Seventh Year Of Separation chapter 66
Rising Tides
After the holiday began, even before dawn, the two of them carried their luggage and embarked on their journey.
The weather in early October was already a bit chilly, so Gu Jiahe wore a windbreaker, thinking about the strong winds at sea.
The journey to board the cruise ship was longer than Gu Jiahe had imagined. They had to take a plane to a southern coastal city first, and then board the ship from there.
Pingcheng was located on the southeast coast, and he hadn’t been to cities further south. This was his first real journey southward.
Gu Jiahe woke up very early, but he wasn’t sleepy at all on the way. After they arrived at the airport, they checked in.
Half an hour later, he sat in a window seat, listening to the flight attendants explain the safety precautions.
The plane began to taxi, and soon it took off.
As the plane ascended higher and higher, Gu Jiahe felt a slight pain in his ears and instinctively pressed on them.
After seeing his action, Li Zhao handed him a piece of chewing gum. “Have one, it will help.”
Gu Jiahe nodded and unwrapped it, putting it in his mouth.
Finally, the plane stabilized, and they cruised through the thick clouds.
Then the clouds dispersed, and Gu Jiahe saw the cityscape gradually recede through the window, with patches of blue appearing in the distance.
After nearly three hours of flying, they landed in the southern coastal city.
As soon as Gu Jiahe stepped out of the jet bridge, he smelled the scent of sea breeze. Despite being in October, the temperature here was still around 30 degrees Celsius.
After leaving the airport, Li Zhao took off his coat and hung it on the luggage handle.
Gu Jiahe had been on the plane for quite some time and his legs were a bit numb. He bent down and rubbed his calves.
Seeing his movement, Li Zhao tapped the luggage. “Get on.”
Gu Jiahe turned his head. “Get on what?”
Li Zhao said, “Sit on the suitcase, I’ll push you.”
Gu Jiahe usually didn’t like to play such childish games, but today he inexplicably wanted to give it a try.
He sat on Li Zhao’s black suitcase, facing him, holding onto the handle.
Li Zhao steadied the handle and pushed him along the broad airport walkway.
Gu Jiahe’s head accidentally bumped into Li Zhao’s chin, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “This is so silly.”
Li Zhao looked down at him. “You’re the one sitting.”
Gu Jiahe nodded. “I’m just being silly.”
It was still a long way to go from the airport to the cruise terminal. As they sat in the taxi, Gu Jiahe opened a gap in the car window. The salty and humid wind blew in through the gap, ruffling Li Zhao’s short hair in front of his forehead.
Gu Jiahe looked at Li Zhao beside him along the sunlight and suddenly felt that at this moment, the two of them were eloping.
Escaping from work, from all worldly affairs, and running away to the ocean without hesitation.
Finally, just as the sun reached its peak, they completed the boarding procedures and stepped onto the enormous cruise ship.
The ship was so big that Gu Jiahe felt it was three or four times larger than the one he had seen at the port.
He listened to the ship’s staff introduce that the cruise ship had a total of 15 decks. Tilting his head back under the sunlight, Gu Jiahe felt dizzy.
Li Zhao booked a sea-view balcony room, located in the middle-upper level of the entire massive cruise ship, offering excellent views. The room had a sizable bed, and further in, it connected to a semi-open balcony.
Standing on the balcony, Gu Jiahe looked out to see the azure sea. From up close, the sea seemed a bit turbulent.
Leaning against the glass railing, he turned to Li Zhao and said, “It feels like a screenshot from a movie I’ve seen.”
Li Zhao asked, “Which movie?”
Gu Jiahe thought for a moment. “The Day After Tomorrow.”
Li Zhao rubbed his head. “A disaster movie? Did I bring you to the end of the world?”
Gu Jiahe looked out towards the balcony, thinking that even if it were the end of the world at this moment, it would be fine.
After a long journey that day, including flying and taxi rides, they had been on the move for nearly ten hours.
After settling into the room without eating dinner, they fell asleep together after a while.
Gu Jiahe woke up in the middle of the night. The curtains in their room were not drawn. He glanced outside groggily and noticed that the sea seemed to have risen. The sea level seemed closer than before.
He heard the clear sound of the waves, and behind him was Li Zhao’s steady breathing. He shrugged and leaned into Li Zhao’s embrace.
Until his shoulder blades touched Li Zhao’s heart.
Thump, thump, thump…
Li Zhao’s pulse matched the rhythm of the waves remarkably.
Gu Jiahe fell into a deep sleep again.
The next morning, Li Zhao woke up first. Sunlight poured in through the window onto the bedsheet. Gu Jiahe was curled up in his embrace like a little koala.
Li Zhao gently moved his head to another pillow before getting out of bed.
He casually opened the cruise manual that came with the room and started reading.
Five minutes later, Gu Jiahe woke up and immediately sat up.
After freshening up, he walked up behind Li Zhao, took the manual from him, and looked through it. After reading, he exclaimed excitedly, “I didn’t expect there to be so many fun things here.”
Li Zhao patted his butt. “Let’s go, then. Let’s get started.”
They shuttled between the decks of the massive cruise ship. Gu Jiahe felt like he had entered a real-life game, with each deck being a different level.
The fourteenth deck of the cruise ship was the deck, offering an unobstructed view of the ocean. Next to it was the entire cruise ship’s play area.
Gu Jiahe stopped in his tracks and immediately noticed the surfing activity on the deck. He turned to Li Zhao and said, “I want to try this.”
Li Zhao was a little worried. “You can’t swim. Is it okay?”
Gu Jiahe was just a pure landlubber. The memory of almost drowning at the swimming pool years ago still haunted Li Zhao to this day.
Gu Jiahe didn’t mind. “Surfing is surfing, swimming is swimming. Aren’t there instructors here?”
Soon, Gu Jiahe changed into the gear, while Li Zhao watched from the platform below. The water in the surf pool was turbulent, and an instructor gave Gu Jiahe a training board.
The instructor first asked him to lie on the board to practice balance.
Gu Jiahe cautiously lay on the board, and the rushing water splashed onto his face.
At first, he struggled, feeling like he was about to be washed off the board. But after a moment, he found the knack, holding onto the board steadily and welcoming the waves.
“Woo, this is so exciting!” Gu Jiahe shouted down to Li Zhao.
Soon, the instructor let him try sitting up on the surfboard. Gu Jiahe tried twice and fell into the water twice, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Li Zhao was about to advise him to give up, but unexpectedly, he succeeded on the third attempt.
Gu Jiahe sat steadily on the board, controlling his body’s center of gravity with his upper body.
Gu Jiahe glanced mischievously at Li Zhao. “Not bad, huh?”
Seeing him enjoying himself, Li Zhao relaxed and found a lounge chair on the deck to sit down.
Gu Jiahe continued surfing not far away. Li Zhao glanced at him from time to time.
He seemed to be having a great time and quickly learned how to stand on the board and ride the waves. Li Zhao could even hear his excited shouts.
But less than five minutes later, when Li Zhao looked up again, Gu Jiahe was nowhere to be seen. He felt a pang of worry and hurried over.
As he reached the edge of the surf pool, he saw Gu Jiahe lying face down in the water, with the turbulent waves hitting his body.
Li Zhao suddenly felt anxious, and the instructor rushed over as well.
But the next moment, Gu Jiahe flipped over and stood up, not showing any signs of frustration but instead smiling happily. “This is so much fun!”
Li Zhao’s tense mouth finally relaxed.
Gu Jiahe hadn’t expected that he would learn surfing before swimming.
After finishing a whole lesson in the pool, he emerged, and the sunlight on the sea was extremely intense, making him squint.
Li Zhao waited for him to change clothes and walk out of the bathroom. “Your core strength is not bad.”
Gu Jiahe looked proud. “Of course.”
The two walked back along the deck, and Gu Jiahe saw a duty-free shop on the ship. He stopped and turned to Li Zhao. “I want to go shopping.”
Li Zhao didn’t ask what he wanted to buy and simply nodded. “Let’s go.”
After entering the duty-free shop area, instead of looking at men’s bags, shoes, or watches, Gu Jiahe went straight to a women’s jewelry store.
He looked at the counter for a long time, finally stopping in front of a bracelet.
“Is this tacky?” Gu Jiahe pointed to the gold bracelet inside.
Li Zhao didn’t understand what he was up to. “Are you buying this?”
Gu Jiahe nodded. “Yeah.”
Li Zhao teased, “What, preparing a dowry for yourself?”
Gu Jiahe nudged him with his elbow. “Nonsense. I want to buy it for aunt.”
Li Zhao paused. “My mom?”
Gu Jiahe nodded. “Yeah.”
He raised his hand to signal the salesperson. “Excuse me, I’d like to buy this. Please wrap it up for me.”
Li Zhao stood beside him, looking at his serious profile. He was backlit by natural light, with a straight nose and low eyelashes.
Li Zhao was somewhat dazed until Gu Jiahe tapped him with the wrapped bag, bringing him back to reality.
The two walked in the public area until around three or four in the afternoon, and Gu Jiahe was starting to feel tired.
Li Zhao turned to him. “Shall we go eat? There’s a buffet restaurant on the second floor.”
Gu Jiahe felt a bit apprehensive when he heard about the buffet restaurant. “Are there no other restaurants?”
As if reading his mind, Li Zhao said, “Unlimited cocktails.”
Gu Jiahe quickly nodded. “Let’s go.”
Gu Jiahe didn’t have the habit of drinking alcohol. However, the cocktails on this cruise ship were exceptionally delicious, with just a hint of tequila, and a strong fruity flavor.
Despite not having a high alcohol tolerance, he had some courage after drinking. After sitting at the bar and eating a bit, he quickly finished two glasses.
When Li Zhao went to get the second round of food, Gu Jiahe was already on his third glass.
Li Zhao handed him a glass of yogurt and pushed it over to him. “Take it easy. These drinks may seem light, but they pack a punch.”
Gu Jiahe didn’t care. “I’m fine.”
As a result, Li Zhao watched him drink one glass after another, perhaps five or six glasses, or maybe seven or eight.
Outside the restaurant’s glass windows, the sun gradually moved westward. Gu Jiahe’s gaze also gradually went from clear to blurry.
Li Zhao chatted with him, seemingly oblivious to his decreasing response frequency.
After a while, Gu Jiahe slumped down, burying his head between his arms, panting slightly.
Li Zhao walked over to his side, reaching out to support him. “Are you okay?”
At this question, he suddenly noticed tears in Gu Jiahe’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Li Zhao asked him.
Gu Jiahe choked up several times as he tried to speak, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn’t say a word.
Li Zhao felt somewhat at a loss, not knowing where to put his hands.
But Gu Jiahe kept crying, his eyes turning red, his shoulders shaking.
Passing tourists looked over, thinking something was wrong with Gu Jiahe. Li Zhao could only apologize to them.
However, the next moment, Gu Jiahe suddenly cupped Li Zhao’s face, looking at him blankly for a moment before speaking up, “I’m so happy, ge.”
After Gu Jiahe spoke, tears still on his face, he began to laugh foolishly.
Li Zhao felt helpless. This confirmed that he was simply drunk and acting crazy.
Li Zhao supported his arm, hugged his waist, and led him back to the room.
He opened the door and gently laid him down on the bed.
Gu Jiahe stared at the ceiling for a long time without saying a word.
“I’ll take a shower first.” Seeing him resting, Li Zhao prepared to go to the bathroom himself. After spending most of the day on the deck, he had indeed sweated a lot under the scorching sun.
“Okay,” Gu Jiahe mumbled vaguely.
After about fifteen minutes, Li Zhao finished his shower and came out, wrapped in a white towel.
“Are you going to shower?” Li Zhao dried his hair and sat on the edge of the bed, patting Gu Jiahe’s arm.
After a few minutes, Gu Jiahe slowly nodded. “Okay.”
Li Zhao found Gu Jiahe’s reaction after drinking quite amusing – crying and laughing, slow reactions, like a glitchy little robot.
After a few minutes, Gu Jiahe slowly got up. He took a paper bag from the suitcase and walked into the bathroom.
He took a long time to shower, and the sound of water in the bathroom lasted for a long time. Li Zhao was a bit worried, wondering if he had drunk too much and passed out in the bathroom.
Just as he was about to get up to check, the sound of water suddenly stopped.
After a few minutes, Gu Jiahe pushed open the door and came out.
Li Zhao, who had been looking at his phone, raised his head when he heard the sound, and his breathing momentarily stopped.
He shook his head slightly to confirm that he wasn’t seeing things.
After a moment, Li Zhao spoke softly, “Why are you dressed like that?”
Gu Jiahe walked to the edge of the bed. “Don’t you like it?”
Gu Jiahe was wearing the oversized shirt Li Zhao had left for him, with only a few buttons fastened at the bottom, revealing a large expanse of fair skin and half of his collarbone.
What left Li Zhao speechless was that there was a black harness under Gu Jiahe’s shirt, and his smooth thighs were encircled by black garter stockings, resembling a beautiful marionette.
Li Zhao carefully looked at him. Gu Jiahe’s drunken skin seemed like ripe peaches. He couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Gu Jiahe saw Li Zhao not saying anything and lifted his legs onto the bed. The strap of the garter stockings brushed against Li Zhao’s arm.
He sat on Li Zhao’s lap, his gaze still somewhat sluggish, but it added a touch of innocence.
He lowered his head, sounding a little pitiful. “I thought you would like it. If you don’t like it, I’ll change…”
Li Zhao grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer until their noses almost touched.
“I like it. Don’t change.”
Gu Jiahe hugged Li Zhao’s neck, rubbing his cheek against him, like a pet dog begging for a hug.
Li Zhao quickly reached out to cup his butt, bringing them closer together.
The round sun descended to the sea level, casting a warm light through the window, filling the room with orange spots.
Gu Jiahe’s skin reflected a warm hue.
Li Zhao buried his head in the crook of Gu Jiahe’s neck, feeling his breath hotter than usual.
The cruise ship drifted on the boundless sea, with the sound of waves crashing against the hull. The sound of the tide was intense and ambiguous, enveloping the senses of the passengers with the sunlight.
After drinking, Gu Jiahe seemed like a different person, as if he had returned to his eighteen-year-old self, carefree and unrestrained, indulging in wanton entanglement.
He fiercely bit Li Zhao’s lower lip, causing Li Zhao to slap his butt hard, leaving a bright red handprint.
In the midst of their rapid breaths, Gu Jiahe turned his head and saw the sunset outside the window.
The sunset seemed so close, dyeing the entire sea surface orange-red.
In a daze, he realized that watching the sunset at sea was even more beautiful than watching it on the shore.
But this thought only lingered in his mind for less than half a minute before he was once again pulled into a passionate kiss by Li Zhao, losing all his focus.
The ship floated on the endless sea, and time lost its meaning.
In this small cabin on the sea, the two entwined from sunset to nightfall, and then to the rising of the full moon.
Until the next morning’s light shone into the balcony, Li Zhao opened his eyes.
He reached out to take his phone from the bedside table, unlocking it and checking the date and time at that moment, suddenly realizing something.
Gu Jiahe lay on his stomach, his head buried in the pillow, seemingly asleep, breathing lightly.
Li Zhao reached out and touched his earlobe, then lowered his head to gently kiss his cheek.
“Happy birthday, Jiahe.”
Five seconds later, Gu Jiahe slowly turned his head from between the pillows, lifting his eyelids to look at Li Zhao.
He whispered softly, “Let’s be happy every day, ge.”