Do You Like It

But as her thoughts deepened, a trace of pain seemed to flicker across the girl's face.

"Let's not think about this for now," Ye Shuang noticed and immediately spoke up to stop her.

Human memories before the age of seven are naturally hazy, and if Bai Yuyou truly couldn’t remember, Ye Shuang didn’t want to force her—especially since that period held many painful recollections.

"Is the sea beautiful?" To change the subject, Ye Shuang asked Bai Yuyou for her thoughts.

The sea in Haizhu City had a peculiar phenomenon: when the weather was clear, the water would turn an intense blue.

This created two contrasting impressions among visitors—some would say Haizhu’s sea was dirty and murky, while others would insist it was blue and breathtaking.

"Beautiful," Bai Yuyou nodded.

After a pause, she added, "Not as beautiful as in movies..."

Ye Shuang couldn’t help but laugh. Of course, it couldn’t compare to movies. After all, the ocean scenes in films were edited and color-graded—even a dull gray sea could be transformed into a deep, vivid blue with the right filter.

The same went for the stunning photos posted by travel bloggers. Most were meticulously retouched. The saying "three parts shooting, seven parts editing" existed for a reason—otherwise, there wouldn’t be such a stark contrast between the flawless faces online and the "ordinary" ones in real life.

"Ye Shuang."

"Hmm?"

"Hand," Bai Yuyou said.

"Not this time. Driving is safer with both hands on the wheel."

"Oh."

After arriving at their destination, Ye Shuang parked the car and grumbled about the steep parking fee—ten yuan per hour—before leading Bai Yuyou to the shore.

Even on a non-holiday, the beach was crowded, with vendors hawking overpriced services: tents for 200 yuan a night, lounge chairs for 30 yuan an hour, and umbrellas for 100 yuan a day.

Scenic spots never failed to deliver exorbitant prices for mediocre offerings.

As they stepped onto the soft sand, Bai Yuyou seemed fascinated by everything. Suddenly, her gaze landed on a distant snow-white, dome-shaped structure. "Ye Shuang... what’s that?"

"Moon Shell," Ye Shuang replied. "Our city’s landmark."

"What’s a landmark?"

"Think of it as a city’s signature." Moon Shell, viewed from afar, resembled a massive seashell-shaped building. In reality, it was a grand theater, standing about ninety meters tall.

Bai Yuyou nodded.

"Ye Shuang, they’re not wearing clothes either."

"Silly, those are swimsuits."

"They look like underwear..."

"There’s still a difference."

Ye Shuang patiently answered each of the girl’s curious questions. As the saying goes, "Traveling ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books"—some knowledge simply can’t be learned from pages alone.

Raising a girl with "wealth" meant enriching her spirit—broadening her horizons, elevating her pursuits, and ensuring she wouldn’t be easily swayed by shallow temptations or lured away by some smooth-talking troublemaker.

"Tch." The thought of Bai Yuyou someday being deceived by such a guy made Ye Shuang’s teeth ache. It only strengthened his resolve to expose her to more of the world.

At that moment, Bai Yuyou bent down and picked up a seashell.

"That’s a shell."

"Can I take it home?"

"Of course." Ye Shuang smiled and joined her in collecting shells along the shore.

Eventually, they reached the shallows, where waves lapped at their sandy feet. The warm air and cool seawater felt refreshingly new to Bai Yuyou.

"Ye Shuang."

"What?"

"This shell is different." Bai Yuyou held a tightly closed white clam, unlike the others she’d gathered earlier.

Ye Shuang explained, "The shells you picked earlier were empty. This one’s still alive."

Hearing this, Bai Yuyou studied the clam in her palm before carefully burying it back in the sand. Standing behind her, Ye Shuang gently gathered her long hair to keep it from touching the water.

From then on, Bai Yuyou only collected empty shells, leaving the living ones untouched. She didn’t impose this on others or even consciously decide it for herself—it was purely instinctive.

By the time they finished, they’d gathered quite a haul, all stored in a plastic bag by Ye Shuang.

Next, he took Bai Yuyou on a speedboat ride. The moment the boat accelerated, her face tensed—clearly, the thrill was a bit too much for her.

Half the day passed in a blur. Only when the setting sun scattered golden fragments across the sea did Bai Yuyou notice the sky darkening.

Sitting together on a rocky outcrop, Ye Shuang gazed at the horizon and smiled.

"The sea’s not bad, right?"

"Mm."

Just then, Ye Shuang felt a damp touch on his cheek. Startled, he turned to find Bai Yuyou watching him.

"Why?"

"Couples should kiss often," she said earnestly, her eyes shimmering with a faint golden glow and an unspoken amusement.

Ye Shuang sighed. "Did Tang Keke teach you that?"

"Mm. Ye Shuang, kiss me too..."

Meeting her unwavering gaze, he hesitated before leaning down and pressing a light kiss to her forehead—specifically, the bandage wrapped around it.

Bai Yuyou didn’t understand the meaning behind kisses, but even this small gesture filled her with joy.

After all, Tang Keke had said this was what couples did.

"Let’s go home?" Sensing her happiness, Ye Shuang spoke softly.

"Okay."

Back home, they cooked dinner together and began arranging the shells.

Ye Shuang first filled a glass jar with a cork stopper, turning part of their collection into a charming decoration.

For the remaining shells, he drilled holes, threaded them onto strings, and fixed each in place with glue.

He made five such strands, while Bai Yuyou sat quietly beside him, leaning against his arm as she watched. She didn’t ask questions or interrupt—just observed.

Once the strands were ready, Ye Shuang shaped a wire into a circle and glued the five shell strings evenly around it.

Giving the finished piece a gentle shake, he smiled at the crisp, melodic chime of shells colliding.

After tying a rope to the circle and securing it to the balcony railing, a breeze swept through, setting the shells into a delicate, tinkling dance.

Ye Shuang turned to the girl behind him, admiring their handiwork.

"Do you like it?"

Accompanied by the pleasant chime, this scene seemed to etch itself into Bai Yuyou's eyes. She nodded softly, as if responding to the sound of the wind chimes.

"I like it..."