Chapter 116: Giving Her Blatant Favoritism

After washing her hands with seawater, Qiao Zhen took the ice cream. The sea salt flavor was a pale blue, close to the color of the ocean, with a salty-sweet taste that melted instantly on the tongue.

“Delicious!” Her eyes lit up; it was the first time she had tried this flavor, and it felt wonderfully novel. “You better hurry and eat yours; it’s going to melt soon.”

Half a minute passed without a response. Qiao Zhen glanced sideways. Qin Yichi sat beside her on the beach, staring at the three-dimensional heart-shaped sand with a silly grin, completely distracted.

She poked his shoulder with her finger. “Qin Xiaochi, are you even listening to me?”

What a goof.

Qin Yichi snapped back to reality, softly humming “Mm,” then leisurely pulled out his phone to take photos before offering the coconut to her.

“Here, have a sip.”

Qiao Zhen lowered her head and bit the straw. The coconut water was refreshing and delicate, perfect for savoring on a scorching summer beach.

After finishing the ice cream, she helped Zhang Ning build SpongeBob’s pineapple house.

The afternoon was hot, the sun blazing, every inch of skin wrapped in a heat wave.

Whenever Qiao Zhen felt thirsty, she would blink and glance at Qin Yichi.

With just a look, they could understand each other perfectly.

Qin Yichi thoughtfully brought the coconut to her lips, carefully feeding her like a devoted little servant.

Each time after feeding Qiao Zhen, gazing into her sparkling eyes, he felt a profound sense of accomplishment.

Qiao Zhen nodded to him. “So tasty.”

Qin Yichi tasted the coconut water from the straw she’d used, a smile curling his lips. “Quite sweet.”

Finally finishing the delicate pineapple house, Qiao Zhen held a glass bottle and began picking up beautiful seashells, planning to make a photo frame at home.

On the sea, the sunset was about to dip below the horizon.

The group boarded the ship on schedule, standing on the cruise’s second deck to watch the sunset.

With the humming roar and the splash of seawater, the ship advanced into the ocean, unveiling a visual feast.

The azure sky gradually spread colors, turning a soft lavender, as if blending the elegance of violets with the bashfulness of peach blossoms.

Compared to the fiery orange-red, the pinkish-purple twilight was gentler and dreamier, intoxicating the heart and soul.

A passerby nearby admired the gentle sunset and recited eloquently, “The lingering glow scatters like brocade; the clear river is calm as silk.”

But Niu Yifeng suddenly shouted, “Damn! What an awesome sky!”

In contrast, his outburst sounded uncultured, causing some boys nearby to laugh quietly, covering their mouths.

Countless seagulls instantly swirled around the ship in midair.

Qin Yichi, wearing one wireless earbud, placed the other into Qiao Zhen’s ear, playing a romantic instrumental piece.

Qiao Zhen tore a small piece of bread and tossed it into the air. A seagull immediately caught it in its beak.

She turned back quickly, her eyes curving gently, sparkling as if kissed by honey.

“Qin Yichi, did you get that on camera?”

Standing beside her, Qin Yichi recorded the lively scene on his phone, completely captivated by the girl’s smile.

“Yeah, got it.”

The video showed the girl’s yellow dress fluttering in the wind, delicate and fresh, with flowing hair, a slender waist, and long legs—so beautiful it seemed unreal.

Every smile and frown was mesmerizing, even the romantic sunset merely served as a backdrop.

Qin Yichi’s heartbeat quickened.

He often felt incredibly fortunate.

Fortunate to have met Qiao Zhen, fortunate to be with her, fortunate to be the only one she loved…

Gently holding the small piece of bread, Qiao Zhen watched as a white seagull swooped down, skillfully snatching the food before soaring away.

She hopped happily, her eyes shining brightly.

Niu Yifeng mimicked her, but no seagull came to him. They all ignored his efforts.

His arm almost ached from holding the bread up so long. Frowning, he asked, “No way, do seagulls only eat from pretty faces? Why won’t they eat mine? So sad…”

Just then, a boy nearby stepped forward, snatched the bread from Niu Yifeng’s hand with his mouth.

“Hehe, I’m this little seagull’s meal!”

Niu Yifeng stood dumbfounded, silent for two whole minutes, almost vomiting his lunch.

“Da Ge! Please, can you stop grossing me out? Ugh…”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Surrounded by countless seagulls and bathed in the gentle purple-pink twilight, the ship slowly cruised across the sea.

The youths didn’t forget to take group photos, forever preserving this scene of freedom and abandon, composing a dazzling, passionate youth.

The ocean, beach, shells, sunset, seagulls… each word enough to stir longing in the heart.

As the sun slowly set, the ship reached the opposite shore, and darkness gradually fell.

Qin Yichi’s gaze remained fixed on Qiao Zhen. Watching her radiant smile, his own lips curved involuntarily.

He couldn’t help but reach out and feed her a small piece of bread.

Unlike the ordinary bread fed to seagulls, this piece was filled with cream—the one Qiao Zhen loved most—soft and sweet.

Qiao Zhen was still taking photos of the scenery. She instinctively opened her mouth to eat, then realized and turned to him.

“Why are you feeding me? Feed the seagulls, will you?”

Leaning casually against the railing, Qin Yichi tilted his head slightly, his sharp features outlined clearly, a faint smile playing on his lips, clearly in a good mood.

Under the romantic sunset, the breeze gently stirred the strands of hair on his forehead. His sharp eyes, usually so fierce, now softened with tenderness as his low voice said,

“I’m not really interested in feeding seagulls.”

“Qiao Zhen, I only like feeding you.”

…

After disembarking, the group enjoyed a seafood buffet, all spirited and determined, vowing to make the most of it.

Raising their drink glasses, the clink echoed as cheers rang out:

“Come on, cheers!”

“Eat more, have a great trip!”

“Friends forever!!!”

With that, everyone began a lively competition to see who could eat the most.

But before long, Qiao Zhen couldn’t keep up, leaning on Qin Yichi’s shoulder, mumbling, “My stomach’s about to burst…”

Delicious as it was, she just couldn’t eat much.

She cursed herself for having only one stomach.

By contrast, Qin Yichi had a huge appetite, eating voraciously. Worse, he never gained weight, his figure perfect to the extreme.

After the meal, they strolled to aid digestion, heading toward the hotel while posting on social media.

Of course, they had to add location tags to show off.

Rarely posting before, Qin Yichi surprised everyone with a nine-photo post. The centerpiece was a large group photo, another showed the three-dimensional heart-shaped sand, and the other seven were all pictures of Qiao Zhen.

The boys were envious, liking and commenting “99” on WeChat, while loudly teasing him with mock sarcasm:

“Yo yo yo~~~”

“Tsk, since getting a girlfriend, you’re posting all about her. People might think you’re a girl!”

Aside from mandatory shares for school clubs and the sports department, Qin Yichi barely posted on social media.

He rarely even looked at his feed, a true mysterious recluse.

But after falling in love, he seemed like a different person, eager to show off every day. He even changed his personal signature and WeChat background, afraid no one would know he had a girlfriend.

It was enough to blind their eyes!

Hearing this, Qin Yichi smiled softly, choosing not to argue. Instead, he quietly intertwined his fingers with Qiao Zhen’s, strolling leisurely along the path.

The sea breeze gently brushed their faces, streetlights casting a hazy glow.

He looked up at the bright moon, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Posting these moments wasn’t about showing off their love.

It was because he wanted to give Qiao Zhen enough security, to offer her the most sincere, passionate, and unabashed affection…