VBNWDW - Chapter 23
Chapter 23
"It's a big one," Xi Zhoulu quickly concluded based on past experience. She pulled on the rod with one hand and gripped the reel with the other, ready to haul it in.
But just as she prepared to reel it in, she thought of Luo Yueqing sitting on her lap. Her tightened knuckles relaxed, and her tense body leaned back against the chair.
For any fishing enthusiast, hooking a big fish only to let it go was something to regret for a lifetime. Yet she didn't hesitate in her decision, about to let go and reach for the scissors in the next second.
But someone disagreed, pressing her hand firmly onto the fishing rod and asking in astonishment, "What are you doing?"
There was even a hint of blame in her tone.
Xi Zhoulu paused, then explained in a low voice, "This fish is too big. I can't reel it in."
If she were alone, she might have tried to battle it out with this big fish. But with Luo Yueqing sitting on her, not only was it difficult to exert force, but the struggle could also easily cause her to bump into Luo Yueqing. If the fish pulled them into the water, it would be even more trouble.
"What do you mean, you can't? You just caught several big fish," Luo Yueqing said, suddenly becoming willful.
"That was with someone else helping," Xi Zhoulu frowned slightly.
Luo Yueqing retorted quickly, "So I'm not a person?"
"It's not the same."
"Xi Zhoulu, this is the first fish I've ever caught, and it's a big one," Luo Yueqing had no intention of giving up. She gripped the rod tightly, determined to land this fish.
Xi Zhoulu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had baited the hook, cast the line, and even sat here waiting for a long time herself. All Luo Yueqing did was sit on her lap, and suddenly it became Luo Yueqing's first fish.
Perhaps sensing a chance to escape, the fish began to struggle even more violently, making the line tremble nonstop.
Luo Yueqing, knowing nothing of the proper technique, just held on tight. The rod was already bent into a semicircle and was still being pulled down.
But she was being inexplicably stubborn. Even as her hands trembled from the strain, she refused to let go. Her knuckles turned white, and she clenched her teeth.
Xi Zhoulu opened her mouth, but the words telling her to give up remained unspoken.
Her pale, grayish-blue eyes lost focus for a moment. She let out a breath, her expression turning firm and serious.
She said in a deep voice, "That's not how you pull."
Xi Zhoulu gripped the rod with one hand and the reel with the other, but instead of pulling back, she told Luo Yueqing, "Relax first. Don't use force."
Although Luo Yueqing didn't understand why, she saw that Xi Zhoulu wasn't about to give up, so she did as she was told.
As soon as they eased up on the rod, it straightened out. The reel spun rapidly as the big fish pulled the line and darted far away.
Xi Zhoulu showed no sign of anxiety. Keeping her eyes fixed on the water, she instructed in a steady voice, "Let go of my hand and grip the rod lower down. When I say pull, you pull back with all your might."
Luo Yueqing didn't hesitate, immediately moving her hands down to grip the rod. Xi Zhoulu's voice came right after.
"Pull!"
Before the word was even out, they both gripped the rod and yanked it toward themselves. At the same time, Xi Zhoulu quickly turned the reel, retrieving the line that had just been pulled out.
"Release again."
Not ten seconds later, Xi Zhoulu was ready to let go again.
People who don't fish think of it as a leisurely pastime—just sit on the bank with a rod and wait patiently for a bite.
Only those who truly understand it know how strenuous fishing can be. You have to battle the struggling fish on the hook, a contest of wits and strength, wearing it down until it has no energy left before finally landing it. The process is long and tiring, and the slightest mistake can let the fish escape.
"Pull again."
Another round of pulling and releasing. Luo Yueqing, who had been sitting on Xi Zhoulu's lap, now had her feet planted on the deck. Even the wheelchair, despite its locked wheels, had slid back a little.
"When you pull, pull toward me so you don't get hit," Xi Zhoulu managed to instruct, her eyes still glued to the sea.
"The rod is clearly pointed at me. Why should I pull it toward you?" Though she knew nothing, Luo Yueqing dared to challenge authority and voice her confusion.
"Stop chattering. If the fish gets away, you can sleep next door tonight," Luo Yueqing threw out a threat before the other could even speak.
Xi Zhoulu was momentarily bewildered, blinking her eyes.
She was just worried about the rod hitting her, and now it was being called annoying chatter. Besides, she had never insisted on sleeping in the same room as Luo Yueqing. Whether at home or in the hotel, they had been sleeping separately this whole time. It was clearly Luo Yueqing who wanted to sleep together, so how did the threat end up being directed at her?
"It's getting away, it's getting away!"
Luo Yueqing's urgent voice snapped her back to reality. Xi Zhoulu quickly grabbed the rod and pulled back hard.
The dark clouds overhead had gathered into a thick layer, and without any warning, raindrops began to fall.
In the cabin on the other side, Pang Tai instinctively stood up, about to rush out the door. But just as his foot crossed the threshold, he suddenly remembered Xi Zhoulu's order—unless it was a special situation, when she was with Luo Yueqing, no one was to rush over unless called.
This was something Xi Zhoulu had solemnly emphasized to Pang Tai and his team after the last embarrassing incident.
And Pang Tai and the others weren't inexperienced young Alphas; they understood perfectly well. But this weather…
"Boss, should we go over or not…?" a teammate next to him asked, his expression a mixture of difficulty and helplessness.
It was already raining. Why hadn't Miss Xi called for them?
Pang Tai's expression shifted several times. He turned to another person and asked, "Check with the surveillance room."
Aside from the private rooms, the yacht was covered in surveillance cameras. There was even a signal monitor that would detect any outgoing messages.
"Why didn't I think of that?" The man slapped his forehead and immediately pressed his earpiece. After a few mumbled words, his expression grew complicated.
"What is it?" Pang Tai frowned and barked.
The man began to stammer, "They said… Miss Xi and Madam are, are fishing."
"Fishing in the rain!"
He nodded heavily, confirming Pang Tai's words. "Yes, the surveillance room said they're fishing in the rain. And Madam is sitting on Miss Xi's lap…"
As he finished, everyone's expression became complicated.
"Boss, are we still going…?"
"Go my ass! Didn't you hear him? Miss Xi and Madam are having a romantic moment!"
"What are you going to do? Give them a close-up recording of their beautiful moment?" Pang Tai immediately scolded.
Before the man could retort, he heard another voice in his earpiece. He repeated, stammering, "The surveillance room says they're ki-kissing…"
"Tell the surveillance room to turn off the camera facing the deck. Keep a close watch on both sides and don't let anyone near," Pang Tai ordered immediately. Then he commanded, "You few, with me. Guard the cabin exit."
"Ah Shan, you guys go inform everyone else. Tell them to return to their rooms immediately. If anyone disobeys, tie them up and throw them back."
At his words, the men immediately acknowledged and moved to carry out their orders.
The weather at sea was unpredictable, sunny one moment and overcast the next. The rain came on fast, pouring down as soon as the dark clouds gathered, like a child splashing water—a drizzle that quickly became a downpour.
Luo Yueqing and Xi Zhoulu had no umbrella and were too busy wrestling with the big fish to care about the rain. In moments, they were soaked.
Xi Zhoulu was slightly better off; her clothes were waterproof, and she had a sun hat. Luo Yueqing was a mess. Her white shirt was already snug, and now that it was soaked through, it was as if she wasn't wearing anything at all. The black fabric underneath was completely exposed, its pattern a mystery.
As Xi Zhoulu pulled on the rod, she would occasionally brush against it but never tried to make out what it was. Her earlobes would just suddenly turn red, the color taking a long time to fade.
After countless rounds of pulling and releasing, the line grew shorter and shorter, and the thrashing of a fish tail became visible on the water's surface. It was perhaps its final struggle, as it kicked up huge splashes, churning the white waves over and over.
But Xi Zhoulu remained calm and unhurried, growing ever more steady. She reeled the line in and let it out, no longer needing to give commands. Whenever she lifted the rod, Luo Yueqing would immediately pull back with force.
Ripples spread across the sea, and a thin mist blurred the line between sky and water. The fish's struggles grew weaker and weaker.
"Okay," Xi Zhoulu said suddenly. She added in a low voice, "Let's slowly pull it back. It's out of energy."
Luo Yueqing let out a sigh of relief, coordinating with Xi Zhoulu's pulls. She then asked, "Should I go get a net?"
Once the fish was close, they could scoop it up to prevent it from unhooking while being lifted by the rod—a common mistake that had made countless anglers sigh in regret.
"Not yet. Let's play it a little longer," Xi Zhoulu shook her head.
Luo Yueqing didn't understand any of this and just followed her lead. She loosened her grip on the rod, only to suddenly hear someone speak next to her ear, "I think black suits you better."
Perhaps because she rarely said such things, her lowered voice was a bit husky and sounded unnatural. But she didn't pull away, instead pressing closer to Luo Yueqing.
The soaked shirt was thin, making the small garment underneath stand out. It scraped against Xi Zhoulu's body, not painfully, but more like an unconscious caress. The recent struggle had raised Luo Yueqing's body temperature, making her feel as warm and smooth as heated jade in her arms.
The arm wrapped around Luo Yueqing's waist tightened, holding her firmly in place.
Luo Yueqing was surprised by the other woman's initiative and didn't resist at first. As capable as CEO Xi seemed on a daily basis, she wasn't so skilled when it came to these matters. She was, after all, an Omega from a noble family raised under a strict upbringing. In the beginning, Luo Yueqing had to remind her to breathe.
Usually, it was Luo Yueqing who initiated and Xi Zhoulu who indulgently accepted. If it weren't for the spreading pheromones, it would be hard to tell if she truly enjoyed it.
A tsundere.
The word popped into Luo Yueqing's mind and wouldn't leave. She wanted to laugh but didn't dare open her mouth.
It was the other woman who first sensed Luo Yueqing's mood, muttering, "What are you doing?"
Luo Yueqing suppressed her smile, put on a serious face, and said in a solemn tone, "Fishing."
Xi Zhoulu glanced at her, finally remembering to argue back, "This is my fish."
She could compromise on other things, and money was no object, but this fish was different. It was an angler's lifeblood.
"How is it yours?" Luo Yueqing shot back, not to be outdone. Though not yet an official angler, she had already developed a fisherman's attachment to her catch.
"I baited the hook and cast the line," Xi Zhoulu presented her evidence.
"And then you got no bites for ages. It was only after I sat on your lap and held the rod that the fish took the hook," Luo Yueqing enunciated, emphasizing every word.
A rainy day, the deck of a yacht at sea, and a newlywed couple in an embrace. It was a scene ripe with ambiguity and romance, yet the two of them were suddenly fighting over ownership of a fish.
It was strange. The two of them were always so unexpectedly in sync. The closer and more intimate they became, the more they could talk about unrelated, serious matters, taking breaks to kiss and flirt.
"You just happened to be here at the right time," Xi Zhoulu dismissed her nonsense, adding, "Besides, without me, you wouldn't have known how to land it."
"I… I would have just yanked it up," Luo Yueqing refused to yield easily.
The big fish was still struggling, unaware that the people on the deck were already fighting over it.
"You couldn't have yanked it up," CEO Xi was not being accommodating today.
Luo Yueqing ground her teeth in frustration. Forgetting the fish entirely, she turned her head to glare at Xi Zhoulu.
The other woman pretended not to notice, feigning intense focus on the sea as she said casually, "I'm not against letting you have this fish, but…"
"What do you want?" Luo Yueqing asked, following her lead.
Xi Zhoulu raised an eyebrow, her elegant features softening. She smiled lightly and said, "A fair trade. You took a fish from me, so you have to give me a fish in return."
Luo Yueqing wasn't stupid. She knew Xi Zhoulu didn't really want a fish. And the arm around her was still tightening, such a blatant hint…
She suddenly broke into a smile, hooking an arm around the other's neck. Her tone was bewitching and seductive. "I think that's a good trade, but I'm afraid CEO Xi won't be able to handle it."
"Miss Luo had better worry about herself. If you talk too big, it'll be troublesome if you can't back it up later," Xi Zhoulu's lips curled into a smirk. Though out in the rain, she seemed as poised as if she were strategizing in her office.
"CEO Xi is welcome to try. We'll see if it's me who can't handle it, or you who calls for a stop," Luo Yueqing whispered in her ear.
The other end of the fishing line had gone quiet. Xi Zhoulu reeled it in and lifted, immediately saying, "Get the net."
Luo Yueqing didn't delay, bending down to grab it from the side. She then stood up by the rod and scooped downwards.
The net hit the water. The big fish gave one last, powerful struggle, but Xi Zhoulu held it firm, finally pulling it into the large net.
With a slight heave from Luo Yueqing, the big fish that had entangled them for so long was finally revealed.
The fish had a peculiar shape. It wasn't flat and long like ordinary fish but was plump all over, in the shape of a long spindle. Its body was bluish-purple with a silvery-white underbelly, a small head, and a pointed mouth. It was about sixty centimeters long.
"Skipjack Tuna," Xi Zhoulu identified it without hesitation, a look of realization on her face.
Luo Yueqing looked down at it with some disdain. "Why is it so small? I thought it was some huge fish, the way the two of us were pulling for so long."
"They're naturally strong," Xi Zhoulu explained with a smile. "I probably attracted a small school of Skipjack Tuna when I threw in live fish and shrimp as bait earlier. That's why I was getting bites at first, but then the other fish got scared off, and the bites stopped."
"Sounds pretty fierce," Luo Yueqing commented.
"Very fierce. They're fast, have great stamina, and are pretty much tyrants of the sea," Xi Zhoulu said, looking quite pleased.
Skipjack Tuna belonged to the tuna family. Though not expensive, they were very difficult to catch. Even experienced anglers had to fight them for a long time.
Luo Yueqing lost interest after a few glances and returned to Xi Zhoulu's lap. Draping a hand over the other's neck, she asked, "Is it edible?"
Some types of fish were protected. Even if you went through the trouble of catching one, you had to release it.
"It is, but the taste is average. I'll have the kitchen handle it later," Xi Zhoulu was very knowledgeable on the subject.
Luo Yueqing raised an eyebrow and smiled. "So my fish tastes average. What about CEO Xi's?"
She feigned concern for the other, saying worriedly, "After all, CEO Xi has tasted so many fish, you must be extremely picky. If the taste isn't good…"
She blinked, offering a helpful suggestion. "How about CEO Xi has a little taste test first?"
Xi Zhoulu opened her mouth, about to speak, but was interrupted as Luo Yueqing brought up an old score. "Oh, I almost forgot. Our CEO Xi is so proper, she would never taste test in advance."
She was referring to the time in the room during her heat, when both of them were tormented by the fever but had forcibly held back.
Xi Zhoulu's helpless yet indulgent voice sounded out, "Luo Yueqing."
The woman just looked at her with feigned confusion, her peach-blossom eyes, shimmering with moisture, full of mischievous laughter.
"You…" Xi Zhoulu was at a loss with her and could only sigh softly.
But Luo Yueqing was relentless, pressing closer to say, "What about me?"
"Wicked," Xi Zhoulu summarized succinctly, but in the next second, she tilted her chin up and pressed her lips to the corner of the other's mouth.
"As long as CEO Xi likes it," the muffled voice was blocked, but it couldn't stop the laughter from escaping.
The rain in the distance was starting to let up, but the scenery under the white shirt was already on full display—the softness wrapped in black lace, a June peach that could be tasted with just a gentle tug.
Xi Zhoulu gripped the other's waist, trapping this Alpha in her arms, but in doing so, she also delivered herself to her mouth.
The sweet scent of roses emerged, not diminished in the slightest by the rain, enveloping them tightly.
It was unclear who went down first. The wheelchair was abandoned to the side. Xi Zhoulu was pressed onto the deck, her wrists pinned above her head. The angler was finally captured by her prey.
Her sun hat fell off, and the long hair coiled at the back of her head came loose, sticking wetly to her cheeks.
A layer of mist veiled her pale, grayish-blue eyes, and a touch of red bloomed at their corners.
The cool, aloof moon was pulled down to the mortal world by vines, falling into a shimmering pool of water, allowing the rose to bow its head and kiss it softly.
The wind stirred the waves. To an onlooker, the massive pure-white yacht was but a tiny boat in the deep sea. When the waves surged, the yacht could only rise and fall with them, to say nothing of the two people on its deck.
Her breath was stolen away. Xi Zhoulu tilted her head back to escape, but her prey seized the opportunity to bite her neck. She could only half-close her eyes and look at the sky.
Seagulls soared through the sea of clouds. The heavy, dark clouds finally began to part, letting a sliver of golden sunlight spill through.
Xi Zhoulu reached up and grabbed the collar of the person on top of her. The white shirt had long since lost its buttons and hung loosely on her body. On her straight collarbone was a faint red bite mark, one Xi Zhoulu had inflicted just moments ago.
But the blame still lay with Luo Yueqing. She was the one who had pressed close, saying she wanted Xi Zhoulu to taste her, which led to her getting such a big bite from the embarrassed and angry woman.
"Hiss…"
Unsure what was touched, Xi Zhoulu suddenly let out a muffled sound. Her arched back was pressed against the cold deck. It hadn't felt hard before, but now it was starting to feel uncomfortable.
The person moving downwards paused, then stood up and swept Xi Zhoulu into her arms.
Xi Zhoulu instinctively held on tight, her pale, grayish-blue eyes holding a rare look of confusion.
Luo Yueqing was not one for silence. She lowered her head slightly, nibbled on the other's earlobe, and suddenly asked, "How do you eat a chestnut?"
Her mind likely clouded by other things, Xi Zhoulu replied without much thought, "Peel it and eat it."
Luo Yueqing smiled and gave the pearly-white earlobe a rewarding bite.
Only then did Xi Zhoulu realize who the chestnut was. She was about to glare at her but was silenced by another kiss.
"It needs to be washed clean, then peeled and eaten."
Perhaps due to her weaker constitution, Xi Zhoulu was actually very light. Holding her didn't feel heavy at all, not even as tiring as wrestling with the big fish earlier.
Luo Yueqing took a few steps forward to the staircase. Their room was on the second floor of the yacht, a single, private space where they wouldn't be disturbed.
Hot water filled the bathtub. The shirt fell to the floor. Water pooled on the ground and flowed toward the lowest point.
The bathroom was shrouded in hazy steam. The noble Omega was carefully placed in the hot water. Then, with a splash, the fish Xi Zhoulu had caught swam right up to her.
Black and pink hair intertwined in the water like vines.
Xi Zhoulu gripped the handrail on the side of the tub. It had been custom-made for her, in case her legs were too weak for her to get out on her own.
In the past, Xi Zhoulu had always found the handrail an eyesore and refused to use it, insisting on climbing out with great effort on her own.
But now, she found it rather useful. At least it allowed her, pinned down by the rose, a moment to catch her breath.
The rain outside seemed to have stopped. The people who had been confined to their rooms could finally come out and clean up the mess on the deck.
Xi Zhoulu thought she heard someone laughing loudly, praising her for catching a big fish.
But she no longer had the mind to care. The fish she truly wanted to taste was in the water, right in front of her.
A rose blooming in the water, enchanting and gorgeous. Crystalline droplets slid down its exquisite curves, only to be crushed by thin lips before they could fall back into the water, leaving faint marks behind.
With a soft splash, Luo Yueqing sank beneath the surface again. It seemed silent, but it stirred up enormous waves.
Xi Zhoulu's head snapped back. Her breathing stopped for a second, then became rapid.
The rising water level overflowed the tub, washing over the entire bathroom, leaving everything in a wet, messy state.
After the dark clouds dispersed, the sun peeked out again. In just over ten minutes, the water on the deck had been dried by the sun, leaving no trace of the heavy rain that had just fallen.
Pang Tai and a few others stood on the deck, gathered in a circle to discuss the return journey. According to the original plan, they should have left long ago, and even been halfway back by now. But without an order from Xi Zhoulu, they didn't dare make a decision.
After muttering among themselves for a while, Pang Tai, as the captain, finally made the call to head back directly without disturbing the two of them.
The yacht started up, leaving several white wakes on the sea's surface.
Xi Zhoulu knelt on top of Luo Yueqing, lowering her head to bite her gland. At the same time, Luo Yueqing's slender fingers pressed against a damp, soft place.
A muffled groan rose and fell. Xi Zhoulu tasted the richest, sweetest rose honey, while Luo Yueqing also got to eat the shelled chestnut she had been craving, fragrant with a hint of burning charcoal, utterly sweet.
No one paid any mind to whether the yacht was leaving. The Skipjack Tuna that had just been caught was taken to the kitchen by the chef. With a few flashes of a long knife, the fish was cleaned perfectly.
Then, the most delicious part, the belly, was placed on a charcoal fire to grill, waiting for the two hardworking anglers to finish their current business so they could taste the grand feast of fish they had worked so hard to catch.
This was sure to be a deeply felt and satisfying feast.
Get instant access to all chapters now.
Comments
Post a Comment