If the two most popular participants cancel their contracts, the next two seasons will be doomed.
Zhao Jiamei had no doubt that Bai Jinyan would cancel the contract with him. Bai Jinyan wasn’t after the compensation money; he just wanted to do a good job on the show.
Zhao Jiamei: [I promise, next time I won’t contact Qiao Huaiyao without your permission. Actually, regardless of your permission, I’ll talk to you directly if anything comes up.]
This would save him the trouble of asking both parties and waiting for responses.
It would be simpler for Bai Jinyan to relay the message, but there was one problem: Bai Jinyan might not be willing to pass on the messages.
Qiao Huaiyao watched his brother pick up his phone. He could guess what he was doing without needing to see the screen. Glancing out the window at the unfamiliar scenery, he asked, “Brother, where are we going now?”
It didn’t seem like the same route they took earlier.
Qiao Huaiyao often watched the passing scenery when he was bored. Although the light was different from midday, it was clear they were on a different road.
“We’re not going back yet. We’re going to a restaurant first,” Bai Jinyan said casually while massaging Qiao Huaiyao. “I reserved a restaurant by the seaside.”
Perhaps because the theme restaurant’s food didn’t suit his taste, Qiao Huaiyao hadn’t eaten much today. He did buy some snacks from food stalls while they were enjoying the attractions.
Naturally, they needed to pick a suitable restaurant for dinner to replenish their energy after a day of activities.
The restaurant they were going to combined scenic views with local specialties and had good reviews.
Qiao Huaiyao nodded. Not knowing how long it would take to get there, he didn’t rush to sit up but continued resting his head on Bai Jinyan’s lap, playing on his phone.
They had already tried all the well-regarded restaurants near Qingda.
However, there was a private chef service that opened at specific times, which they hadn’t tried yet because it was quite far away.
Normally, their activities were centered around Qingda and the film crew, so going there would take hours, not to mention the round trip.
Since they had some free time in the last few days, Bai Jinyan had made a reservation in advance.
When they arrived and got out of the car, the sea breeze greeted them.
Waves crashed against the shore, and the vast ocean sparkled under the light.
Qiao Huaiyao wrapped his coat tighter around himself. Now he understood why Bai Jinyan had insisted on changing him into a thicker coat.
An autumn night by the sea would be too cold without it, leading to a certain cold if he stayed too long.
The car’s warm interior contrasted sharply with the cool outside air as they got out.
Qiao Huaiyao asked, “Is the restaurant down there?”
“Yes,” Bai Jinyan replied, adjusting Qiao Huaiyao’s collar and smoothing out the folds that had formed.
There were hotels near the beach, just a short distance from the shoreline and close to the road behind.
All the hotels had a similar style, lined up in four or five rows.
These seaside hotels mainly did business during the tourist season.
Though it was off-season now, the area must be bustling during peak times.
The restaurant was nestled among the hotels, its style blending seamlessly with the surrounding buildings.
The restaurant focused on sea views, offering a spectacular sight from the private dining rooms.
The restaurant was built on higher floors, providing a beautiful panoramic view of the ocean.
Seated at opposite sides, Bai Jinyan didn’t sit across from Qiao Huaiyao but beside him, resting his chin on one hand and smiling as he looked at him.
He poured a cup of hot tea with a hint of lemon and placed it by Qiao Huaiyao’s hand, saying with a smile, “You’ll love the view here.”
He had noticed this when choosing the restaurant.
Seeing Qiao Huaiyao’s expression now, he knew his intuition was correct.
Qiao Huaiyao’s eyes curved with a smile. The seaside night view was indeed beautiful.
He said, “Summer would be a better time to visit here.”
It was already too cold in autumn to swim.
Bai Jinyan peeled a mandarin orange, carefully removing the white pith before feeding a segment to Qiao Huaiyao. “When summer comes, we can visit again.”
During his four years in college, except for the final internship, most of his time, even when doing experiments, would be spent in the campus laboratory.
When he was tired from working in the lab, they could come to the beach to relax.
They had taken a longer route this time to visit this particular restaurant.
If they just wanted to see the ocean, there was a closer route from Qingda that also led to the sea.
Qiao Huaiyao nodded as he ate the mandarin orange, saying, “Okay.”
The restaurant served food quickly.
With a pre-booked private room and the current off-season, there weren’t many diners, so the service was fast.
Qiao Huaiyao thought for a moment and said, “Brother, after dinner, let’s take a walk outside.”
Judging by the waves, the wind seemed to have calmed down a bit.
Additionally, there was a hotel nearby.
Having watched the sunrise from a mountain, waiting here for a sunrise over the sea would be nice too.
Bai Jinyan poured him another cup of lemon tea. “Alright.”
…
The night was cool.
But they were dressed warmly enough.
The moon hung high over the sea, the water now a deep, inky color rather than the bright blue of daytime.
The sound of the wind and waves intertwined, creating a soothing ambiance far from the noise of the city.
The dry sand felt soft under their feet.
Qiao Huaiyao swung Bai Jinyan’s hand lightly. “Let’s walk to the end of the hotel and back.”
“Aren’t you cold?” Bai Jinyan, always concerned about him, intertwined their fingers and put their hands in his pocket.
Qiao Huaiyao shook his head. The wind had died down, so it wasn’t as cold.
A thick coat was sufficient.
They walked step by step along the empty beach.
Besides the path leading from the restaurant, their footprints were the only ones on the sand.
Standing where the waves couldn’t reach, their footprints remained undisturbed.
Qiao Huaiyao glanced back, noticing that the shadows cast by their figures were particularly clear compared to the distant footprints.
As they walked holding hands, occasional gaps appeared between them.
But their shadows were closely joined, just like them.
Qiao Huaiyao’s eyes curved with a smile. He took out his phone, held it up between them, and raised the camera above his shoulder.
Relying on his memory of the shadow’s position, he adjusted the angle and pressed the shutter button.
The photo, taken without flash, wasn’t very bright due to the night, but it perfectly captured the quiet, serene atmosphere.
Since his right hand was in Bai Jinyan’s pocket, Qiao Huaiyao held the phone with his left hand and showed it to Bai Jinyan. “Brother, how’s this picture?”
Bai Jinyan praised, “Beautiful.”
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a click from his right hand as he took a photo.
Qiao Huaiyao was taken aback. Bai Jinyan handed him the picture. “Like this?”
In Bai Jinyan’s photo, the shadow showed Qiao Huaiyao holding up his phone.
Individually, the photo might not seem special, but together, they told a story, enhanced by the surrounding environment.
Qiao Huaiyao smiled, understanding the meaning behind the photos. “I’ll send you mine.”
“Okay.” Bai Jinyan also sent the photo he had just taken.
After exchanging the photos, they changed their chat avatars to the new pictures.
Given the small size of avatars, Bai Jinyan set the photo as his WeChat Moments background instead.
After finishing, Qiao Huaiyao put away his phone. His fingers, exposed to the sea breeze, had grown cold and a bit numb.
Their shadows stretched out behind them as they walked forward, the sizes changing with the shifting light.
Qiao Huaiyao glanced at the shadow and recalled childhood memories, a smile playing on his lips.
He sneaked a look at Bai Jinyan, who seemed unaware, and slowed his steps. Then he suddenly stomped on Bai Jinyan’s shadow.
Bai Jinyan paused, chuckling. “Childish.”
Qiao Huaiyao lifted his chin slightly and was about to take another step when Bai Jinyan abruptly turned around.
Qiao Huaiyao lost his balance, and Bai Jinyan, tightening his grip on their interlocked fingers, pulled him close.
Qiao Huaiyao’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oof…!”
Bai Jinyan caught him, shielding their shadows behind him. He laughed softly, “You can’t step on it.”
He wrapped his arms around Qiao Huaiyao’s waist, holding him close, and couldn’t resist a kiss. “One kiss and I’ll let you go.”
Qiao Huaiyao raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smile. “You already kissed me.”
“That doesn’t count,” Bai Jinyan said, giving him another kiss, his lips curling into a smile. “It only counts if you kiss me.”