The man chuckled lowly, his pleasant voice trailing off, "But you’re keeping secrets from me. I want to know what you’re hiding, and why you feel the need to hide it from me."
Lin Xinlan’s eyes flickered guiltily, thankful that he was behind her, unable to see her .
"Everyone has secrets, don’t they? You have secrets you’re keeping from me too, right?"
The man took a sip of his drink, placed the glass on the balcony, and wrapped his arms around her.
"Hmm, I do have secrets I’m keeping from you. I hope that one day when I have no more secrets from you, you could be honest with me too."
A look of surprise crossed Lin Xinlan’s eyes.
Was this his way of letting her off? Was it his understanding?
This was the first time she had felt Rong Shaoze’s understanding...
"Isn’t the sea beautiful from here?" he asked suddenly and without preamble, then said with a laugh, "Once I’ve dealt with some matters tomorrow, I’ll take you out for some fun for a couple of days. Come on, it’s time to rest now."
He took her hand, their fingers interlaced, and led her into the bedroom.
The night grew deeper, waves occasionally lapping at the shore with a rustling sound, cool moonlight spilling onto the ground—an enchanting night, indeed.
The next morning, both of them got up early for breakfast. Rong Shaoze dressed in a simple white shirt and black jeans, walking hand in hand with her on the beach.
The weather was nice today, the sun not too harsh, the sky blue, the sea blue.
Large numbers of tourists were frolicking by the sea, surrounded by laughter and cheerful voices.
The man wore sunglasses, merely taking a leisurely stroll along the beach with her, as if walking, yet seemingly looking for something.
He didn’t say, and Lin Xinlan didn’t ask.
After a while, he pulled her aside, "Let’s take a break at that ice cream shop over there, have something to drink."
"Sure." She wasn’t fussy; she went along with whatever he suggested.
Finding a window seat, Rong Shaoze ordered a drink, while Lin Xinlan chose an ice cream.
He leaned back in his chair, gaze drifting languidly outside through his sunglasses.
Lin Xinlan followed his gaze. Not far away was the beach—people were yachting, surfing, swimming, and playing beach volleyball.
She didn’t know what he was looking at but retracted her gaze after a moment.
"Stay here and wait for me, I’ll be back in a bit," he said suddenly as he stood up, not waiting for her reply before he left.
He stepped out of the ice cream shop and made his way toward the beach.
Lin Xinlan could see his tall, straight silhouette just by turning her head.
The sea breeze fluttered the hem of his shirt and his stylish short hair, just the view of his back was stunning.
It had to be said, just on appearances, Rong Shaoze was a truly perfect man.
Lin Xinlan continued eating her ice cream, her gaze fixed on him, forgetting to look away.
Upon reaching the beach, Rong Shaoze removed his sunglasses and hung them on the chest pocket of his shirt, taking two steps forward to grasp someone’s wrist.
Caught off guard, the person turned around and upon seeing him, a flash of astonishment crossed their eyes, followed by a rapid change of color from red to white and back again.
"Shaoze... what are you doing here?" Rong’s father quickly regained his composure, asking very defensively.
Rong Shaoze narrowed his eyes towards the woman in the pink bikini who was happily playing on a yacht, his tone indifferent as he asked, "That piece of work, what did you see in her?"
Rong’s father’s face stiffened, his expression extremely awkward.
Caught by his son while engaging in an affair and keeping a mistress, he, as a father, felt utterly humiliated.