Chapter 57: Together

Perhaps because what they’d done before bed had been a bit too much, Zhu Lexing lay there lost in a whirlwind of thoughts until the middle of the night before finally drifting off.

Even in her dreams, it was Yan Mian—smiling radiantly, her voice soft as she whispered, “Then I’ll teach you.”

When Zhu Lexing woke with a blank expression on her face, she desperately wanted to smother herself with her pillow.

All day long, obsessing over this stuff—wasn’t that a little too unhealthy? Way too lacking in positive energy!

After washing up, Zhu Lexing had finally managed to tamp down that restless flutter at the tip of her heart when the doorbell rang.

She’d initially assumed it was housekeeping and casually called out for them to come back later. But peering through the peephole, she saw Li Nian instead.

“Mianmian, open up! It’s me, Li Nian!”

Li Nian delivered the line with a brilliantly sunny smile. Zhu Lexing had no idea why this Beta was so certain Yan Mian was inside, but she obediently opened the door anyway.

In an instant, that sunny smile vanished, replaced by a look of utter shock and reproach.

Zhu Lexing had no clue what Li Nian had imagined, and as she opened her mouth to speak, the other girl beat her to it: “Why are you in Mianmian’s room?! Where’s Mianmian?!”

It took some indignant explaining from Li Nian for Zhu Lexing to learn that Yan Mian had booked the room. Last night’s heart-to-heart had taken place right here, too.

Recalling how effortlessly Yan Mian had navigated the place the night before, Zhu Lexing figured the key card must have been something Qiao Qiao had passed along on her behalf.

One scheme leading seamlessly into the next. Zhu Lexing glanced toward the master bedroom.

In the heavy silence, Li Nian—who knew what she was imagining—practically shook Zhu Lexing by the shoulders as she demanded, “Zhu Lexing! Say something!”

Zhu Lexing braced herself. “The answer to that question is kind of complicated. Hear me out for two sentences first, but before I say those two sentences…”

She was trying to logic her way out of it and confuse Li Nian when Yan Mian finally emerged from the master bedroom. The girl was yawning, looking unusually languid for once. The moment she spotted the two of them, her expression froze.

Li Nian, who’d still been a bit groggy just seconds ago, snapped fully awake and launched into the same line of questioning with Yan Mian.

Getting grilled by one person was awkward enough, leaving her unsure how to respond.

But two people at once—

Zhu Lexing opted to sit back and watch how Yan Mian handled Li Nian.

This time, though, Li Nian wasn’t so easy to placate. Even at breakfast, she kept shooting Yan Mian resentful glares.

Zhu Lexing couldn’t help asking, “…Is this really okay?”

Yan Mian replied, “She’ll get over it soon enough.”

Zhu Lexing thought Yan Mian sounded awfully confident right then. She was about to suggest they patch things up when she glanced over and saw Shi Ruofeng say something. Li Nian burst out laughing in an instant.

Zhu Lexing: “…”

Well, that settled that!

She looked around but didn’t spot Qiao Qiao and the others today, leaving her a bit puzzled. Then Xu He came downstairs wearing sunglasses, dressed to the nines like she was headed for a beach vacation at any moment.

Zhu Lexing: “…Are you about to go strutting down a runway or something?”

Xu He let out a cold scoff and shot back coolly, “Hurry up and eat! Tickets are already booked.”

Zhu Lexing: ???

Tickets?

Zhu Lexing hesitated. “Even if we bombed the exam, no need to go start screwing in bolts right now, is there?”

Xu He: “…Screw your own bolts! Mianmian—”

Zhu Lexing had been utterly baffled until Xu He called Yan Mian’s name.

After that?

She figured just about anything was possible.

She turned quietly to the Omega, who curved her lips into a smile, looking utterly innocent. “We’re… just going on a trip.”

Zhu Lexing said in disbelief, “Today?”

Yan Mian nodded.

Seeing Zhu Lexing still hadn’t processed it, she asked, “I’m your travel companion. Not happy about that?”

Zhu Lexing thought, What era are we in for this cheesy line? Deduct ten points.

But Yan Mian said it so cutely that Zhu Lexing awarded her a hundred points instead, coolly correcting her: “You’re happy with it, but right now it’s ‘you all.'”

Yan Mian covered her mouth and laughed.

The plane took off a few hours later, bound for an island in F City.

When they landed, they discovered the local sun was brutally intense, glaring so fiercely no one could keep their eyes open.

Zhu Lexing casually straightened Yan Mian’s hat and noticed her face was a bit flushed from the heat. Without thinking, she pressed her palm to the girl’s cheek.

Meeting Yan Mian’s gaze, she played it off naturally. “There. Cooling you down.”

Yan Mian nodded solemnly. “Thanks, Xingxing.”

Once they reached the hotel and dropped their bags, Li Nian had already changed into her swimsuit and dashed off to embrace the sea with a chorus of hahahahas.

The group chat exploded into chaos—ugly selfies and scenic shots flying every which way. Amid the inexplicable festivity, only Zhu Lexing and Yan Mian remained in their room.

It was an ocean-view suite, decked out in vibrant tropical style with starfish decorations scattered about. It looked great, except for one glaring flaw—

There was only one bed.

…Just one.

Zhu Lexing stared at it for so long that Yan Mian had to nudge her from behind before she snapped out of it. Glancing sideways, she froze again.

Yan Mian had already changed into a long dress—not a skimpy bikini, but it still flattered her figure perfectly. Her collarbone gleamed white, and Zhu Lexing took one look before wanting to bundle her up in a jacket.

Yan Mian followed Zhu Lexing’s gaze and chuckled lightly. “Xingxing, you should change first.”

Zhu Lexing had been about to ask why Yan Mian was accepting all this so readily, but one look at her expression told her the answer would probably be mortifying.

In the end, she held back and headed to the changing room, where she discovered the swimsuit Yan Mian had picked for her was even more modest.

When she stepped out, Yan Mian’s eyes roamed over her appraisingly before she nodded.

Zhu Lexing: “…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Yan Mian said, “Because Xingxing looks good.”

Zhu Lexing: “…Don’t say another word until you’ve seen everyone else.”

When Zhu Lexing went downstairs, Li Nian was consulting the hotel front desk about the recreational facilities. Her smile was bright and sunny, prompting the receptionist to answer each question with extra patience.

Shi Ruofeng waited behind her, her expression as impassive as ever, betraying no hint of emotion. Zhu Lexing could sense her underlying irritation, though she was too polite to show it outright.

Zhu Lexing felt a twinge of pity for her. But in the next instant, a wicked thought bubbled up unbidden in her mind.

—Look at you now.

Of course, she couldn’t say that aloud. Instead, Zhu Lexing greeted her with perfect seriousness and headed outside with Yan Mian.

Just beyond the hotel lay the beach, its sand fine and soft beneath their feet. People dotted the landscape here and there, and the occasional seashell washed up by the waves glittered along the shoreline.

Truth be told, Li Nian didn’t stand out much in the crowd.

That is, until you noticed the outfit she had on—a garment of utterly questionable taste.

Her jacket was a pure white minimalist design, save for the five bold characters slashed across the back in sharp strokes:

“Beautiful Girl Group”.

The instant Zhu Lexing made out the words, she whipped her head around, itching to drag Yan Mian away and pretend they didn’t know these people.

But Li Nian spotted them first. “Mianmian! Zhu Lexing!” she called out, waving enthusiastically as she dashed over. Qiao Qiao grumbled from behind her, “Don’t they have legs? Why can’t they just walk over here?”

Every eye in the vicinity snapped toward them in an instant. Zhu Lexing was certain she’d never felt more mortified. She clenched her fists, barely suppressing the urge to bolt.

And why was Yan Mian “Mianmian” while she got the full name? Weren’t these people a little too biased?

Li Nian, oblivious to the stares, thrust identical jackets at them. “Here!”

“Team uniforms,” she declared with utmost gravity.

Zhu Lexing thought to herself that if they were going to play the awkward game, this was taking it too far.

Li Nian’s tone rang with perfect conviction, though. “I’m just stating the facts. With all these people around, how else are we supposed to spot each other without team uniforms?”

Zhu Lexing had looked it up on the way over: the hotel’s top-tier facilities came at a premium price, which kept the tourist crowds thin on this beach compared to cheaper spots nearby.

She could tell Li Nian was spouting nonsense, but before any argument could erupt, Yan Mian had already slipped hers on with brisk efficiency.

Zhu Lexing: “…”

“Mianmian! You’re the best—I love you so much,” Li Nian gushed.

Yan Mian glanced instinctively at Zhu Lexing, whose face remained a mask of neutrality as she watched Li Nian heap on the praise. Then Li Nian grabbed Yan Mian’s hand and dragged her back toward the hotel to evangelize the rest of the group.

And just like that, they were gone.

Zhu Lexing turned to Qiao Qiao.

Their eyes met. Zhu Lexing couldn’t help but snicker. “You look ridiculous in that thing.”

Qiao Qiao shot back, “Speak for yourself. Shut your mouth.”

The rest area nearby had a self-serve drink station. Zhu Lexing reclined on a lounge chair and slid her sunglasses down her nose a fraction.

Gazing out at the endless sea, she remarked idly, “What’s on the other side of the ocean?”

Qiao Qiao blinked at the sudden non sequitur. “X City.”

Geographically speaking, F City did face X City across the water.

Zhu Lexing found the answer disappointingly literal.

A few seconds of silence passed before she cleared her throat, recalling the previous night’s advice. “About last night—”

Qiao Qiao’s calm demeanor shattered in an instant, her face twisting with dark veins of frustration and radiating pure resentment.

“Your idea was absolute garbage.”

As Qiao Qiao launched into an indignant retelling, Zhu Lexing pieced together what had happened. After heading upstairs, she and Xu He had taken a short stroll outside the hotel. On the way back, Qiao Qiao had finally screwed up her courage to put the plan into action.

She’d leaned in and planted a kiss right on Xu He’s lips—only for the Beta to smack her across the face without a second’s hesitation.

Zhu Lexing froze for a beat, half-convinced she’d stumbled into some tragic romance plot.

Then Qiao Qiao delivered the punchline deadpan: “She thought I was a mosquito.”

Zhu Lexing racked her brain for the saddest memories she could muster just to keep from bursting into laughter.

Qiao Qiao was still lost in the humiliation when Zhu Lexing decided to make her exit, turning on her heel and walking away.

She didn’t trust herself not to crack up if she had to look at that face any longer and recall the mosquito comparison.

By the time Yan Mian tracked her down, Zhu Lexing had snapped a bunch of seascape photos. She eagerly shared them as soon as she saw her.

Midway through, Zhu Lexing realized Yan Mian had changed. The jacket was still the Beautiful Girl Group one, but she’d swapped the swimsuit for regular clothes.

“Why’d you change?” Zhu Lexing asked on reflex.

Yan Mian replied, “I was going to show it off for Xingxing. But there were too many people, so I switched back.”

“…Don’t phrase it like that—it’s weird,” Zhu Lexing said, mentally reviewing the outfit before adding firmly, “It wasn’t even that revealing!”

Yan Mian smiled. “Does Xingxing want to see it, then?”

“I didn’t say that!” Zhu Lexing protested.

Yan Mian nodded, putting the matter to rest. “Maybe just the two of us next time.”

Zhu Lexing felt the conversation veering into increasingly odd territory. She handed over a drink, and Yan Mian finally settled down.

Past noon, the sunlight softened, and a salty sea breeze swept in, warm and humid as ever.

Li Nian scrolled through sandcastle designs on her phone while Shi Ruofeng made real-time adjustments to their build. Song Yingying had her earbuds in, lost in music, her mood visibly bright.

The ocean stretched to the horizon, sunlight dancing on sand and sea breeze whispering romance. It was the perfect backdrop for youth’s grand finale.

Zhu Lexing couldn’t help feeling a pang of regret.

The next moment, she chided herself for turning so sentimental. Maybe when they got back, she could ditch her career and just post moody quotes online instead.

The sandcastle was half-finished—Zhu Lexing even snapped a few interested shots, planning to show them to Yan Mian—when two figures appeared in the distance, chasing each other closer.

Suddenly, one shoved the other to the ground. The ball in her hand sailed through the air in a perfect arc, slamming right into the sandcastle!

Smack.

The structure collapsed in a heap.

Xu He stared down at her now-empty hands.

Li Nian’s smile froze on her lips.

Shi Ruofeng watched the two of them with a blank expression. Before she could say a word, another female voice rang out—

“Hahaha! Shi Ruofeng! So you have a day like this too!”

Qiao Qiao strode forward confidently, only to spot Xu He. “…………”

For the entire afternoon, the three of them dutifully helped Shi Ruofeng rebuild her sandcastle.

But every time, she found some nitpicky flaw—”This part’s off,” “That one’s a centimeter short”—and refused to approve it.

It wasn’t until dinnertime that she finally let them off the hook.

Qiao Qiao trudged toward the dining room with a stony face when Zhu Lexing recalled her deflated look from earlier that afternoon and let out a snicker. “So you have a day like this too.”

Qiao Qiao immediately mimicked her tone. “Yan Mian and I are just friends. I really don’t like her—”

Zhu Lexing: “…”

The two nearly came to blows right then and there. Even after they reached the dining room, they were still seething with resentment, dying to air each other’s dirty laundry but holding back for fear their own secrets would come out. All they could do was trade barbs.

Zhu Lexing sneered. “Little Qiao Qiao! How laughable!”

Qiao Qiao shot back, “I’d still beat you with one hand tied behind my back!”

Zhu Lexing opened her mouth to retort, but something cold and creamy brushed her lips. The sweetness hit her tongue the moment it slid into her mouth.

Yan Mian sat beside her, holding a cup in one hand and a spoon in the other. “No more fighting,” she soothed.

Zhu Lexing’s voice came out muffled. “We weren’t fighting. Just joking around.”

Yan Mian scooped up another spoonful of ice cream and fed it to her, nodding with that gentle look that said whatever you say must be true.

Qiao Qiao watched their intimate exchange with a twinge of jealousy and nudged Xu He with her elbow.

Xu He finally paused her photo editing and glanced over. “What?”

She followed Qiao Qiao’s gaze, then opened her mouth wide. “Ahh—”

Qiao Qiao: “…What are you doing?!”

Xu He: “Weren’t you going to feed me?”

Zhu Lexing completely lost it, bursting into laughter.

By the end of the day, everyone was worn out. After dinner, they went their separate ways, agreeing to get up early the next morning for some diving.

Back in their room, Zhu Lexing showered and emerged from the bathroom, her afternoon dilemma suddenly flooding back.

The lamplight cast soft, flickering shadows, turning the atmosphere unmistakably intimate.

Zhu Lexing stood rooted to the spot, pondering for a few seconds. “Maybe I should sleep on the sofa—”

Yan Mian looked up at her.

“Xingxing,” Yan Mian said. “Come here.”

The courage Zhu Lexing had just mustered evaporated in an instant.

She walked over to Yan Mian, grumbling under her breath. “Calling me like that makes me sound like a puppy.”

Yan Mian considered it for a moment, then rephrased. “In that case… please come here, Xingxing?”

…Now it sounded like she was summoning a concubine. Even weirder.

Lost in her jumbled thoughts, Zhu Lexing sat on the edge of the bed.

Their eyes met, and no further words were needed. The kiss came naturally.

It wasn’t until the air was thick with pheromones that Zhu Lexing pulled away and stood to fetch the inhibitor spray and clear the traces.

She had barely risen when her sleeve was tugged.

Zhu Lexing said flatly, “We already did a temporary mark yesterday. Today—”

“I want to sleep with Xingxing.” Yan Mian’s voice carried a hint of drowsiness, her lips still flushed as she murmured softly, “We don’t have to mark.”