three

"Indeed, in the open sea, near the Bus Strait," she said softly, picking up a cushion from beside her, "Could you do me a small favor? I need to look up some information, but I cannot let Nan Huai know."

At the moment the door was closed, the light that seeped through the crack still revealed him staring at me without blinking

However, it is indeed too noisy here

They danced for a long time, so long that there were almost no people left in the dance floor, so long that someone had already told them that dawn was approaching. Cheng Mu Yang whispered something to the waiter, and soon the waiter bowed and left, completely clearing the venue

Cheng Mu Yang told her that this is a song by Madonna from 1986

He smiled and said, "You are welcome to redeem it anytime, anywhere"

After a moment of silence, the other party still agreed to her.

Cheng Mu Yang's hand slid down her spine, supporting her waist, allowing her to stand more comfortably. The tips of their noses touched, their lips brushed gently against each other in an intimate manner, yet there were no further actions taken.

She placed her hand on his waist, pressing against him, without answering the question

He placed her finger against his lips and gently touched it: "Do you still remember the phrase I taught you?"

With a click, everything outside the door was finally cut off

Cheng Mu Yang escorted her back to her room

She lowered her head and smiled, continuing to scan the lines of text aimlessly, her two fingers gliding down line by line, as if she were truly focused on something. Until Cheng Mu Yang grasped her two fingers, she finally lifted her head.

Everything became intoxicating. The fatigue of sleepless nights, under the influence of alcohol, made her gaze become hazy. Cheng Mu Yang kept watching her, every movement, every expression, even the way she looked drowsy with her eyes closed

They were very close to each other, and she even felt that if she said one more word, their lips would touch. However, she did not respond quickly; she simply placed her hand on his bare shoulder and softly told him: "Go to the third floor and wait for me, at the bar on the third floor. I will come find you after I finish getting hot water."

The rapidly rising water temperature nearly scalded her

Go ahead, Cheng Mu Yang said with a hint of a smile, leaning his arm against the door frame, I will wait for you

I want to take a hot shower she said softly

At that time, she was earnestly following Cheng Mu Yang to learn that phrase in Russian. After repeating it three or four times, she had basically memorized each pronunciation. Therefore, when he asked again, she was still able to easily recite it.

She smiled silently, caressing his shirt with her face. Due to the fatigue from a sleepless night, she found herself feeling somewhat dazed. It must be admitted that at certain times, Cheng Mu Yang is an absolutely gentle man

Nanbei changed into a dark green dress to go to the bar

She took a hot shower in just five minutes, and under the flow of the showerhead, layers of fragments unfolded in her mind. Those images from their first meeting to this encounter, as well as the kiss that she could not escape moments ago. She pressed her fingers against her lips, still able to recall Cheng Mu Yang's gentle treatment of her just now

"Does it hurt?" She felt an inexplicable pain in her heart and reached out her finger to gently rub it for him

The operator on the phone finally changed her tone and politely informed her that Mr. Bodongha was on the line and would hang up within ten seconds to answer a call from the North. In fact, it took less than ten seconds; almost simultaneously, the operator's call was disconnected.

After finishing her speech, she finally went to ask him: "Now can you tell me the true meaning?"

Nanbei had no choice but to grasp the hem of his shirt, leaning close to his ear to whisper to him

Cheng Mu Yang's voice carries a rare, indulgent sensuality

It is not considered standard pronunciation, and it does not sound as pleasant as he speaks.

She also lowered her head and smiled, taking Cheng Mu Yang's words as a joke... At that time, she was still in exile, and these descriptions, this island valued at hundreds of millions of pounds, could only be a jest among impoverished students studying abroad

At closing time, the shopkeeper played this tune. She even hummed it with great feeling, putting on her heavy coat while listening to this closing song rich in Spanish flair

Wave Dong Ha

The first time I heard this song was during a certain Lunar New Year.

Before long, two arms encircled her sides, resting on the edge of the round table: "I thought we would have to wait until dawn"

"Miss, I heard that you are currently at sea." The laughter over there is cheerful

She did not deliberately seek him out; she simply sat in the corner, flipping through the drink menu in her hands

He stood with his back to the corridor light, his face outlined sharply, and his brown eyes appeared misty, resembling amber: "Alright, I will wait for you"

The true meaning of this sentence is, "He also leaned close to her ear and told her, 'Cheng Mu Yang is my man.'"

Nanbei was momentarily taken aback, and then suddenly recalled that unfair wager

Nanbei opened her mouth but could not utter a word; instead, she fiercely and deeply pinched his other arm under the table. Initially, it was just to vent her frustration, but to her surprise, he seemed unfazed. By the end, she felt it was excessive, and when she finally released her grip, his snow-white arm had already developed a layer of bruising.

The call was disconnected at 10:30

Later, everyone gathered together, laughing and joking, and before they knew it, it was midnight

She made a sound of "hm" and looked up at him

The three-story bar is filled with young people, most of whom are of a younger generation. Aside from the youth and those of lower status, others would not be present here at this time, thus, their presence here together feels akin to a secret rendezvous

She stood at the entrance of the store, listening to the owner finish singing it

The first word is my name. He deliberately repeated what he had said at that time

She found it both amusing and absurd, but unexpectedly, Katyusha touched her eyes and said, "Whatever kind of dream you have, that is what you will become." This made her even more delighted: "Alright, the dreams should be grander; we all want to marry someone who owns a small island"

Private

He let out a soft "hm" as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, gestured to summon the waiter, and ordered a glass of red wine

She suddenly smiled and softly asked him, "Do you still remember?"

She does not possess his linguistic talent, but her memory has always been quite good

A space for only two people

They dined at the City Hall Square in Ypres, located 80 kilometers southeast of Brussels. As it was not a local holiday, there were not many people. The two individuals, accompanied by Katyusha, ultimately chose a Chinese restaurant named "Red Sorghum"

I will wait for your message at seven o'clock tomorrow morning

The door to the room opened, yet she turned around, took two steps back, and blocked him outside the door

At this point, remembering it again is already quite different

The room was dark, and she turned around, simply taking a clean towel from the bathroom. While drying her hair, she dialed a number. "Hello," came the voice on the other end, devoid of any emotion

North and South reminisced about his words at that time, lazily leaning against him, their dance steps no longer resembling a dance.

After a while, she softly asked him: "The small island you mentioned, could it be a mere empty promise?"

She remembered that at that time, Cheng Mu Yang merely fixed his gaze upon her and said, somewhat ambiguously, "This island will not have any residents, visitors are prohibited, and it requires a coast guard to prevent outsiders from entering. It would be best to build pink houses on the island, along with villas, tennis courts, and accompanying luxurious gardens. Moreover," he paused for a moment, as if recalling, "this island indeed exists, located in Greece, with an estimated value of approximately 200 million pounds, and the owner is Athena Onassis."

Upon hearing this, Katyusha immediately took hold of Cheng Mu Yang's arm: "Did you hear that? Strive for this, young man"

The music quietly shifts, a melody known only to the two of them

My memory has always been excellent, especially when it comes to matters concerning you

Her right hand, due to her own distraction, turned up the hot water.

She responded with a soft "oh".

Hmm? Because of the light, she squinted her eyes slightly to look at him

The restaurant has three or four tables of Chinese patrons

Cheng Mu Yang, holding her, glanced at his watch: "Should we go back to the room and take a nap?"

No, I am from the south.

Only two questions were raised by the North and South: first, the purpose of the Shen family's journey, and second, the experiences of Cheng Mu Yang, detailed down to every month of each year.

Do not wait here, she nudged him, the impact is not good

At that time, she quietly asked Cheng Mu Yang, whose song is this, and why have I never heard it before

Later, the two of them had some red wine. No one here knew them, and the dim, shifting lights layered upon one another, while the midnight music no longer struck fear into the heart, gradually became soothing and gentle. She and he began to dance slowly at the edge of the crowd in the dance floor, and when someone passed by from behind, he finally pulled her into his embrace at the right moment

She asked for the name of the song, and he replied in Spanish, "La Isla Bonita," and told her that it translates to "Beautiful Island." As for the word "island," Katyusha had a particular fondness for it; she kept expressing in the taxi her dream of marrying someone who owns a small island

The turmoil that had lasted for half a century for her family came to an end in Nanhuai. Since her return from Belgium to Wanting, she was no longer an individual. She needed to be fully prepared for what kind of person Cheng Mu Yang was and what sacrifices would be made in being with him

The two individuals, caught in a lavish rhythm, found their bodies drawing closer together, their arms occasionally brushing against each other, much like all the couples in the dance floor. Cheng Mu Yang quietly leaned down, gazing at her: "Do you believe that I am serious about you?"

Katyusha felt her heart fluttering, frequently covering her mouth and screaming.

"Alright," his voice softened, "I will wait for you in Shen's room."

North and South