This year, during the Spring Festival holiday, Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai didn’t spend the New Year in the provincial city.

Lin Zhixia made an island vacation plan. She and Jiang Yubai flew to the Maldives.

When Lin Zhixia was young, she had watched a movie called “My Life as McDull.” The main character of the movie had always longed to travel to the Maldives, and that persistent desire also aroused Lin Zhixia’s curiosity.

Finally, this Spring Festival, Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai arrived at the airport in the Maldives.

The tropical weather of over thirty degrees made Lin Zhixia forget that it was winter in the northern hemisphere. She and Jiang Yubai checked into an overwater suite at a hotel, with the rippling light blue sea surrounding the room.

Before the Spring Festival, Lin Zhixia had worked continuously for more than three months to keep up with project deadlines, not even resting on weekends. Now that she had suddenly relaxed, it was as if her bones had been pulled out, leaving her lying limply on a sofa chair on the balcony.

Jiang Yubai was still unpacking.

He took out a pink cloth bag, opened it, and found it full of Lin Zhixia’s swimsuits.

They were here for four days, and Lin Zhixia had brought seven sets of swimwear. How thoughtful—Jiang Yubai loved this about her.

Jiang Yubai tied the bag securely. His left hand rested on the pure black suitcase, the silver wedding ring on his ring finger gleaming brightly.

Lin Zhixia called him: “Jiang Yubai?”

Jiang Yubai didn’t respond.

Lin Zhixia tried a different approach: “Jiang-Jiang-Jiang-Jiang-Jiang Yubai!”

Jiang Yubai, wearing slippers, walked slowly toward her.

Jiang Yubai had changed into swimming trunks. Right in front of Lin Zhixia, he quickly jumped into a swimming pool. The brilliant sunlight shone on his water-droplet-covered body, leaving Lin Zhixia stunned. She gripped the armrest tightly, which was also scorching hot.

Lin Zhixia rushed over to Jiang Yubai in just a few steps. Jiang Yubai thought she was eager to be close to him. However, she asked: “Did you put on sunscreen?”

She pointed at the sky: “The UV rays are very strong. You’re soaking in the pool, and I’m afraid you’ll get sunburned.”

Without a word, Jiang Yubai picked up Lin Zhixia and carried her to the bedroom, closed the curtains, washed his hands, and returned to her with a bottle of sunscreen.

“What are you going to do?” Lin Zhixia asked him.

Jiang Yubai stared into her eyes, his hands propped up on either side of her: “Help you apply sunscreen.”

Lin Zhixia nodded: “You put it on me first, then I’ll help you.”

Jiang Yubai’s fingertips lightly traced from her collarbone, moving upward along the faint blood vessels beneath her snow-white skin. He swallowed at just the right moment, his expression fascinated but not obsessed, like a handsome vampire from urban legends who specifically tempted young girls.

Lin Zhixia suggested: “Let’s play a game.”

He chuckled softly as if he had anticipated it: “Role-playing?”

Lin Zhixia nodded vigorously. She said, “Just now when you touched my neck, it was like a vampire, of course, the very handsome kind.”

Jiang Yubai confirmed their roles: “I’m a vampire, you’re human.”

“Good, good!” Lin Zhixia exclaimed with delight.

A flood of imaginary scenes rushed into her mind, making her extremely anticipatory and joyful. Jiang Yubai was also in a great mood. He set up a game scenario: “It’s dark. I walk into your room. No matter what I do, you can’t make a sound, otherwise…”

“Otherwise, what?” Lin Zhixia asked cautiously.

Jiang Yubai’s slender fingers were already covering her lips.

He said: “Shh… It’s dark.”

Lin Zhixia was completely captivated by his deep gaze. She held her breath, not daring to make a sound. Only then did she suddenly realize she had fallen completely into a passive position.

Before, when she played games with Jiang Yubai, she was almost always the winner. When they played poker, she could win all his chips.

But now, she was like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

It was exciting, yet so novel.

Lin Zhixia thought that as long as she followed the game rules and didn’t make a sound from beginning to end, she would surely be the ultimate winner.

Jiang Yubai unbuttoned her collar: “What are you thinking about?”

She closed her eyes.

But Jiang Yubai said, “Look at me.”

Lin Zhixia opened her eyes and looked at him. He hadn’t done anything to her yet, but her cheeks were already flushed crimson, a color that resembled dazzling peach blossoms in mid-spring, or the tips of pink lotus flowers in a summer pond.

Jiang Yubai caressed her cheeks as if handling a precious treasure. She thought to herself, truly a gentle vampire.

He lowered his head slightly, taking her earlobe into his mouth and sucking forcefully. She was startled and wanted to cry out, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly.

Jiang Yubai moved his kisses downward from her earlobe. When he reached her neck, his kisses were light and slow. No vampire would act like him, though Lin Zhixia didn’t know what real vampires were like. But her heart was still accelerating, and the force of her heart’s blood ejection might be strengthening as well. Thinking about it this way, Jiang Yubai’s actions made sense, and both of them should follow the settings of this game.

“How can you smell so good?” Jiang Yubai muttered to himself.

He whispered in her ear, “You taste sweet.”

Lin Zhixia gently bit her lip.

Jiang Yubai kissed her, his right hand still caressing her. His fingertips seemed to carry a trace of electric current, bringing comfortable yet trembling sensations wherever they touched.

Lin Zhixia’s will was extremely stubborn. She cooperated well with Jiang Yubai, but she refused to make a sound. Jiang Yubai asked: “Can this game last all night?”

“No!” Lin Zhixia immediately said, “If so, I won’t play anymore.”

As soon as she spoke, she suddenly realized: “I spoke, did I lose?”

Jiang Yubai nodded once.

Lin Zhixia shook her head: “You asked me a question, I couldn’t not answer. You unilaterally paused the game, so I could also speak. That would be fairer.”

But Jiang Yubai said, “I just asked about ‘all night.’ he buried his face in her neck and shoulder, inhaling her fragrance, “it was still part of the game scenario.”

Indeed.

Jiang Yubai was right.

Lin Zhixia voluntarily admitted defeat: “Then I lost.”

Lin Zhixia enjoyed pursuing new experiences, but she didn’t have much understanding of “losing.” Her academic and career development had been smooth, and apart from usually being busy with work, the word “loser” was practically disconnected from Lin Zhixia.

Therefore, her admission of defeat was also straightforward.

Jiang Yubai asked her to recall the game rules, and the scene that had just occurred in reality replayed in her mind. Jiang Yubai lifted a light blanket, covering both himself and Lin Zhixia. The day’s sunshine was brilliant, the seawater clear, but Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai had no time to appreciate the scenery. From afternoon until late night, they never stepped out through the main door of the room.

*

The next morning, after breakfast, Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai took a walk along a long coastline.

Lin Zhixia wore a sun hat with a butterfly bow on it, with two light-colored ribbons hanging down. She wore a long dress, the skirt hem raised in an arc by the wind, floating into Jiang Yubai’s arms.

She looked back at him.

But his gaze wasn’t on her; he only gave her his profile. He was looking at the rising sun in the east, with cloud shadows and rosy light reflected in his eyes.

Lin Zhixia impulsively said, “Hello, let’s be friends. Could you give me your phone number?”

Jiang Yubai immediately understood her meaning. He pretended not to know Lin Zhixia: “I don’t use a phone.”

“Why?” Lin Zhixia questioned him.

Jiang Yubai said: “Because I…”

Lin Zhixia helped him create a setting: “Because you’re a fisherman.”

Jiang Yubai continued: “I go fishing alone at sea. There’s no signal at sea, so having a phone is useless.”

“Going to sea alone, do you feel lonely?” Lin Zhixia asked further, “Solitary?”

In this world, loneliness and solitude are normal states of life; companionship and understanding are rare and precious. Jiang Yubai slightly raised his head, gazing at the more distant sea view.

Lin Zhixia thought Jiang Yubai was about to say something philosophical and discuss the meaning of life with her, but Jiang Yubai said, “I’m just focused on catching fish.”

Lin Zhixia laughed out loud.

She held Jiang Yubai’s hand, pulling him forward: “You’re not alone, I’ll always be with you.”

She repeatedly stroked Jiang Yubai’s palm until it became slightly warm.

Under the brilliant morning sun, the sea breeze and waves made sounds. Lin Zhixia had her back to the sea, her long hair disheveled by the sea breeze. Jiang Yubai helped her tidy her hair. She rose on tiptoe, then fell back to her original position, her gaze fixed on Jiang Yubai’s face.

Jiang Yubai wanted to kiss her. Without hesitation, he bent down and kissed her. Their shadows fell on the fine sandy beach. Those shadows seemed to merge with the beach, engraved in Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai’s memories.