Chapter 163 Bai Yinnian Extra: Intern (6)
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People who had changed into their swimsuits were already eager to enjoy sunbathing and the refreshing seawater. Although Bai Yinnian’s unexpected presence had dampened Jian Chi’s mood for a moment, they were already here, and it wouldn’t be right to waste this rare weekend because of this little incident.
Jian Chi changed into his swim trunks and took advantage of the moment when Bai Yinnian was in the bathroom to slip away alone. The fresh sea breeze, mixed with a hint of saltiness, entered his lungs. Leaving the city center behind, it felt unusually pleasant. Tan Mao, carrying a yellow duck float under his arm, walked over and waved it in front of Jian Chi. “There are floats and kickboards over there.”
Jian Chi said, “I can swim.”
Tan Mao chuckled, “I originally thought you couldn’t, but seeing you now, I know I guessed wrong.”
Normally, Jian Chi gave off an indelible sense of slimness. He didn’t stand out in a crowd, but when he took off his clothes and the sunlight shone on his well-proportioned and slender body, dazzlingly white, Tan Mao realized that Jian Chi wasn’t as thin as he had imagined. Jian Chi was not even shorter than him.
A restrained yet vibrant youthfulness emanated from him, breaking the long-standing gap between two contradictory terms.
As Jian Chi chatted with Tan Mao, he walked towards the water. The cool seawater slowly submerged his ankles. Several companions playing in the water nearby were drawn in one direction, casting secretive glances. Jian Chi turned around casually, and Bai Yinnian walked towards their direction, his shirt not fully buttoned. His full chest and the muscles on his abdomen formed a streamlined mermaid line beneath the black swim trunks. Jian Chi understood why everyone’s gaze seemed a bit evasive. As Bai Yinnian approached, he didn’t know where to look.
“What are you talking about?”
Facing the boss’s inquiry, Tan Mao didn’t dare to be as relaxed as before. “We were planning to go into the water. Would you like to join us?”
“You don’t need to be so formal outside of the company.” Bai Yinnian said to Tan Mao before his gaze settled on Jian Chi. For some reason, Jian Chi sensed a playful reproach in Bai Yinnian’s eyes for his earlier escape. Unable to meet his eyes, Jian Chi looked away, visibly guilty.
“Have you dived before?” Bai Yinnian suddenly asked.
Jian Chi was stunned for a moment, and his heart skipped a beat. “No.”
“Do you want to try? It’s more interesting than swimming. I bought the island here considering it’s suitable for diving. There are no waves today, so it’s perfect for a beginner like you.”
Tan Mao sensed that the conversation had turned private and tactfully greeted them before heading into the water with a float. Jian Chi was still immersed in the impact of the word “diving.” Bai Yinnian had already walked a distance, leaving Jian Chi standing in place. With a slightly lowered voice, Bai Yinnian said, “Come here.”
Without any dignity, Jian Chi followed.
“I remember you need certification for diving. Can beginners go underwater?” Bai Yinnian took two sets of brand-new diving equipment brought by a waiter, handing one set to Jian Chi. He stated it as if it were a matter of course. “I have a diving license and an instructor qualification. You can rest assured; even if something unexpected happens, I won’t let you get into trouble.”
Although it sounded like a joke, the words came out of Bai Yinnian’s mouth without a hint of playfulness, steady and serious. Jian Chi didn’t respond until Bai Yinnian’s gaze swept over him, reluctantly pushing aside the fleeting disturbance in his heart.
“…How did you end up getting these certifications?”
“I have many certificates like these, such as Mandarin proficiency and nutritionist certificates. No one would complain about having multiple skills. There will always be a time when they come in handy.”
For a moment, Jian Chi didn’t know whether to praise Bai Yinnian for being idle or having perseverance. To obtain these seemingly insignificant certificates while juggling multiple roles was indeed not something an ordinary person could achieve. But, as Bai Yinnian said, there would always be a time when they came in handy. At this moment, Jian Chi found it hard to refuse the experience of diving for the first time.
Guided by Bai Yinnian, Jian Chi put on all the equipment, including a twelve-liter air tank, and walked into the water with somewhat awkward movements due to the fins. Although he could swim, Jian Chi quickly grasped the skills needed underwater after Bai Yinnian demonstrated a few times. With everything ready, Bai Yinnian put a breathing apparatus on Jian Chi’s face, peering into his eyes through the diving mask. “Are you ready?”
Jian Chi nodded.
In the moment of sinking into the water, external noises were shut out, and the heartbeat slowed down silently in the flow of water. Jian Chi kicked his legs, following Bai Yinnian towards the depths of this blue expanse. In the tranquility, there was only the echo of bubbles spewing from his mouth.
The submerged area approached a profound blue, crystal clear without any impurities, entering another mysterious and pristine world. A few lonely small fish drifted through Jian Chi’s field of vision, adorned in bright yellow and blue stripes, resembling the butterfly fish Bai Yinnian had mentioned on the shore. They swayed their fins back into the streamlined massive group, swimming towards the nearby blooming coral reefs.
Jian Chi dared not fall behind. Bai Yinnian had already swum above that coral reef, waiting for him. More and more schools of fish swam past him, close enough to touch. Jian Chi had never observed a fish so closely before. They were beautiful, like models that should be placed in an exhibition, exuding lively and adorable vitality.
Corals of different colors and shapes covered the rocks at the bottom of the sea. From a distance, they looked like antlers, placed in this carefully maintained garden. Bai Yinnian pointed at the coral beneath him, and Jian Chi followed his gaze, discovering a giant sea turtle residing in the swaying seaweed not far away. It genuinely startled him, and when he touched Bai Yinnian beside him, he heard a laughter mixed in the bubbles. Afterward, a strong hand pressed against his floating back, providing Jian Chi with infinite reassurance in this silent and dark underwater world.
Deeper parts of the sea were not accessible to beginners, so Jian Chi, after adapting, leisurely swam around the coral. The air tank could support an hour, and when the designated time arrived, Bai Yinnian waved his hand. Jian Chi turned in the direction slowly, ready to swim back. Just before surfacing, Bai Yinnian suddenly turned around, grabbing Jian Chi’s hand. As their eyes met in the interweaving ripples, Jian Chi saw a more dazzling light shining from above, illuminating the spacious depths of his heart.
Bai Yinnian floated up while holding his waist, his arms strong and steady. In his ear, after removing the breathing apparatus, there was a low breath that echoed in the bubbles. Jian Chi’s nose filled with the long-lost and refreshing air, and in this quiet eardrum, he heard the first sigh.
“Was it fun?”
Jian Chi felt his earlobes warming up, nodded, and said, “Yeah.”
Their underwater bodies clung tightly together. Even through the diving suits, Jian Chi could feel the strength of the muscles. Perhaps it was the magnificent scenery underwater that lingered in his mind for a long time, his heartbeat remained different from usual.
As night fell, the island lit up with lights, not inferior to the daytime scenery. Everyone set up barbecue grills in the hotel courtyard, and the relaxing music wafted through every corner with the aroma of cumin. Jian Chi, after a shower following the afternoon dive, hadn’t eaten anything since. When he smelled the delicious aroma, his stomach grumbled. He took some food and sat back in his chair. Several female colleagues also sat nearby, and one of them, with a smiling face, asked Jian Chi, “Do you want a beer? Barbecue tastes half as good without alcohol.”
Even though he knew she was teasing him, Jian Chi politely declined, “No, my tolerance for alcohol is not that great.”
Tan Mao, sitting across from him, said, “Don’t tease him. Jian Chi is still a student.”
“If you say it like that, I’ll think Little Jian is underage. What’s the problem with a college student having a little drink?” The female colleague retorted to Tan Mao. The two of them obviously knew each other well. Tan Mao helplessly smiled and turned to Jian Chi, saying, “If you’re not good with alcohol, you can try a cocktail. I just got one, and it tastes much lighter than regular alcohol. It shouldn’t make you drunk.”
With only a few bad experiences with alcohol, Jian Chi rarely had the chance to enjoy the feeling of being slightly tipsy under normal circumstances. Out of curiosity, and also a bit driven by the mood, he did not refuse this time. Taking a glass of specially mixed light blue cocktail, he sipped it and then took a big gulp. The sweet fruity flavor almost masked the remaining trace of alcohol, and it tasted better than ordinary fruit juice.
With the barbecue, Jian Chi finished three glasses quickly. The smaller size of the glasses made it difficult to perceive whether he drank too much or too little. Riding on the alcohol-induced excitement, someone borrowed a guitar and started singing spontaneously. Several people gathered around to play games, and the lively atmosphere was expected to continue until the early morning. Jian Chi felt it was about time to call it a night. When he stood up, unexpectedly, he swayed a bit. His shoulder was firmly embraced by someone, and when he turned around, he almost brushed against Bai Yinnian’s cheek.
“…Thank you.”
Bai Yinnian let go after a while. Oblivious, Jian Chi didn’t realize anything strange, just feeling that Bai Yinnian’s face seemed to have become two. “Are you here for the barbecue too? I didn’t see you just now.”
“I already had dinner upstairs,” Bai Yinnian’s voice was wrapped in a layer of mist in the night. “Have you been drinking?”
Jian Chi hesitated for a moment and gestured with two fingers, “A little.”
“Only a little?”
Bai Yinnian seemed to chuckle, and Jian Chi ‘hmmed’ half a beat later. He walked a distance, and his limbs felt unbalanced no matter how he moved. From a distance, footsteps approached, and Bai Yinnian said, “Haven’t you noticed that you’re walking crookedly?”
Jian Chi felt like Bai Yinnian was making fun of him, making him a bit embarrassed and inexplicably stuffy. If he were in a sober state, Jian Chi would never think like this, but now he didn’t know how to respond and just said, “You’re talking nonsense. I clearly walked in a straight line.”
Bai Yinnian covered his mouth. “Right, you did.”
Relying on his memory, Jian Chi took the elevator to the floor where the room was located. He swiped the card at two doors, but none of them opened. Bai Yinnian followed without stopping him. After the third failed attempt, Jian Chi finally remembered to check the room number on his key card. He swiped his own room and collapsed onto the large bed in the center, turning over and abruptly stopping.
“… Why are you taking off your clothes?”
Bai Yinnian took off his T-shirt from his arms, looking over with a short response, “Taking a shower.”
Jian Chi remained silent, burying his dizzy head in the pillow. He couldn’t help but wonder why clothes couldn’t be taken off in the bathroom. The frosted glass door closed, and the sound of rushing water faintly came through. For the already drowsy Jian Chi, it became the best lullaby. His consciousness still had a thread of clarity, but his body, exhausted from the day, had entered standby mode.
He didn’t know when the sound stopped. The mattress beside him sank down, and a refreshing scent of mint shower gel wafted over him, emitting a faint coolness. Jian Chi unconsciously moved a little towards that side, seeking a more comfortable sleeping position.
The other party seemingly unsatisfied with just that, after a brief silence, a low, deep voice called Jian Chi’s name near his ear. Unable to respond in the haze, Jian Chi’s earlobes itched, and instinctively, he turned his face away. The next second, however, he was turned back in the opposite direction, and soft lips covered his without warning, suppressing his breath.
Cold droplets slid into his mouth along the seam of his lips, and the breath sprayed on his face. As the lips and tongue delved deeper, Jian Chi felt the surrounding air become sticky, the temperature continuously rising. He pushed the person on top of him in a panic but couldn’t move him. Murmuring, he said, “Shao Hang, stop…”
Only Shao Hang liked to launch surprise attacks when he was in that half-awake state. Jian Chi only needed to pretend to be unhappy, and he would reluctantly stop, holding him to continue sleeping. However, the actions on his lips paused for only a few seconds, and an even more aggressive breath intensified this plunder. Jian Chi was struggling to keep up with the rhythm of breathing, and opening his eyes a slit, in the dimness, he could only see the silhouette of a man, uncertain and bewildered. He mumbled, “Shen Shuting?”
He really couldn’t figure out who would do such a thing at this moment. The person on top of him finally came to a complete stop, and a meaningful chuckle followed, not belonging to Shao Hang, nor Shen Shuting, nor anyone familiar to Jian Chi. “Anyone else? You can say it together.”
Jian Chi’s drowsiness was abruptly dispelled by more than half. Morning memories rushed into his mind, realizing that he wasn’t in his apartment bed but in a vacation hotel. The only person sharing the room with him was Bai Yinnian.
Evidently, this awareness came a bit too late. Bai Yinnian once again leaned down, kissing Jian Chi’s lips with a hint of annoyance. He bit his lower lip, unable to conceal the intense desire that the kiss no longer hid.
Jian Chi was completely immersed in the impact of Bai Yinnian’s kiss. Numb from alcohol, he couldn’t muster the resistance or maybe had lost direction before such thoughts invaded. As a hand lifted the hem of his clothes over his waist, the electric shivers along his spine made Jian Chi tremble. Bai Yinnian seemed to have found his sensitive spot, persistently teasing. Jian Chi’s last bit of reason couldn’t withstand the layers of onslaught and succumbed.
About this night, the clearest memory Jian Chi could recall was Bai Yinnian repeatedly whispering in his ear, “Call my name.” Jian Chi could only repeat those three words over and over. Waking up in the morning, his throat felt as if it had been scorched and couldn’t produce a single word.
Sunlight filtered through the curtain’s gap, shining on the bed. Bai Yinnian, lying next to him, still had his eyes closed. Jian Chi silently sat up, reflecting on where things went wrong since their reunion. Ultimately, he realized the issue might have started two years ago.
During this time together, he wasn’t completely oblivious. He just couldn’t believe Bai Yinnian harbored such thoughts. So, he self-deceptively attributed everything to compensation. However, even a fool could understand that the extent of compensation didn’t need to reach the level of last night.
In retrospect, Jian Chi found solace in the fact that he didn’t seem to lose out. Yet, if such matters could be resolved so simply, he wouldn’t be entangled now. The person beside him stirred slightly, and Jian Chi turned his head, meeting Bai Yinnian’s slightly deepened gaze upon waking.
Two seconds of eye contact.
“… Morning.”
“Good morning.”
Compared to Jian Chi’s awkwardness, Bai Yinnian, now awake, sat up calmly. The blanket slid down to his waist, exposing the marks that hadn’t faded. Jian Chi had no idea where to place his eyes. Bai Yinnian seemed to enjoy seeing him in a dilemma, leaning closer with his arm propped on the mattress. “Are you hungry? I’ll have breakfast brought up.”
Jian Chi cleared his somewhat hoarse throat. “Not bad.”
For Bai Yinnian, this was equivalent to consent. After he notified the waiter using the fixed phone by the bed, Jian Chi released his hand from the restless bedsheet and couldn’t help but speak, “I might have drunk too much last night. What about you?”
Bai Yinnian paused for a few seconds, understanding the implication in Jian Chi’s words. “I didn’t drink. I’ve been clear-headed.”
Jian Chi’s heart skipped a beat twice. “Then you…”
As he asked, Bai Yinnian cupped his face and kissed him. Jian Chi sat there dazed, looking at Bai Yinnian’s enlarged face, the dark eyes resembling an unexplored deep-sea territory, observing him word by word.
“I’m not playing around. If I were, I wouldn’t have waited until now.”
Bai Yinnian didn’t say much more. Two sentences were enough to convey his clear and firm stance. He put on his clothes, got out of bed, and headed for the bathroom. Halfway there, he suddenly stopped. “Did you listen to that recording?”
Before Jian Chi, who hadn’t yet calmed his heartbeat, could ask ‘what,’ Bai Yinnian shook his head and closed the bathroom door. The word ‘recording’ lingered in Jian Chi’s ears as the sound of water gently echoed. Bending down among scattered clothes, Jian Chi found his pants, took out a black pen from the pocket, and approached the hidden button on the pen.
The sentence Bai Yinnian said, ‘Remember to bring him with you in the future,’ made Jian Chi unconsciously carry the pen with him all the time, even when going out for leisure. He found the hidden button on the pen, lightly pressed it, and, accompanied by an electric current, the recording fell into his ears. From Anderson’s conversation to Bai Yinnian leaving due to a phone call, there was no work-related content afterward. Jian Chi had turned off the recording at this point in his previous attempt.
This time, he didn’t press stop.
After the noisy electrical current, a intermittent silence spread, and Jian Chi brought the pen close. It was a slow and heavy breath.
“I don’t know if giving you this pen as a gift will seem strange, but I couldn’t think of a better way. I hope you’ll listen to it. I need to start from somewhere. Two years ago, when I first came into contact with you, I was curious, keeping it within controllable and retractable boundaries. I don’t know when this curiosity evolved into an uncontrollable impulse. I have to admit that you’ve brought me many experiences I’ve never had before.”
“Compared to pursuing a boy nine years younger, I probably wouldn’t want to accept the fact that I have to compete with a group of youngsters. Such childish matters are not within my principles. Looking back now, I might have done a lot of childish things that I was unaware of at that time. In fact, I’m not any better than them.”
Here, Bai Yinnian chuckled.
“I’m conflicted and have many concerns, so I chose to let you go. In these two years, I’ve thought many times about whether to see you again. Perhaps a meeting could untie many lingering knots. This reunion wasn’t in my expectations, but it happened to suit my intentions. Perhaps it’s fate.”
“If you’re listening to this, you might have guessed what I’m going to say next. Jian Chi, I’ve missed an appointment once. You didn’t ask for any compensation, so consider it my decision. I’ll make up for this mistake with my remaining life.”
“Non-retractable, effective immediately.”
Bai Yinnian Extra Complete
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Oh wow I see, finally you eat the meat, Bai Yinnian congrats haha