114: Maybe we can be more than just good friends.

Chen Xiangbei froze, not expecting Yin Yueyao to ask such a direct question.

His heart was pounding like a little deer, and he didn't know how to answer.

Yin Yueyao seemed to sense his predicament, and she smiled, saying, "Just kidding, aren't we good friends?"

Chen Xiangbei also smiled, trying to ease the tense atmosphere, "Of course, we'll always be good friends."

However, his heart couldn't calm down. He had a feeling that his sealed heart, which had been like concrete for many years, was about to break its seal!

Just then, a gust of wind blew, messing up Yin Yueyao's hair. She reached up to tidy her long, disheveled hair, a natural yet captivating gesture.

They both looked up at the same time, their gazes meeting instantly, as if they both saw a hint of a different emotion in each other's eyes.

After a moment of silence, Yin Yueyao took a deep breath and bravely said, "Perhaps, we can be more than just good friends..."

After saying that, she ran off towards the boardwalk, leaving Chen Xiangbei standing stunned in place, seemingly greatly shocked by her words.

Chen Xiangbei snapped back to reality, looking at Yin Yueyao's receding figure, and a surge of impulse welled up in his heart.

He strode forward, chasing after her, shouting as he ran, "Yue Yao, wait for me!"

Yin Yueyao heard the shouts behind her but didn't stop, continuing to run straight ahead.

However, girls are ultimately a bit slower than boys, and it wasn't long before Chen Xiangbei caught up to her.

Seeing Chen Xiangbei catch up, Yin Yueyao slowed her pace, turned around, and smiled sweetly at him, saying, "Why did you catch up?"

Chen Xiangbei paused, then smiled and replied, "I was afraid you'd get lost."

Yin Yueyao smiled slightly and said, "I wouldn't."

Chen Xiangbei looked at her and said, "The scenery here is truly beautiful."

Yin Yueyao nodded and said, "Yes, let's walk together."

"Okay, let's walk together."

Then the two continued to stroll side by side on the seaside boardwalk, enjoying the beautiful time.

They walked quietly, letting the sea breeze blow freely and listening to the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

Yin Yueyao's hair danced in the wind, shimmering with a golden glow.

Chen Xiangbei carefully reached out and gently tidied Yin Yueyao's wind-blown hair. Yin Yueyao lowered her head slightly, a shy smile appearing on her face.

"Do you remember when we filmed that short film by the sea in college?" Chen Xiangbei broke the silence.

Yin Yueyao looked up, a hint of nostalgia flashing in her eyes, "Of course I remember, we played the roles of a couple back then, and it felt quite wonderful."

"There was also this scene then, where I helped you tidy your wind-blown hair," Chen Xiangbei said, his gaze filled with a mix of recollection and tenderness as he looked at Yin Yueyao.

Yin Yueyao's cheeks flushed slightly. She turned her head slightly, looking at the distant sea, and whispered, "Is this a re-enactment of our college days?"

"Or are you trying to continue our short film?"

Chen Xiangbei looked into the distance, as if thinking or recalling, and after a moment, he slowly said, "Then do you hope this movie will have a sequel?"

Yin Yueyao answered evasively, "If we had both been a little braver back then, perhaps we wouldn't be so hesitant now!"

They continued to walk, their steps slow and hesitant, as if the vast sea witnessed their ambiguity, yet they didn't know if it could lead to clear love.

A girl's thoughts are delicate and hidden, while a boy's thoughts are as complex as a puzzle game, impossible to untangle.

As the two walked, they passed a small coconut stall. Chen Xiangbei pulled Yin Yueyao over.

Chen Xiangbei said to the coconut stall owner, "Boss, two coconuts."

The boss opened the two coconuts, inserted a straw, and handed them to Chen Xiangbei.

Chen Xiangbei held the coconuts in both hands, turned around, and said to Yin Yueyao, "Ta-da! Here, your favorite coconut, all-natural and additive-free!"

Yin Yueyao somewhat distractedly took the coconut and replied, "You... you actually still remember that I like coconut water."

"Of course I remember!" Chen Xiangbei smiled.

"You said coconuts represent summer, and you love summer the most."

...

It was almost 11 AM when the two returned to the guesthouse.

Chen Xiangbei told Yin Yueyao to rest in her room first, as he needed to start preparing ingredients for lunch.

After Yin Yueyao returned to her room, he went to the kitchen and took out the fresh seafood caught earlier from the refrigerator.

First, he cleaned the crabs and shrimp thoroughly, then placed them in a steamer to cook.

Next, he processed the sea cucumber and abalone, slicing them into thin pieces. These two seafoods were for making abalone and sea cucumber with sauce over rice, so they needed to be cut more finely.

Finally, for the sea fish, he cleaned out its internal organs and surface mucus, then after cutting it, he seasoned it with salt and set it aside to marinate for a while.

By now, the crabs and shrimp were almost ready. He took them out and put them in a warming box to keep them warm. Once the warming box was covered, the kitchen was filled with various delicious aromas.

Next, he prepared exquisite plates and utensils, neatly arranging the steamed crabs and shrimp. Then he carefully took out the marinated sea fish and set it aside.

Afterward, he began preparing the sauce for the rice, carefully mixing a unique sauce. The aroma of the sauce wafted through the air, making one's mouth water.

On the other side of the kitchen, a pot of fragrant white rice was cooking on the stove, with plump, translucent grains.

Once everything was ready, he evenly spread the sea cucumber and abalone slices over the served rice, drizzled a rich sauce over it, and arranged the steamed crabs and shrimp around it.

Finally, he pan-fried the sea fish until both sides were golden brown, and once it was set, he added an appropriate amount of seasoning to braise it.

Soon, a rich and aromatic braised turbot was ready. He plated it nicely.

Now, only one last dish remained. He removed the shells from the razor clams, leaving the tender clam meat.

He heated oil in a wok, added green onions, ginger, garlic, chili, and other seasonings to stir-fry until fragrant, then poured in the prepared razor clam meat, stir-frying over high heat for a moment until the clam meat turned golden, then it was ready to be served.

He carried all the dishes to the outdoor dining table and arranged them, then prepared iced fruit drinks. Once everything was ready, Chen Xiangbei called everyone out to eat.

The friends downstairs had already been awakened by the rich aroma and were waiting in the living room to eat. Chen Xiangbei sent them upstairs to call the girls down for dinner.

Soon, everyone had arrived.

Little Loli Huang Xiaoqing sniffed the air and said excitedly, "Wow~ It smells so good! It's simply too wonderful to wake up and have delicious food!"

Li An, standing nearby, said mischievously, "Why don't you marry Xiangbei? That way you can eat his cooking every day!"