#90: Crescent Moon Extra #2

Before arriving at the island, Le Ya took a nap.

When she woke up, Chen Yang was reading a magazine with rapt attention. Even the occasional page-turning motion was captivating to watch.

Chen Yang glanced over and teased, “So absorbed in watching me?”

Le Ya smiled softly. “Do you dislike being watched by me?”

Chen Yang gently tousled her hair, his hand lingering near her ear as he gave it a light pinch. “Of course not.”

He hoped she would look at him for the rest of her life.

Le Ya shook her head slightly, not saying anything further.

After leaving the airport, they took a car to the dock where a pre-rented boat awaited them.

The seaside here was entirely different from what they were used to back home. The sky was an unreal shade of blue, almost as if it were fake. Every scene before their eyes was picturesque.

The speedboat ride to the island only took a few minutes. Soon, towering coconut trees, sandy beaches, and wooden houses built over the water came into view.

Xie Qingyu remarked, “We’ll be staying in those tonight.”

The number of these wooden bungalows was limited, and reservations had to be made early. Fortunately, it was off-season; otherwise, they might not have secured rooms.

Thinking of Chen Yang’s ocean-view villa, Le Ya whispered, “The scenery here is even prettier than there.”

Chen Yang raised an eyebrow. “Are you hinting that I should buy an island?”

Le Ya hadn’t expected such a response and glared at him. “What nonsense are you talking about? I didn’t mean that. Don’t twist my words.”

Buying an entire island certainly wouldn’t come cheap.

Chen Yang merely chuckled.

As the speedboat slowly approached the shore, the white sand beach came into focus. Waves rhythmically washed away some sand while bringing more back.

Le Ya wore small leather shoes and hesitated to jump down like Xie Qingyu and the others since the boat’s bow was over a meter high.

Chen Yang stepped off first and extended his hand. “Come here.”

With one swift motion, he lifted Le Ya down and carried her to a spot safe from the waves before setting her down.

Startled, Le Ya instinctively clung to his neck.

Seeing her reaction, Chen Yang let out a laugh that vibrated through his chest, making Le Ya feel it all too clearly.

By then, Xie Qingyu and the others had already walked far ahead.

Xie Qingyu headed straight for the hotel she had reserved and called the manager. Soon, a dark-skinned young man appeared before them.

Le Ya noticed he had no eyelashes, which she found peculiar. She stared for a moment longer but quickly turned away when her face was gently guided back.

“What are you looking at?” Chen Yang asked.

Le Ya blinked innocently. “Nothing.”

The manager led them to their reserved rooms. A single path led to the end, where each wooden bungalow stood independently—not part of a multi-story hotel structure but rather separate units extending from the beach to the sea, resembling stilt houses. Except, beneath these huts lay the ocean, hence the name “water villas.”

Though not particularly spacious, each villa was fully equipped. Inside, one could hear the sound of nearby waves and smell the salty breeze.

Le Ya was delighted with the place and sent Xie Qingyu an emoji.

Each villa had only one bed. Outside the window stretched an endless expanse of turquoise sea. This area was shallow enough to see the sand and marine life below, shimmering beautifully under the sunlight.

Chen Yang placed the luggage down and, seeing her standing by the window, wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Tonight, we’ll sleep together.”

Le Ya was startled and hesitated before shyly responding, “It’s not... like we haven’t slept in the same bed before...”

Chen Yang smirked. “That was different.”

Of course, it was different.

Le Ya didn’t quite grasp the meaning behind his words. After pondering for a moment, she wondered if it was because it had been their first time.

She still remembered the red marks on her body that took days to fade, worrying constantly about someone noticing. Thankfully, no one did.

Seeing her ears redden, Chen Yang couldn’t resist reaching out to rub them. “I was just teasing. Did it make you think of something else?”

Le Ya quickly shook her head, unaware that her reaction only confirmed his suspicions.

Chen Yang decided not to press further. If he pushed too hard, the evening might become uncomfortable, and he wasn’t about to create trouble for himself.

He wasn’t sure what Xie Qingyu and the others had planned, but he suspected they were up to something intentionally. He was more than willing to play along.

Kissing the top of Le Ya’s head, he murmured, “We still have a few hours until nightfall. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

Le Ya nudged him lightly. “Pervert!”

For lunch, they dined on local seafood specialties.

Although Le Ya wasn’t fond of seafood, the dishes here were delicious. With Chen Yang peeling shrimp for her, she ended up eating a couple more pieces.

Liang Qian, while peeling shrimp for Xie Qingyu, whispered, “Before, Brother Yang never ate shrimp.”

Xie Qingyu replied without looking up, “Isn’t that normal? If your girlfriend wants to eat something, you follow suit.”

After the meal, everyone returned to their water villas. On the way, Xie Qingyu reminded them, “Don’t forget to change into swimsuits. There’s an activity later.”

Before the trip, Xie Qingyu had dragged Le Ya shopping for two new swimsuits. She seemed particularly enthusiastic about buying swimwear in various styles.