiang Baihe was immersed in this magnificent scene, feeling as if someone had pressed the pause button on time.
At this moment, she and Yan Shu cast aside their identities as an entertainment star and a corporate CEO; they were just ordinary people, free and unconstrained, loving life just like anyone else.
Yan Shu’s voice drifted intermittently in the wind: “I haven’t watched a sunrise in a long time. Do you like it?”
Jiang Baihe stood quietly beside Yan Shu. Upon hearing her voice, her gaze moved from the distance to Yan Shu’s face.
The golden light of the sun met the receding darkness of night, casting a heart-stirring beauty over them. At this moment, the surrounding world seemed to blur; only the presence of the person beside her was so vivid and clear.
Waves crashed against the shore. Jiang Baihe’s fingertips twitched, her heart rate accelerated, and her voice grew slightly raspy: “…I like it.”
Yan Shu didn’t notice anything unusual about Jiang Baihe and continued to quietly enjoy the sunrise scenery.
It wasn’t until the light gradually illuminated the entire beach that Yan Shu suddenly realized Jiang Baihe hadn’t spoken for quite a while.
Yan Shu turned her head in confusion, only to find that Jiang Baihe’s gaze wasn’t on the distant sea but fixed entirely on her. She froze slightly: “What is it?”
From the moment she said “I like it,” bits and pieces of her time with Yan Shu began to flood Jiang Baihe’s mind.
The stunning impression of their first meeting in the office after transmigrating, the irrepressible heartache upon learning of Yan Shu’s past, the touch of their merging pheromones that night… Her love for Yan Shu was like a tiny seed planted in her heart, quietly growing in every unintentional moment until it became a towering tree—an irreplaceable existence in her heart.
Her chest throbbed with waves of emotion, and she could no longer restrain the impulse within. Jiang Baihe looked at Yan Shu with a sense of resignation and said with a light smile: “Yan Shu.”
“—I like you.”
Jiang Baihe looked into Yan Shu’s clear eyes: “From the first time we met until now, I’ve found that I can’t bear to be away from you more and more.”
“I want to watch the sunrise with you, watch the sunset with you, do so many more things together… I want to walk with you until our hair turns white.”
The waves continued to lap at the beach with a rhythmic shua-shua sound, but Yan Shu felt as if something was wrong with her hearing. When she looked at Jiang Baihe again, she found that the serious expression on her face was no act. Those eyes reflected the brightening sky, and they also reflected her own silhouette.
The world seemed to stand still; only the sound of the waves and their heartbeats intertwined. This was the first time Jiang Baihe had ever confessed to someone. She had imagined many confession scenarios—under a brilliant starry sky, on a Ferris wheel far from the crowds, or in their warm home… but nothing could compare to the specialness of this moment. As she thought it in her heart, she did it.
Seeing Yan Shu fail to respond for a long time, Jiang Baihe couldn’t help but feel anxious and nervous. She felt like a criminal awaiting a final sentence.
Finally, she heard Yan Shu speak: “Do you know what I wrote on the fortune slip I prayed for at Dayin Temple?”
“What?”
Jiang Baihe asked blankly. She didn’t understand why Yan Shu mentioned the slip, but perhaps… it wasn’t just one-sided?
Yan Shu turned her head, a smile and an unmistakable look of indulgence spreading across her face. She spoke slowly:
“The moon in the ocean is the moon in the sky; the person before me is the person in my heart.”
It was like a stone dropped into a calm lake; in an instant, layers of ripples were stirred. In Jiang Baihe’s mind and heart, countless brilliant fireworks seemed to explode simultaneously, scattering all her anxieties.
Yan Shu liked her… Yan Shu actually liked her too!
Their gazes locked. In each other’s eyes, there was only the other’s silhouette. They moved closer, and the world seemed to narrow down to just their shared breath.
In the next second, Jiang Baihe reached out and tilted Yan Shu’s chin up. She leaned down and gently pressed her lips against Yan Shu’s.
Yan Shu instinctively let out a soft “Mmh.” Jiang Baihe paused for a fraction of a second before pulling Yan Shu closer, tightening her grip on her waist, and deepening the kiss—passionate, unrestrained, and surging, as if she wanted to consume the other’s very soul.
Pheromones couldn’t be suppressed, transmitting continuously through the kiss. Their breaths intertwined, and their heartbeats nearly merged into one.
It wasn’t until Yan Shu’s legs went weak and she tapped Jiang Baihe’s shoulder, nearly out of breath, that Jiang Baihe reluctantly pulled away.
Looking at the flushed Yan Shu before her, Jiang Baihe couldn’t help but bury her face in the crook of her neck, whispering: “Yan Yan, I like you so much.”
“Mhm, I know. I like you too.”
The sunlight pierced through the clouds, stretching their shadows across the golden sand. The waves gently lapped the shore, as if offering their own blessings.
When the two returned home, it wasn’t even 6:30 yet. The horizon was turning a pale grey; it looked like it would be a very pleasant day.
Auntie Lin, who had risen early, was already busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Seeing Jiang Baihe and Yan Shu walking back hand-in-hand so early in the morning, Auntie Lin was a bit surprised, but she quickly realized they must have gone out to watch the sunrise.
Previously, Yan Shu lived here alone, and the scenery outside held no necessity for her to go out and see. Now that Jiang Baihe was here in Haishi for the first time, it wasn’t surprising that they would arrange to see the beach sunrise together.
Auntie Lin stood at the entrance of the bright, spacious kitchen, her clean apron still on. She greeted them warmly: “Miss Yan, Miss Jiang, good morning.”
“Breakfast is ready and still hot. Should I serve it for you now, ladies?”
Jiang Baihe replied with a beaming smile: “Yes, thank you for the hard work, Auntie Lin.”
“Oh, it’s just my job.” Auntie Lin hurried back into the kitchen with a smile. Moments later, she brought a lavish spread of breakfast to the table.
“Yan Yan, do you have to go to the office later?”
Jiang Baihe and Yan Shu sat at the table. Jiang Baihe picked up a steaming glass of milk and looked at the clock on the wall. Calculating the time, she advised: “If you aren’t busy, you should rest at home for a bit.”
Although they hadn’t gone to bed late yesterday, they had indeed risen very early today. She feared Yan Shu hadn’t slept enough and would push through the drowsiness to go to work.
Yan Shu pondered for a moment and then nodded gently. For her, it wasn’t necessarily a matter of being tired, but rather that too much had happened just now, and her heart hadn’t completely settled. Even if she went to the office now, she probably wouldn’t have the mind to look at documents. It was better to give herself a day off at home.
Thinking this, Yan Shu involuntarily recalled the events on the beach and couldn’t help but steal a glance at Jiang Baihe.
Little did she know, Jiang Baihe had been watching her every move. This slight little action was immediately captured.
“Yan Yan, why are you peeking at me?”
Jiang Baihe bit into a piece of soft bread, her eyes fixed directly on Yan Shu as she joked: “If you look at me a few more times, I’ll want to kiss you again.”
Yan Shu: “…”
A familiar flush stained Yan Shu’s cheeks. Since their feelings had been completely bared, Jiang Baihe’s words and actions were becoming increasingly unrestrained.
“To be honest, that was my first time kissing someone,” Jiang Baihe leaned in closer, saying as if casually, “I feel like I have a lot of room for improvement. I need to practice more. Yan Yan, look—Mmph!”
Yan Shu closed her eyes and, finally unable to endure it, picked up a slice of bread and gently stuffed it into Jiang Baihe’s mouth.
“Not even this much food can shut your mouth.”
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