Chapter 38 Part 2

She wanted to make up, bit by bit, for the year and two months she had been absent.

Because Qiao Ke had messaged her the night before about the “special program for hearing-impaired individuals,” Chi Yumo assumed Shi Youwan wanted to learn about the daily life and learning routines of children with hearing impairments to gather “material” for ideas on the program.

【Okay.】

In the following half hour or so, she sincerely shared everything she had seen and heard at the school with Shi Youwan.

Shi Youwan listened intently, her gaze never leaving Chi Yumo for a moment.

After reaching the waters ten nautical miles out, the yacht stopped.

With the engine’s roar gone, and no wind or waves, silence enveloped them—an vast emptiness, as if the entire world consisted only of the two of them.

Chi Yumo couldn’t withstand Shi Youwan’s gaze, soft as spring water. She tactically lowered her head, but her fingers paused on the tablet, as if she had said everything there was to say and had nothing left to add.

Sensing her discomfort, Shi Youwan said, “There are seagulls. At the bow.”

Sure enough, the cries of seagulls soon followed.

Chi Yumo turned sideways and looked out the glass window. Two seagulls perched on the bow railing.

One hopped a few steps toward her, tilted its head, and in the next second, unfurled its graceful form, spreading its wings and leaping toward the sea. The other followed suit, and they flew off together toward the higher, farther horizon.

Once the seagulls were gone, Shi Youwan asked, “Want to go fishing?”

Chi Yumo’s wandering thoughts, carried away by the seagulls, snapped back. She typed in reply: 【I don’t know how.】

“I’ll teach you.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Chi Yumo nodded.

Fishing was a novel experience she had never tried, and she wanted to give it a go. Besides, it was better than sitting awkwardly across from Shi Youwan.

Yes, the person she had once longed for and thought of endlessly—a single meeting, phone call, or message enough to make her happy for ages—was now sitting within arm’s reach, yet all she felt was awkward torment.

She desperately wanted to find something else to do, to escape this needle-like discomfort.

Shi Youwan called Qiao Ke: “Qiao Ke, bring up two sets of fishing gear.”

A few minutes later.

On the deck, Shi Youwan had just finished explaining the principles of lure fishing, how to use the rod, and sea fishing techniques to Chi Yumo when Qiao Ke poked her head out the window, holding Shi Youwan’s personal phone. “President Shi, your call.”

“Be right back.” Unless it was urgent, Qiao Ke wouldn’t interrupt their fishing.

“Xiao Mo, try casting the line first. Watch the hook—I’ll be right back.”

Back in the living room, Shi Youwan asked, “Whose call?”

Qiao Ke handed over the phone. “Miss Yin’s.”

She hadn’t wanted to disrupt the rare “harmonious” time between the two, but the yacht was borrowed from Miss Yin. What if she was calling about some issue with the boat, like a safety hazard or maintenance problem?

Going out to sea wasn’t trivial; the lives of over a dozen people depended on it. They couldn’t afford carelessness.

“Hello, Manman?” Shi Youwan answered as she walked to the window.

“Youwan, how’s it going? You’ve hit the sea, right? Isn’t my yacht awesome? No worse than the one on Nanlin Island, huh?”

“Mm, it’s great. Not inferior at all.” Shi Youwan stood by the sofa, keeping an eye on Chi Yumo outside while responding.

“There’s even better!”

Excited, Yin Man’s volume rose as she boasted, “Have fun out there—don’t rush back. A young, hot-blooded little Alpha like her? A bit of creativity will do the trick. I know you’re shy, so listen: last night, I specially bought a bunch of fun toys for you. They’re in the nightstand in the master bedroom. Guaranteed to…”

Beep.

Shi Youwan hurriedly hung up. She couldn’t stomach a single word about “fun toys.”

On the deck, the little Alpha facing them had eyes that darkened further.

【Shi Youwan: Don’t contact me today.】

【Yin Man: Fine, fine. Won’t bother you. When you’ve coaxed her, treat me to dinner first thing and introduce us.】

Yin Man had come to Lingjiang City to help Shi Youwan out too. After all, the hot search she had leaked back then had been the catalyst that caused the little lover to “break up” with Shi Youwan.

She had witnessed firsthand how hard Shi Youwan’s year had been. Even though it wasn’t her fault, she still felt guilty toward her.

“If there are more calls, just answer them for me,” Shi Youwan handed the phone to Qiao Ke. “Unless it’s life-or-death, reply that I’m busy.”

“Got it, President Shi.”

Seeing Shi Youwan’s unpleasant expression, Qiao Ke inwardly lamented being dragged into Miss Yin’s mess again.

Yin Man always did jaw-dropping things, and those last few sentences—her voice was loud enough that Qiao Ke had overheard bits.

Good thing Chi Yumo wasn’t in the cabin…

Chi Yumo’s communication tablet lay on the sofa. Shi Youwan glanced at it, wondering if she should bring it out.

But looking at Chi Yumo quietly fishing, rod in hand, leaning over the railing, she decided against it. Unable to speak, just quietly accompanying Xiao Mo like this was enough to satisfy her.

Shi Youwan returned to Chi Yumo’s side. “How’s it going? Casting smoothly?”

Chi Yumo nodded.

Then she turned back to the sea, fully focused.

After a while, noticing Shi Youwan standing motionless, Chi Yumo turned to look, only to find her staring intently at Chi Yumo’s hand on the rod.

Chi Yumo simply shoved the rod into Shi Youwan’s hands, pointed at the float on the sea, then at the other side of the deck.

Meaning: You stay here; I’ll go over there.

She crouched to pick up another rod, pulling on her hoodie hood as she walked—a clear gesture of keeping distance.

Watching the girl’s retreating back, a bitter smile tugged at Shi Youwan’s lips. Xiao Mo, do you really not want to be near me at all?

Seeing the situation shift outside, Qiao Ke in the living room neither sat nor stood comfortably.

Should she bring Shi Youwan a parasol or not?

Holding the parasol, she endured for over twenty minutes until her secretary called. Urgent or not, it was a chance to “rescue” Shi Youwan from the sun.

Chi Yumo could handle it, but with wind and sun, Shi Youwan endured gladly—but now with Chi Yumo hooded on the other side, what was the point of Shi Youwan baking alone?

Sunburn would bring nothing but trouble.

Sigh.

“President Shi, important call—come inside to take it.” Qiao Ke approached Shi Youwan, handing over the work phone and taking the rod from her. “I’ll reel it in.”

“Okay.” Before going in, Shi Youwan glanced at Chi Yumo on the other side.

She should have known: Xiao Mo didn’t like her in sight. After baking in the sun, her body felt hot, slick with thin sweat, head aching.

There was still dinner ahead; she needed to take care of herself.

Under the sunlight, the sea sparkled, mirroring the entire sky in its waves.

Footsteps faded one by one, leaving Chi Yumo alone on the deck.

She savored the solitude, the tranquility—cherishing alone time even more than before losing her voice. No restraints, no pressure, no noise—just ease and freedom.

Qiao Ke brought Chi Yumo a parasol and folding chair, setting them up. “Parasol and chair—President Shi asked me to bring them. The sun’s brutal at sea; don’t stay out too long. Drink more water.”

Chi Yumo signed 【Thank you】.

Seeing her sign language, Qiao Ke felt a pang and pointed to the chair. “Beverages and pastries over there, prepared just for you. Don’t hold back if you’re thirsty or hungry.”

She feared Chi Yumo might skip them to avoid seeming close to Shi Youwan.

…

Chi Yumo sat on the deck fishing for over an hour, catching two unidentified fish before releasing them back into the sea.

Late September to early October in Lingjiang City, sunset was around 5:40 PM.

“President Shi, it’s 5:20—sunset soon.” Qiao Ke’s alarm rang, and she knocked to report to Shi Youwan.

“Mm, let’s go up.”

Just past five in the evening, Shi Youwan emerged from the lower bedroom.

Chi Yumo had just stowed her rod when Qiao Ke stepped forward. “Miss Mo, let me take it.”

Chi Yumo’s hands freed, Shi Youwan seized one. “Xiao Mo, shall we go up top to watch the sunset?”

No.

The refusal reached her lips, but Chi Yumo couldn’t voice it.

With her strength, she could easily shake free if she wanted. But… hadn’t she prepared mentally on the way? This was to repay Shi Youwan, to go along with her wishes?

So Chi Yumo walked toward the stairs on her own, midway slipping her hand free.

The observation area had a wide view, even the doors glass.

The side panels were retractable. Shi Youwan pressed the remote on the right cabinet, and both lowered.

Chi Yumo sat on the left tatami, facing the sunset.

After two “close-contact rejections” in the living room and on deck, Shi Youwan didn’t dare sit near. She chose the forward sofa bed.

Sunrise and sunset, tides rising and falling—eternal laws of nature.

The cloudless sky outside shifted from blue to gray, save the horizon’s clouds dyed gold, red, and pink by the sun.

The pure glows held no impurities, unswallowed even in the darkening sky.

Like bolts of fine silk, layered in scales.

The orange-red sun and vibrant clouds contrasted the deep blue sea, afterglow dancing on the vast waters, forming a beautiful, flowing painting. Waves gently lapped the hull, as if singing an ancient deep-sea legend.

Dusk deepened, tides rose, waves grew louder.

The sun sank slowly, vanishing from view, leaving a defiant golden streak battling the dark.

If sunrise marked hope’s beginning, what was sunset?

Disappointment’s start?

Or a long, cold wait for the next hope?

Post-sunset, darkness fell swiftly.

By 6 PM, the unlit observation deck grew dim. Chi Yumo pulled out her phone and typed: 【What time do we head back?】

She rose, walked to the sofa bed, and showed the screen to Shi Youwan.

Shi Youwan looked up at her, eyes earnest. “Xiao Mo, after dinner, once the moon rises, we’ll go back.”

She wanted to watch sunrises and sunsets with Xiao Mo, the sea moon, the starry sky.

In their shared 800+ days and 200+ shared nights, she had never properly watched the sun and moon with Xiao Mo, nor the stars.

The Old Mansion in the suburbs had higher elevation, beautiful scenery, lush greenery, clear moons and sparse stars—perfect for viewing.

But Xiao Mo had waited for her there many times, seen her off many times. It was Shi Youwan’s early departures and late returns, her failure to cherish, that caused the misses.

Chi Yumo seemed impatient, averse to “moon.” She typed quickly: 【Then let’s eat soon. I’m heading down.】

Sunset, and now the moon.

Why did Shi Youwan always bring up things from their memories that weren’t romantically wonderful?

Didn’t she have any self-awareness?

“Okay, go ahead. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Only after Chi Yumo’s footsteps faded down the stairs did Shi Youwan’s straight back relax and bend. One hand clutched the sofa fabric, the other pressed her abdomen.

Why couldn’t her body cooperate?

After two minutes, she called Qiao Ke: “Qiao Ke, bring my stomach meds up.”

“Is your stomach acting up again?”

Qiao Ke had also been about to head upstairs when she heard Shi Youwan’s instructions. She deliberately raised her voice to ask back, ensuring that Chi Yumo, who was sitting in the living room, could hear her. “Wait a moment, sit still. I’ll be right there.”

That afternoon in the bedroom, she had already supervised Shi Youwan taking a round of her rehabilitation medications.

Shi Youwan’s stomach condition had been diagnosed at the beginning of the year. Over the past six months or so, it had flared up repeatedly, and she had mostly endured it with medication.

As Qiao Ke turned to go downstairs, she specifically glanced at Chi Yumo, who was propping her chin up with one arm as she leaned by the window. She hoped for some kind of reaction from her, but the woman showed absolutely none.

A year ago, she had thought that President Shi treated Chi Yumo too coldly and cruelly. She had even felt indignant on Chi Yumo’s behalf several times in her heart.

Now, the tables had turned—what was once cold and cruel treatment had fallen upon President Shi.

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

Was it their unequal statuses that prevented them from bridging the gap of worldly conventions and reality? Or had the time and place of their initial meeting been wrong from the very start?

And what did their reunion count as after that—a mistake repeated?

These two were dating in such a torturous way that even she, the front-row audience, was starting to feel numb from it.

Qiao Ke fetched the medication and a glass of water before heading upstairs. There wasn’t even a light on up there. She fumbled for the button by the door and turned on a lamp. “President Shi, your meds.”

Shi Youwan took the cup and the pills, then asked, “Is dinner ready?”

“It’ll be served at six-thirty—no problem. But in your current state, can you even eat?”

Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, bloating and dull pain, burning sensations—these were all common symptoms of stomach issues, and eating would very likely exacerbate the condition.

Shi Youwan checked the time on her watch. “There’s still nearly half an hour left. After taking the meds and resting a bit, I’ll be fine. Go ahead and prepare things downstairs. I can handle myself.”

“Alright.” There was nothing a subordinate like her could do about her boss’s stubbornness and bravado—she could only comply.

However, Shi Youwan had overestimated her physical condition and endurance. She had only just swallowed the medicine, and Qiao Ke had only reached the doorway, when she couldn’t hold back anymore. She rushed to the bedside, bent over the trash bin, and started dry-heaving.