Chapter 213: Honeymoon
While Jiang Xue was resting on the sofa, she also had a piece of chocolate. After a while, she felt much better and hurriedly stopped Ms. Wei from contacting Dr. Qi, then quickly used her own salary to order a new phone for Ms. Wei, the same brand she usually used.
Ms. Wei couldn’t help but laugh. “There’s no need for you to pay.”
“I startled you, I have to take responsibility!” Jiang Xue said seriously.
Knowing her stubbornness, Ms. Wei didn’t argue and simply hugged her tightly.
Then, she watched as her two daughters went upstairs, not asking any further questions.
—Xiao Luo had already explained everything she was willing to share. As for the details she didn’t want to mention, whether it was her emotions at the time or her feelings towards her birth mother, regardless of the reason for her silence, Ms. Wei would respect her choice.
Her children were adults now, and when they truly needed to confide in someone, they would come to her.
Since the matter was settled, and Xiao Luohan’s birth mother had also been liberated by Cang Ling and entered reincarnation, after explaining everything to Ms. Wei, no one mentioned the events of that Lantern Festival night again.
After the Lantern Festival, for “working adults,” another year of work began.
Before officially returning to their respective jobs, Jiang Xue received the Honeymoon Album from the photo studio owner, just in time.
The photos this time weren’t taken by the owner. A “honeymoon,” of course, was best as a two-person trip, and even the dog had to stay home with the white cat.
In the midst of August, the newlyweds, taking Cheng Shizhu’s “inherited” camera, embarked on a journey to a tropical island in the south.
“The sky and the ocean seem to share a certain similarity,” Xiao Luohan said, casually sketching the two on her digital drawing pad while admiring the ocean view from the deck. “In my opinion, flying in the sky and sailing on the ocean are equally dangerous.”
“But they also share the same alluring beauty,” Jiang Xue said, popping a cucumber-flavored potato chip into her mouth and deliberately crunching loudly.
Xiao Luo liked to listen to sounds while drawing. If no one was around, she would put on her earphones. Since Jiang Xue had nothing to do, and having received this strange request from her beloved, she simply sat beside her, eating potato chips.
She felt that this was also good for Xiao Luo’s health, wearing earphones for too long wasn’t good for her ears—it definitely wasn’t because it was more convenient for her to feed Xiao Luo while snacking!
Xiao Luohan only ate raw cucumbers, not cooked ones, and she especially loved cucumber-flavored snacks, especially potato chips, which were crispy and refreshing.
She had even learned a “Dr. Qi-approved” way of eating them from Jiang Xue: washing her hands before eating, and after finishing the chips, licking the remaining powder from her fingers.
After sharing a bag of chips, the sky and ocean on the digital screen were colored.
To conveniently store her inspiration, Xiao Luohan’s drawing tools had long been replaced by a digital drawing pad. Of course, she still carried her sketchbook and pencils in her bag, just in case.
They were currently on a luxury cruise ship, whose tickets had to be booked six months in advance. The ship had many activity areas, the passengers were generally well-behaved, and it was a perfect place to relax.
When Xiao Luohan was tired from drawing, they would return to their room to rest, then take their swimsuits and go to the outdoor swimming pool in the entertainment area.
Although it was called a “swimming pool,” there were also simplified versions of many water park attractions.
For safety reasons, the water in this area was shallow. For example, in the swimming pool, even standing up, her shoulders and head would still be above water.
Jiang Xue, however, was drawn to the water slide and the “wave pool.” While Xiao Luohan was still leisurely backstroking in the pool, she was already “screaming” as she battled the incoming waves.
Their planned trip was ten to fifteen days, taking the cruise ship there and flying back. The ship would take about five days to reach the tropical island they had chosen, enough time for them to explore all the facilities and activities they were interested in, based on the guide they received upon boarding.
“I’m suddenly reminded of those vloggers who travel in RVs,” Xiao Luohan said, sitting with Jiang Xue on the platform at the top of the water slide. “A fully functional ‘castle,’ where you can have fun with your family and also invite fellow travelers to join.”
She touched the railing of the slide. “But a RV as large as this cruise ship probably only exists in fantasy.”
“After all, this is essentially a mobile commercial area. It’s practically impossible for a single person or a family to build something like this,” Jiang Xue nodded. “Do you have a new inspiration?”
“Perhaps I’ll include a cruise ship like this in my work, or a ‘moving castle’ that can change locations with magic,” Xiao Luohan said, resting her chin on her hand and following her train of thought. “I don’t have any concrete ideas yet.”
Having had enough of the water slide, she also went to try the wave pool, treating it as a “low-intensity” alternative to skiing, which they would try in three or four years.
Wearing protective gear, she chose an area with gentler waves, held onto a sturdy rope, and let the water carry her forward on the surfboard.
The waves constantly hit her legs and torso, a slight tingling pain, but it was comfortable and manageable.
Finally reaching the front, she turned the surfboard around and let the waves push her back to the starting point.
They would continue if they weren’t tired, and return to their room to rest if they were, not worrying about wasting time—the only thing that mattered during a honeymoon was whether she and her beloved were happy.
They showered in the bathroom of their room on the ship, lay down in the soft bed, and enjoyed a two-hour nap, then got dressed and went to the buffet restaurant with a view for dinner.
Passing by the observation tower, Xiao Luohan looked up curiously.
The “tower” was a mechanical arm extending into the air, capable of 360-degree rotation. Each group of visitors was limited to ten minutes, and at night, at the scheduled time, the colorful lights on the tower would illuminate, outlining the name of the cruise ship.
Considering the mechanical arm’s workload, reservations were required.
With Cang Ling, their “cheat code” for getting tickets, they naturally had tickets, but their time slot was tomorrow, so they were just passing by today.
The buffet restaurant on the ship naturally had a lot of seafood. Their constitutions had improved, and since Jiang Xue was now also a physician, she carefully controlled the portions, ensuring they enjoyed the food without triggering any allergies.
The buffet restaurant had a wide selection of condiments, perfect for Jiang Xue to utilize the knowledge she had learned from Cheng Shizhu. When Xiao Luohan returned from choosing her main course and vegetables, she found that Jiang Xue had already prepared five different dipping sauces.
Jiang Xue also ordered two low-alcohol cocktails from the bar, the classic “Tequila Sunrise” and a “Pink Lady,” orange and pink, placed on the glass table.
“These colors… did you order them based on our little dolphins?” Xiao Luohan asked, half-joking, half-serious.
“No—just kidding!” Jiang Xue said with a smile, placing the two glasses together. “I miss them, not having brought them with us.”
She had wanted to focus on the trip and leave the intimacy for when they returned home, but seeing Xiao Luo’s happy expression, she felt a little regretful.
It was their honeymoon, they should be doing something special…
—These two cocktails were now a picture in the Honeymoon Album.
Jiang Xue flipped through the pages, looking at the photos of her and Xiao Luo strolling around after dinner.
The cruise ship was incredibly large, with even soccer, basketball, and tennis courts, and even more indoor entertainment options than the amusement park, the most popular being the immersive VR experience.
They had spent almost the entire first night on the cruise ship in the VR area.
Sailing on the ocean during the day, and transforming into magic-wielding sorcerers or winged beasts and spirits at night, chanting spells, spreading their wings, and gliding down from cliffs. Even if they shouted loudly, the soundproofed rooms ensured they wouldn’t disturb anyone.
The Honeymoon Album also included a few screenshots from the VR games, although the photo studio owner wasn’t a fan of including virtual reality images in a physical album, Jiang Xue had paid her well, so she did her best, even designing this section to resemble the VR experience.
Jiang Xue’s fingertip traced the small decorative seashell pattern, and she took the album to the display cabinet, taking out a wind chime made of various seashells.
It should have been hung somewhere, but considering the weight of the seashells, if the string broke and they fell, it would damage either the floor or themselves, so they had put it away in the cabinet.
These were the seashells they had collected together with a local fisherman while “beachcombing” after disembarking.
The wet sand was perfect for finding edible shellfish, and those with beautiful shells, after being cleaned and processed, could be used for decorations, lasting for years without damage or odor.
Jiang Xue had originally wanted to walk barefoot on the beach, but after being informed of the potential dangers by the local guide, she obediently played in the designated “tourist sand-treading” area with Xiao Luo, then washed their feet, put on long boots and plastic gloves, and, carrying buckets and shovels, joined the hired fisherman’s daughter for “beachcombing.”
The nineteen-year-old fisherman’s daughter was very professional, proudly telling them that she had learned her skills from her mother, pointing out the breathing holes of shellfish on the beach, either digging them out with a shovel or using a special tool to pull them out.
Jiang Xue also tried the techniques she described and actually found quite a few shellfish. She would collect for a while, then switch buckets and shovels with Xiao Luohan, letting her try as well.
While she was still hesitant, Xiao Luohan was much more efficient. When the fisherman’s daughter told them to dig vigorously, she didn’t hold back, and in the fisherman’s daughter’s words, she “hit the nail on the head” every time.
“I like your straightforwardness!” the fisherman’s daughter said, giving Xiao Luo a thumbs-up after they had filled half a bucket, then, looking at Jiang Xue’s less impressive harvest, said, “I know a beach with beautiful shells, perfect for making wind chimes, they look great in bedrooms and studies!”
Perhaps because they had just gotten married, Jiang Xue’s attention was immediately captured by the word “bedroom.”
“Why didn’t you call me to look at the honeymoon album?”
Xiao Luohan’s voice came from the study doorway, and a few seconds later, she was standing beside Jiang Xue.
“I got a little carried away,” Jiang Xue said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek as an apology, and handed her the album.
